Discrepancy Update

During the week we had a few discrepancies that we found were mounting. On Wednesday we met with our SS to discuss them. He was reassuring, accommodating and has assured us that all these problems will be resolved (except the infills!! grrrr). My husband was talking to someone who works at Simmons during the week and he said that if you complain hard enough when building you can change anything. Good to know! We are not that type of people but we are certainly willing to question things. He explained the position of the windows in regards to the infills (we still feel like the drafts-person and framers could have stopped this). We accept this. We have asked to put insulation in these to maximise heat loss and noise. We have hunted the streets and have found some houses with them and no-one will really even notice. I can't even look at a house now without analysing the windows!! He has strongly reassured us of the quality of the bricklayer and his reputation and you can see his work is very neat, square and symmetrical. We are really really happy with the brickwork otherwise. They also seem to be the most caring of trades so far. They cover their work if there is a chance of rain with tarps etc. and have been incredibly clean. The error of the kitchen windows will be fixed (has been already!), the brick wall be knocked down, the lintel and window put into the correct position and rebuilt!!! We didn't even have to say anything about this - it was what the SS explained- so we were very happy. Everything else on our list will be done and he explained that even though the painters were already there, other trades would come back on and off and the painters would be back (often) at least 3 or 4 times again. Happy days!

1. bricks not coursed to top of windows  - Black aluminium to match the windows - cannot change this - apparently they're on every build....
2. overhang of bricks (not regulation) to front piers - steel angle support to be placed here
3. gaps at one side of the butlers pantry - aluminium infill to sides (where needed)
4. butlers and kitchen windows at different levels - has been changed the past few days!!!! Lintel to be moved down and brick wall to be pulled down and rebuilt
5. butlers window not level in its own right - will be fixed
6. theatre window reveals to be replaced due to water damage - reveals will be replaced
7. theatre window now brick damaged (bent framework) - will be looked at and fixed if irreparable after all brickwork is finished
8. 10 or so plaster faults - by inspector - yet to be rectified - though painting has started - all to be fixed in the coming weeks
9. bulge in plaster-work on stairwell - from scaffold brackets - will be fixed with above - will be given a skim coat
10. plaster bulkhead in living/kitchen not straight (either side) - to be fixed and plastered
11. kitchen and butlers overhead cupboards too high - due to dropped window - SS is disappointed this wasn't already done (may have delayed the window change)
12. wrong placement of overhead shelf in cupboard - to be done with cabinetry 
13. graze/scratch on one kitchen drawer - will be replaced
14. chip on laundry laminate bench - to be fixed/replaced if needed
15. bulkhead in lounge short in length (we will NOT bring this up as we prefer it!)
16. scratches to framework on most doors and some windows - all to be cleaned and fixed at door service and any parts removed and replaced if we are not happy with quality of finish
17. master bedroom window winder broken - to be fixed at window service
18. insulation needs replacing in two parts due to wrap wind damage  - will be done when brickwork is high enough
19. electrical wire in brick pier missed (brickie checked with me today and he will fix tomorrow - grateful he saw it before they continued) - hole through brickwork has been drilled and wire will be put through

It was good to meet with our SS and go through our concerns and the fact that he addressed everything was exactly what we needed. There is no build that doesn't have it's ups and downs and as I expected, in the light of a new day our concerns where not that huge. Being informed is the biggest part of building and just knowing what will happen instead of jumping to conclusions when you see it half done it probably our biggest downfall. We currently live just near the build so we drive past a few times a day. Sometimes I feel like we are too close and too aware of everything. Juxtaposition really; too close in one way but wanting to stay on top of it all at the same time.