Founds in.... and lessons from Buildstore.
So we ended up with 2 builders in the running. One who has built SIPS before but who was quite negative, (saying his guys wouldn't like the travel, his masons wouldn't like the reclaimed stone and his roofer wouldn't like the slate... he was also not happy with how he'd get pallets of the stone to 1 side of the house where it's near the boundary) and the other who had a "nothing is a bother" attitude, and an excellent reputation locally. As it happened, the second one also had the most competitive quote, and we have gone with them.... and very pleased we are too. They've turned out to be very careful in their work, but also breezy and cheerful and nothing is a problem to them. We ended up needing more hardcore stone for the ground than expected and the garage foundations had to be way, way deeper than expected, yet they charged us not a penny more. So in barely 2 weeks the site has been cleared, foundations dug (archaeologist found nothing of interest thankfully) , poured, blocks up and the beam and block floors as well as the drainage pipes are all in now. BC guy was helpful and happy with the work as was the warranty surveyor. The only blip just now is Buildstore and the mortgage. After a month and hearing nothing I chased it up to find they hadn't yet submitted the paperwork. By the time they did, the bank statements and payslips we'd sent had "expired" , so we had to send new ones in. More delay. We've been asked for paperwork in dribs and drabs - so they ask us to send 1 thing in then 3 days later ask for something else... and so on *repeatedly*. In the end I complained and someone got onto it and they finally submitted the paperwork to the lender that week. But sure enough, they then wanted something else. So I sent it along with an email telling them it would be far more sensible to A. pass the stuff straight to the lender rather than hanging on to it for a month before doing so and B. Just ask me in one go for everything they need &I'll send it, rather than wasting even more time. I got a call assuring me that absolutely the lot.... then guess what happens 3 days later? Really fed up with them. The latest is asking us to prove we've paid rent for the 3 month period BEFORE the 3 month period they already have evidence for ! (we sold our house asked are renting while the build goes on... Though it's been 2 years now). It's just illogical really, & whilst it's apparently come from the lender, why not just ask us for the 6 months evidence straight away if that's what that lender requires? It's just being dragged out over months and months as slowly as possible for either inefficiency or reasons they are not telling us and we just cannot understand. I do fear something is being lost in translation netween us and the lender with having to communicate via buildstore. If I were to use them again I'd definitely recommend chasing them every week to ask if they've done anything as we lost over a month where it seems our paperwork just sat on a desk and more weeks due to this drip feed of documents thing.
So next we ae hoping for a dry weekend to dig the water pipe trench, do some ground levelling (we have a small version of mount everest in topsoil ?) & various tasks like that. But until the mortgage is finally sorted the SIPS cannot progress.
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