Gaf

I’m definitely in that club with you. Think our wives would get along 😆

Yeah we were expecting natural slate. The planning drawings included the attached. I’m convinced it was an oversight by the architect. A bit of digging indicates they gave the job to a junior staff member not long out of arch tech college. If I pursue it, the arch will say it was done to leave us with choice (even though we didn’t want a choice) and the builder will say it didn’t specify natural so they went ahead (even though it wasn’t flagged these were synthetic). The pair of them are in it and I’m still mulling it…

Attached is the architect’s roof makeup from the construction drawings. The tender quote didn’t separate out just the slate roof so it’s hard to judge the cost and if I ask the builder directly I don’t imagine I’m going to get the exact answer. I’m a bit stuck on that 😬

Hopefully I'll get there in 2 years as well 😄 Yeah I've let things settle a bit and feeling less heat, erring on the side of letting it lie. But I'm requesting the documentation on the tiles that have gone on as I want to know what the quality of them and colour guarantee. I asked the architect about their decision not to put "Natural Slate Tiles" on the construction drawings to match the planning drawings. I had been very clear that I wanted then construction drawings to be "identical" to the planning drawings, and have this in writing. Personally feel like this was an oversight and I got a botch response which was 'to give you the choice of which tile you would like'. The architect crew got a few things wrong on the drawings that I had to spot and correct, and they signed off on the drawings that subsequently turned out not to meet building regulations. As @Iceverge said if I was doing this again I'd have so much more oversight on everything. It's hard keeping track with full-time work and family demands.

100% take your point on keeping a balanced view. It’s why I often post here to get perspective on things 👍 And completely agree that the builder is in business and this isn’t a charity so do understand his need to tender appropriately. The build is well on at this stage and I’ve found the process quite tiring so there is an element of lethargy kicking in. We spent a lot of time at the design stage being quite specific about things so we could just consistently direct the builder to the drawings. But things still cropped up that didn’t match the drawings: two waste pipes in wrong positions requiring concrete floor to be torn up and damaged UFH pipes replaced, all dormer windows were done differently than drawings requiring all joinery work to be redone, our landing wasn’t done to match the drawings and has meant our stairs now has gone from 36 degree angle to 40 degree angle, stone work was requested as dry bed but was done with mortar showing, driveway is approx 1-2m too thin than on drawings so we can’t get the turning circle to reverse cars out, an internal door that we repeatedly specifically stated we wanted in a certain position was put in a different position. So when I realised these slates weren’t what we expected it feels like another aspect of the build that’s awry.

None of the planning drawings were included in the tender process. Yeah I’m really torn on this. It looks well now but I had no idea they come with 10-20 year colour guarantees so could start to lose colour overtime, and could start to curl at the edges over time. Jesus. If I’d have known any of this I would have stayed a mile away from them. It’s our final home so I’m all for putting the money in upfront to have it done, not be blowing another 20k plus when Im at retirement age to replace faded tiles.

Just took a look at our planning permission drawings and they state “Natural Slate” for the roof. This looks like the architect didn’t properly translate that detail from the planning drawings to the construction drawings. Wasn’t picked up by us as we had no idea slates could be faux slates so didn’t even register that they needed to include the term “natural”.

Architect provided a 20 page specification document for the tender process. We managed it ourselves and have a solicitor approved legal contract stating that all works will be completed as per the specification document and as per the drawings (all 20+ drawing are specifically listed on this contract). Specific area related to the roof: “1.5.17. Roof Structure Refer to drawings.” “1.5.18. Roof finishes Roof covering in accordance with the drawings and manufacturers details. Supply and install all roof finishes and components, flashings, soakers, etc. as required to complete the roof covering as indicated on the drawings and in accordance with all the current standards and forms of construction. Include for roof vents, roof lights, chimney flashings, soil vent pipe flashings, etc. as necessary to complete the entire roof.” The drawings state: “Slate tiles on SW battens”.

As in, if it said "slate" then the general consensus would be that it meant natural slate? Only if it said "slate effect" would it have meant these cement fibre slates? It was done through the overall tender price. Didn't get a specific breakdown on the slates, but an overall costing on the roof and roof structure. Spec document states to refer to the drawings for the roof detail.

Had no idea they weren’t real slate. Seems obvious now but I wasn’t aware there was a fake slate option. Option for real or fake never came up, drawings state only “slate” roof. Far too late in the game now but any idea what the all in cost difference is between these fake ones and real slate per m2?

Compared to the average person I’ve a tendency toward being a bit pernikety. Curious if the cuts on this slate for the flashing are generally good enough and I’d be OTT feeling like it’s a little rough looking. It’s a new build.

Wasn't sure to post here or in ventilation - my main concern with airtightness is the heat retention as we have MVHR looking after the ventilation (as least that's my understanding!). Builder said that after the chasings are serviced (e.g. electrician does his thing), he uses a sand cement mix to fill in the chasings for airtightness. He doesn't use airtightness paint (e.g. blowerproof). I'd seen posts here stating that sand-cement internal skimming is a perfectly good airtightness layer, so would there be any drawbacks to the builder's proposed method for the chasings?

According to the builder, joinery, and our BS, the architect went OTT on the steel to cover himself. Builder and joiner said they've never seen that size of steel put in for that size of a roof.

Coming back to this. Long story short, only a small number of SEs available, quickest would have been 6+ weeks wait and sought €1k+VAT just to inspect the steel, wouldn't include inspection of anything else or do a walk through with us. One SE actually recommended our BS and said if our BS was signing off on it and said it was OK, then the SE said he would trust it. Our BS got the builder to supply confirmation in writing acknowledging they built it differently than the plans and that they were standing over the structural stability of it. Not perfect, and may not be what the more knowledgeable here would accept but we felt very stuck with how to proceed with varying levels of advice.

Thanks again for your post. Appreciate the advice from someone in the field. Just before touching base with the architect on this, the reason I was going straight for an SE is that there was an issue where seven dormer roof structures were built differently than on the drawings. There was a little kerffufle where the builder felt the drawings weren’t clear and the architect holding firm that they were clear (as you mentioned, I took a non emotional position and stuck to facts but I think events not of my doing has lost some goodwill from the architect). It was two days of work to have them changed back to match the drawings at the builder’s expense. The architect took the position that if anything is done on site differently than on the drawings then it is on our certifier now (our chartered building surveyor) to sign off on these. I believe I will just get this same response now from the architect, effectively “We designed it as A and your builder has done B. We’re not certifying the work on site so this is a matter for your certifier”.