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Found a cheap structural warranty


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Hi all,

 

A about to demolish and have been advised by builder to get a structural warranty. 

 

I’m using Assent for building control so they suggested a few companies who they are approved to inspect for in order to combine inspections and save money.

 

Four quotes came back all 8-12k inc surveyors.

 

The builder said he had another lawyer client who had diligently gone through the same process and found that Protek were the cheapest.

 

i called them and they came back at 3800 - am over the moon with that.

 

My self build lender will accept anything including architects cert but hsbc who I assumed were a good representative the high street will not, but they do accept Protek.

 

i only want the insurance if I need to remortgage to a different bank or sell though I don’t plan on either.

 

Because of the above the question, it shouldn’t matter but I’ll ask it anyway - does this price sound dangerously low to you? Seems odd to me that they were so much cheaper. I told the expensive quotes that I was going with Protek and a few commented that Protek was a decent company.

 

Too good to be true?

Edited by Adamantium
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5 hours ago, Adamantium said:

Hi all,

 

A about to demolish and have been advised by builder to get a structural warranty. 

 

I’m using Assent for building control so they suggested a few companies who they are approved to inspect for in order to combine inspections and save money.

 

Four quotes came back all 8-12k inc surveyors.

 

The builder said he had another lawyer client who had diligently gone through the same process and found that Protek were the cheapest.

 

i called them and they came back at 3800 - am over the moon with that.

 

My self build lender will accept anything including architects cert but hsbc who I assumed were a good representative the high street will not, but they do accept Protek.

 

i only want the insurance if I need to remortgage to a different bank or sell though I don’t plan on either.

 

Because of the above the question, it shouldn’t matter but I’ll ask it anyway - does this price sound dangerously low to you? Seems odd to me that they were so much cheaper. I told the expensive quotes that I was going with Protek and a few commented that Protek was a decent company.

 

Too good to be true?

Go for it

None are worth the paper  they are printed on

But a necessary evil

 

My wife worked for HSB for many years They're not representative 

They are the most reluctant lender when it comes to self employed or buy to let

Ive banked with them since I was sixteen but always had to go elsewhere for borrowing

 

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My Protek structural warranty a year ago cost £1500 including inspections....thats for a £480k build cost 240sqm complicated underground flat green roof house in a dorset village.

We recently investigated some interim financing via both mortgage and development finance....we didnt follow through on this so I cant be conclusive but it didnt seem Protek were a problem for any of the financiers.

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10 minutes ago, mvincentd said:

My Protek structural warranty a year ago cost £1500 including inspections....thats for a £480k build cost 240sqm complicated underground flat green roof house in a dorset village.

We recently investigated some interim financing via both mortgage and development finance....we didnt follow through on this so I cant be conclusive but it didnt seem Protek were a problem for any of the financiers.

We’ve had three visits

 

foundations Didn’t get out of his Mercedes To muddy 

Take plenty of pictures 

Roof got out of car but didn’t go on the scaffold Take plenty of picture

Pre plaster inspection 

No need for visit

Yes you’ve guessed 

Take plenty of pictures

Next visits After BC sign off

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Protek asked me which bc I was using and said assent weren’t approved by them. I’m assuming you are using bc that is on their approved list. 

 

Their premium is .1% of the rebuild cost - that’s incredibly reasonable.

Edited by Adamantium
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I told Protek which bc I was using and said I wanted them to tie with them for the inspections.....Protek at the time didnt have a partner bc all the near my build so they were happy to forge a new relationship.  You being in London might not have that luck as they'll already have a few bc partners.  My bc wouldn't extend to london so no use to you, but fyi i'm paying a pretty nominal sum extra to them to cover admin of passing reports to Protek...cant remember but £300ish.

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I can’t understand why anyone uses a private BC

 local authority was less than £800

Private was simalar 

protect wanted a couple of days notice for inspections

Local authority ring befor 10am

same day visits 

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28 minutes ago, nod said:

can’t understand why anyone uses a private BC

 local authority was less than £800

Private was simalar 

protect wanted a couple of days notice for inspections

Local authority ring befor 10am

same day visits 

agree I think local authority BC is a really good service and we liked the double check of having an inspection by warranty provider as well, two pairs of eyes better than one we thought.  

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1 minute ago, lizzie said:

agree I think local authority BC is a really good service and we liked the double check of having an inspection by warranty provider as well, two pairs of eyes better than one we thought.  

We Feel ripped off by protec

BC have been thorough 

2400 for a bit of paper

Three ten minute visits If we are lucky

He turns up in very smart suit and shiny shoes

Unlikely to be climbing up on scaffolds or footings 

Good work if you can get it

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We don't have private BC up here (Scotland). I had a warranty through Buildzone and their appointed guy came out 4 times I think. He was here for less than an hour each time I believe but I wasn't here for 2 of the inspections. I know that for the first inspection my hubby was worried as he thought he would be really picky but he just wandered round for a bit I believe. He didn't seem to pay much attention to detail eg in his last report he asked for the commissioning report for the oil / gas boiler (it's electric and he has a photo of the clearly electric boiler in his report!) and says that any damage to the PV panels is excluded accompanied by a photo of the ST panels (I don't have PV) that he has labelled 'PV Panels'. I asked him to clarify something he had written in his 3rd report and got nothing back at all and gave up after a couple of emails. 

 

The cost was circa 1% of the actual build cost. 

 

Edited by newhome
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We use Meridian for both BC and warranty inspections and I can’t fault them. Warranty is Sennocke (BuildZone) and was nearly £1800 down the toilet when we found out they don’t do conversions and the broker had basically lied to get the business..... the insurer picked up the pieces and have been superb, issuing interim certificates via email and based on photos when the stages didn’t align with the inspections. Can’t fault either Meridian or Sennocke 

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32 minutes ago, Adamantium said:

I should point out that I don’t have any expectation of the policy being useful. I’m spending the money solely as a requirement should I need to sell or remortgage.

 

Me too. BuildZone offers their warranty retrospectively I believe so you have to decide whether to take a cheaper option now or take the risk that you won’t need one but accept that it will cost you considerably more later if you do. 

 

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On 12/05/2018 at 10:17, nod said:

I can’t understand why anyone uses a private BC

 local authority was less than £800

Private was simalar 

protect wanted a couple of days notice for inspections

Local authority ring befor 10am

same day visits 

My quote for warranty and BC from Buildzone was only a couple of hundred pounds more than the quote for the Warranty only. Maybe that's the reason ? 

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8 hours ago, jonM said:

My quote for warranty and BC from Buildzone was only a couple of hundred pounds more than the quote for the Warranty only. Maybe that's the reason ? 

How much was your warranty ?

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1 minute ago, PeterW said:

Pretty similar to mine - what’s the BRegs / BCO additional cost ...? 

£900 + £180 VAT, but a quote without BRegs is not £1080 cheaper as the cost of the site audit fee for the warranty goes up then. 

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