Structural Engineer won't finish job

[Incipiens Mox]

Sorry in advance for the length of this. In August 2017, I commissioned a local firm of structural engineers to take some plans which had passed planning and created plans which would pass building regs. They actually quoted for structural diagrams, building regs and sap calcs. They wanted me to use their preferred building control contractor but at £2,200 inc VAT I thought that was a bit much and decided to use the local authority service for around £800, which the builder was more than happy with. 

 

Since then they have delayed and delayed. It took from August until early November before the plans were submitted. The plans failed over Christmas, as the building inspector was still waiting for over 36 different items of information. By April the inspector passed the plans conditionally but made it clear that he was still waiting for more info. I didn't push this as the SE had explained that a lot of the info would become clear as the build progressed and would be provided as and when. This generally seemed reasonable.

 

Fast forward to the current time and the builder (different one this time - first one had to drop out as Polish workforce went home and did not come back) has started on the groundworks and was chasing some information from the BR submission only to find it was missing - confirmed by the inspector. I suggested we get a meeting together with the SE, but when I mentioned this to the SE, he wouldn't go for it unless he could charge. I've had a frustrating day trying to explain to the SE that the builder is only asking for data that should have been in the BR submission and that the inspector has confirmed this.

 

SE seems to think that the builder should know all of the data he's asking for and says it costs him time/money to explain things when the builder should just 'get it'. I have explained to the SE that the inspector does not consider the BR complete and the builder is within his rights to ask for it. To try to resolve the impasse, I suggested that SE does not deal with builder but completes all outstanding work ASAP to the satisfaction of the inspector. If after that the builder still needs to speak to him, then I'm happy to pay if necessary. No response yet, but I'm not hopefully after waiting so long.

 

Has anyone had a similar situation? The SE has already taken over a year to do this and the last request was sent to them eight months ago. I am tempted to write to them telling them that I will have to seek help elsewhere and claw back the overspend through the small claims court, though like most self builders, I've not really the time or money to be doing that.

[the_r_sole]

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Edited September 26, 2019 by the_r_sole

[Incipiens Mox]

1 hour ago, the_r_sole said:

did they submit a full plans application and then start work on site under a building notice?

to be completely honest, I'm not sure I would ever commission an engineer to do anything other than engineering - I don't know many that would want to or be capable of satisfying building regs for a whole building!

I think your approach is correct, if they've been appointed to provide drawings which satisfy building regs then that's what they should be doing, not really discussing things with your builder - there's a big difference between construction drawings and building regs drawings so your builder will still have to use their noggin to build from regs drawings.

If they are members of a professional body there should be a dispute procedure which avoids the costs of court action and gets them a kick in the teeth too!

 

According to their website it's one of the services they offer and, having quoted me for it, I'd expect them to see it through. However, I'm starting to suspect that they tend to prefer working with private building inspectors who are happy to keep the machine working so long as the fee is right. Our builder and the inspector both believe the SE should provide this data, but I suspect that he often leaves details like this to the builder - knowing it will be signed off eventually - and genuinely thinks that builders who expect him to provide the details are lazy or not competent!

[the_r_sole]

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Edited September 26, 2019 by the_r_sole

[nod]

Not Great

 

i to have paid £800 for the local Counsul Fantastic value 

Call before 10 am visit that day 

I just can’t see any benefit of using the private company’s 

One quoted me simalar to local

 it asked for three days notice for site visits 

[Jeremy Harris]

Sadly I suspect that there is a nice, cosy, relationship involving mutual back scratching going on between the SE and his "preferred" building control body, and by opting to use LABC you've undoubtedly thrown a spanner into their little profiteering racket.

 

I opted to coordinate and take responsibility for the full plans building regs submission, and that involved collating information from two different SEs, plus ensuring that all the information needed was available either on the plans submitted, or in additional documents I provided.  I did get everything cleared by LABC before we started work, so the inspections went very smoothly in the main, right up until a change of inspector right at the end (long story, but it was a personal issue with a twat, "old school", part time inspector).

 

FWIW, I didn't find putting the building regs submission together too onerous.  I'd had to read and absorb all the regs before I decided to design the house, rather than use an architect, so most of the stuff needed was pretty fresh in my mind at the time.  LABC were pretty damned good I found, with only a couple of glitches, one being that they were unable to provide me with an electrical installation inspection under Part P (they are obliged to, but apologised and said they didn't have anyone competent to do it) and a question that arose over accepting Irish accreditation rather than BBA accreditation, which was solved by an email with a link to the agreement that Ireland and the UK have over accepting each others accreditation.