The Joys of Building - 5

The Joys of Building, I have used this expression a few times now so I thought I may take the opportunity to explain what I mean by “The Joys of Building”

I was warned a number of times that building your own place takes patience, and I can tell you they are on the money, because there have been a number of occasions where I want to ring the builder and asking him in an non too polite manner, “what the fig are you doing” “when will you actually do something?”

There are times when you look outside the window and go this is a lovely day to build a house, then you find out it’s a lovely day to build someone else’s house!!

There are times when you ring your Construction Manager (CM) and ask what they hope to achieve in the next two weeks and they go into great detail of what they are going to do. Trouble is, 5 weeks later they still haven’t completed what they said they would do 3 weeks ago.

You have to love it that they give you 7 days to make a stage payment and expect this to be done quick smart or the threat of 20% penalty interest hangs over your head, yet you see no real progress over three weeks and wonder how do I put a rocket up them?

You ask when something will be finished and your told “if they get out there tomorrow they will finish it off then” what happens when that tomorrow was 2 weeks ago.

I guess I use the term “The Joys of Building” as a simple way to say I am pissed off and angry and if they were my employees there would be getting a right royal talking too, yet as many of you know, when your building a house that kind of thing wont get you anything more than increased frustration & anger.

I am sick of being told something will happen when the reality is NOTHING happens.

Over the last two weeks the only things that have happened on our site is a temporary front door, some support framework removed and bricks distributed around the house, I am guessing a few hours work, so in my book absolutely sweet F all has happened and its really getting me, well you should have the idea by now.

The fun part is when I will call my CM tomorrow and ask the question again, “Will you get to lockup by the Christmas shutdown”? This just happens to be this Saturday (19/12). Now I have asked this question at least 4 times and each time he has said yes and tomorrow I expect to be told no, which will be very disappointing as well as frustrating because over the last 6 weeks I think our site has seen at most 7 days worth of activity, simply not enough.

I will sign off now, obviously there are no new photos and I hope by the time I post again next weekend I can report some progress rather than vent my frustrations by filling up a page on a website!!