Building a brand new home should be one of the most exciting and rewarding times of your life. For years, you’ve worked hard to save up for a loan and the money to build, and you obviously cannot wait to see the stunning results of your labour!
Unfortunately, many builders forget about the work you’ve put in, and view your dream project as another job that will eventually get done. Building delays happen to thousands of Aussies every year, negating what should be a joyful and satisfying experience.
For the uninitiated, this can be a daunting experience, not to mention incredibly upsetting. But, whether it’s your first time building a new home, or you’re onto a new investment property, it’s important to know that there are many things that can be done to avoid building delays before and during construction.
The best construction solicitors Melbourne has will always provide the following advice:
- Know your contract
Your contract is the first place to go when you know that building is delayed. Therefore, it’s imperative that you negotiate the contract within a reasonable scope of when you want the work completed. Having a contract with set deadlines is imperative for reference if you believe the builders are slacking off as it will state exactly when you expect certain phases to be complete.
This is why it’s always a good idea to enlist skilled and experienced building lawyers when negotiating your contract as the builders will naturally have an upper hand in negotiation over someone who is yet to build their own home. Lawyers will not only help you negotiate set deadlines but they will also help you understand the contract and enforce it should the builders sit around on the job.
- Monitor construction progress
Sure, many homeowners hire a construction firm and leave them to the work, eagerly awaiting the beautiful end result that is their brand new home. But it’s important to monitor the construction’s progress to ensure that, yes, the set deadlines in the contract are in fact being met. You should pay the occasional visit to what is your property, taking dated photographs if you think the builders are behind on their obligation.
What’s more, take note of any correspondence between you and the builders, ensuring any emails, meetings, phone calls, texts etc. are annotated to ensure that you have evidence should the builders start to slack on the job.
- Try to avoid confrontations
There are often good reasons for works being delayed. For example, a heavy Melbourne summer storm could cause flooding which could inhibit the builder’s ability to meet a set deadline. Therefore, it’s important to keep calm and consider any force majeure that could be more than reasonable on the builder’s behalf.
It’s best to avoid confrontations and speak calmly with your builder – there may be a very good reason for the delay and they are probably working hard to get the project back on track!
- Consult your building lawyers
But, if it seems that you’ve enlisted a team that doesn’t care about deadlines, and is happy to sit around whilst you wait for months and lose income, then it is certainly time to call your lawyers. They will go through your contract and ensure that, yes, the builders are slacking off for no good reason and commence the process towards getting the project complete in the given timeline!
