Advice needed re potential purchase of partially built property.

Any advice on the following would be v much appreciated. I have put a booking deposit on a partially built property but due to ongoing problems with Chartered Engineer etc am not going to go ahead with the purchase and presume the booking deposit is refundable. The chartered engineer charged me 450 euros for structural report (cash) I got no receipt from him. I received the report. Then he told me he would need to work out calculations re additional steel members to be erected at ceiling and 1st floor level to support wide roof span (4,000sq ft property) and would charge me 300 euros for this report. Now he says he just needs to discuss same with potential builder and I never received this report? To date I have paid him 740euros cash. On site I asked him if the existing doors and windows complied with building regulations and he said yes as they were put in prior to 2006, they were put in in 2004. He said I needed to employ an energy consultant who he reccommended to advise on windows, heating systems, air tightness , insulation etc. I met with the energy consultant on site on 11th August , gave him the 150 euros he requested and to date have received no written report re same dispite requesting same. Now the chartered engineer says he is not in a position to advise if the the existing windows and doors need to comply with part L building regulations, this is the job of the energy consultant, but , he the engineer needs to see if the present windows and doors need to comply with part F building regs and wants more money, but does not know how much?? Original planning was granted on 6.10.99 and expired Oct 2004. Existing windows and doors put in in 2004.

What's your question?

If you've decided not to proceed with the purchase just get your deposit back. Pay the engineer for work done and tell him that you no longer require his services.

Part L relate to energy, Part F ventilation, so he's right. You really should have worked all these details out in advance, who was to do what and how much each element would cost.

Sounds like you're still interested in proceeding. Do you have someone knowledgeable overseeing all this? If not, you are likely to run into lots more of these types of situations. Before going any further, get some good professional advice on what needs to be done, and what it's likely to cost.

I am trying to get more information from the chartered engineer at the moment. I have just spoken to the energy consultant he recommended and
now he mentioned about part N, which I presume are fire regulations re upstairs windows. My question is as the exterior walls and roof were built in 2004, and original planning obtained in 1999 does the property still have to comply with Part L, Part F and Part N building regulations. Most of the windows and doors are also in the property. Energy consultant now says windows and doors don't have to comply with Part L but they do have to comply with part F? Also that as property built to roof level prior to end 2004 Part L does not apply re renewable energy? Engineer says he will have to do calculations to check window comply with part F, he never mentioned Part N (Fire Regs) got no price yet for this? I have asked chartered engineer for price to oversee project and sign off on all the work but he has not given me a price yet. Do both the builder and engineer have to do compliance certificates at different stages? Plans were drawn up for the property in 1998 and 2013 and I will be adhering to the 1998 plans so the architect/engineer does not have to draw up new plans. If a mortgage is NOT REQUIRED for the property do I still need a compliance certificate for all the work done in order to sell the house in 10 or 20 year's time? When you say someone knowledgeable who do you mean? I assumed that was the job of the chartered engineer? Also trying to find out do I need to apply for planning in my own name if I stick to the 1999 plans? Local Council have not given me a definitive answer.

I rang energy consultant his morn and told him I was going into my local COUNTY COUNCIL to see if I needed PLANNING PERMISSION IN MY OWN NAME TO COMPLETE THE PROPERTY, and also asked him to specify if it needed to comply with building regs, L, F and N as it was built to roof level by 2004, all of a sudden he decides it does not have to do so. I rang him at 11.30 this morn, he sent my report by 1.30pm and obviously rang engineer, who rang me at 1.30pm and suddenly decides, I DO HAVE TO HAVE PLANNING PERMISSION IN MY OWN NAME to retain and complete the building. He also says (all verbally) even though he was looking for money to do Part F windows calculations a few days this is now NOT NECESSARY house DOES NOT HAVE TO COMPLY as it was built to roof level 1st fix including roof by end 2004 and planning obtained in 1999, applied for 1998. Now he also says I have to HAVE A HOUSING NEED AND COUNTY COUNCIL WANT TO REINTRODUCE AN OCCUPANCY CLAUSE!! He has had all the planning file and plans since March 2016. But for my friend and another auctioneer I was interested in I would not have known I had to REAPPLY FOR PLANNING IN MY OWN NAME. He has charged me 750 euros cash to date and his recommended Energy consultant has charged me 150 euros to date. A total of 900 euros. What recourse do I now have to get money back? I previously checked the file myself , asked him DO I HAVE TO HAVE A HOUSING NEED AND APPLY PLANNING PERMISSION IN MY OWN NAME AND HE SAID NO.

STOP SHOUTING!

Its impossible to read your post.

mf

I'm not shouting but obviously if the engineer had told me initially that I would have to apply for retention for work to-date and reapply for planning in my own name I would not have given him another 300 euro and the energy consultant 150euro.

Gatekeeper said:

I'm not shouting

Click to expand...

Typing in ALL CAPS online is considered shouting.