What expert do I need for a very badly built extension?

[Percy]

Hi all,

We got a small extension added to the back of our house approx 4 years ago, by - as is now apparent - cowboy builders. In the past year we've had water stains coming through the roof and now little stains are appearing on the walls, the external render is bubbling up and flaking off in certain areas and yesterday I found a new suspicious looking stain under one of the window frames. From the get go we've had drafts coming in under all skirtings in the extension despite it apparently being insulated to a very high standard. The company that built the extension is now gone out of business.

Is there anyone we can get to look over the whole extension to advise us (a) everything that is wrong with it and (b) what needs to be done to fix it? I feel like if we get a roofer we still need to maybe get a plasterer to redo external walls and now maybe we have a window problem too?! Would an engineer or a surveyor be able to figure out all that is wrong and we could go from there?

We feel like bulldozing the whole thing at the moment...

 

[cremeegg]

I suggest an engineer. Ask local estate agents for a recommendation. You want someone difficult who sees every problem, not someone who gets things done.

Don't be too hasty in terms of thinking about knocking it. Water ingress is a odd beast, it may be that if you can remedy one spot most of your issues will be solved.

 

[noproblem]

A good experienced tradesman will give you all the information you need and maybe not charge you if he thinks he may get the job. You'll pay plenty to an engineer and although well qualified he/she is not a builder. What process did you have in place for how you got the cowboys to do the job in the first place? That might be a problem now when you try to get proper builders to rectify someone else's so called work.