Eventually , 23 rd June we had our NHBC inspection. They are busy ! The assessor was Mr Massey and judging by his credentials , he knows a bit about building etc. He checked our crumbling drive, uneven bath , uneven staircase ,the tile floor that is cracking and the movement in the joists of one of the main bedrooms. He presented an unbiased attitude and despite the efforts of the Fairview team that came to put their comments , he methodically checked the points that I mentioned without any pre conceptions. I think even he was quite taken aback by some items, especially the 3 cm difference in the steps of the lower staircase that we had pointed out in the grievance and arbitration procedure. This apparently according to the senior chap from Fairview , was for carpet  to be fitted….yeah right!  Mr Massey even drilled holes in the floors to check the joists . So overall, he did his job without prejudice and listened to both sides of the case. Of course , the Fairview representatives were keen to point out that most of what I had brought up , was within tolerances.

The following week, the report came through. This vindicated  most of the items we had mentioned, the stairs are indeed non conforming and will need rectifying, the bath does indeed need to be installed level, the tiles should not be cracking and perhaps Fairview need to consider putting  in the correct joints in the screed. The drive would have to be re inspected by the manufacturer and the NHBC would give their verdict after that report. Overall though I felt that the procedure had gone well but now I wait to see Fairview’s response . They have already applied for an extension to the time they are allowed to complete the repairs but today we have the stair manufacturer coming to measure up, so that’s looking promising.

The house is once again full of workmen, particularly good workmen mind you. Dean Murphy , plumber extraordinaire, was upset that I had not mentioned him in the blog, so there you go Dean. You and Darrel ( aka Donut), the side kick apprentice, are doing marvellous job. Poor Dean has spent an inordinate amount of time repairing the cock ups that the original plumbers visited upon us.

Mr Burbidge is here again to try to sort out  a variety of ongoing issues  involving incorrectly fitted timber to the windows and holes in walls where the pipes for the radiators enter rooms, along with a gale force wind…