Can you please take just a minute of your time today to sign the Petition to Government.

It is in everyone’s interests that the UK build better quality new homes (not just more!) and for those that buy them to have better protection.

Click this link to see the petition and start sharing it:
https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/167660

(Note: This is not a change.org petition so you won’t get lots of spam emails!)

I've signed it, I hope it does some good, but I'll not hold my breath.

Posted By: skyewright

Posted By: djhHmm, It has something that looks like a link saying 'More details', which isn't a link and the page has a whole load of Javascript embedded. So there's no way I will sign it.

Odd, I'm using FF 49 on Ubuntu with the NoScript add-on and no exceptions I'm aware of set for that page, but the page works fine for me.

The "More details' uses the HTML

Tag

http://www.w3schools.com/tags/tag_details.asp

which mentions that FF only supports that as of 48.0. It also says that IE doesn't supports it at all but I'm guessing that's not relevant for you?

Thanks for the clarification. I happen to be using FF 48.0.1 and it appears that it is showing the content of the details and that clicking the text does nothing at all. I can't hide the 'nore details'. I'm not clear why the author of the page needed to use a device like that instead of simply including the text on the page. Nor why something so dependent on a very recent browser would be thought appropriate.

From my experience BCOs respond very differently to self builders and professional builders. I'm not sure whether that is because they don't want to lose the business of professional builders or because they think self builders need to be watched more closely.

Friend of mine is doing a self build at he moment, having a problem with his brickies; they say they've done an excellent job, ten times better and more careful than anything they do on big sites. He's up in arms about the fact at his cavity is 100mm at the bottom and 120mm at the top due to lean on the walls.. Wall ties that don't reach all the way across he cavity, mortar that was mixed to any old ratio and 10 times too much feb etc etc

Calls the building inspector down looking for some backup, and the guy simply said.. "It's ok. I've seen a lot worse.."

I really feel for him. I've found it difficult to find trades who do good careful work and you end up doing a lot more than you want to yourself. When I do find someone who is good I stick with them.

Posted By: cjardFriend of mine is doing a self build at he moment, having a problem with his brickies; they say they've done an excellent job, ten times better and more careful than anything they do on big sites. He's up in arms about the fact at his cavity is 100mm at the bottom and 120mm at the top due to lean on the walls.. Wall ties that don't reach all the way across he cavity, mortar that was mixed to any old ratio and 10 times too much feb etc etc

Calls the building inspector down looking for some backup, and the guy simply said.. "It's ok. I've seen a lot worse.."

You need to print this on T-shirts and give it to every home owner who embarks on some 'professional' home improvements.

If you recall the now closed parish of EB***d, that’s me that is. The culture that surrounds the building trades seems as toxic (in its own way) as that pervading banking and finance. I would rather live in a tent or a caravan than engage in buying any ‘professional building services’ ever again. Alas, my wife is less understanding.

/soapbox

I've seriously considered taking all that I've learnt on my job so far, and this mate (who used to work for me on my job and is now selfbuilding) and a few other people in my circle that know how to do a quality job and starting a construction company. I'd have a few maxims - to turn up when I said I would, to charge what I said I'd charge and to finish at the agreed time having done what was agreed

Thing is, I just don't think it would fly, because the only customers I could reasonably have would be the ones who'd built a house before using average trades and wouldn't do it again as a result; trying to impress upon a first time builder that they should spend the extra to get the necessary quality and attention to detail just wouldn't work out

cjard - I think you have hit the nail on the head in your last senetence. Quality costs.

Thats not to excuse those who build cheap and quick, but cost is important.

Posted By: ringiI think we just need to give up on using brick or block, as with a timber frame, as least it comes ready made with few gaps in it.

Timber frame doesn't necessarily come ready made, of course. Still, off-site manufacture seems to be the best way to improve quality which tends to mean largely timber construction in practice. Definitely not brick or block.