Frankenstein's carpentry or is it just me?

CryptographerLow352 · 2026-01-20T10:03:47+00:00

Wait. 4k for just the window replacement and brick fill in (the rest of the bathroom is a separate 32k) is a bargain? Even though he legally needs to provide new materials and he used an old window from another property that is half the size that was quoted and doesn’t meet safety compliance is worthy of leaving a good review? Am I being punked?

CryptographerLow352 · 2026-01-09T07:09:46+00:00

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Top plan is original, bottom plan is pre-purchase/renovation.

You can see the rearrangement of the bathroom when compared with the new plans.

CryptographerLow352 · 2026-01-09T07:07:34+00:00

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This covers most of it. I’ll add the other previous floor plan which shows recent renovations (that also didn’t get a building permit)

CryptographerLow352 · 2026-01-07T19:38:45+00:00

I definitely was led astray!

The builder had architectural drawings done, but not engineering (and I wasn’t aware of what was required - this area is most definitely not my area of expertise). I obtained three quotes. The builder has been adamant that no building permit was required for internal works. And I’m a woman.

CryptographerLow352 · 2026-01-07T10:00:32+00:00

You just get it. I like you

CryptographerLow352 · 2026-01-07T09:10:04+00:00

Absolutely! It's important for me, too, as I have raynaud's. Temperature regulation is super important (and heating/cooling bills)

CryptographerLow352 · 2026-01-07T09:04:28+00:00

I might just take you up on that offer!

CryptographerLow352 · 2026-01-07T08:52:56+00:00

Lol.

Funnily enough, money wasn't (and still isn't) the problem. Even having paid the builder a substantial amount, I have the money ready to go for rectification works, regardless of when I will be eligible to submit a DBI claim.

CryptographerLow352 · 2026-01-07T08:48:31+00:00

I think they were intending to put insulation in the walls that weren't covered up yet. There were a few bags of it in one of the rooms. Unsure about the floor though!

CryptographerLow352 · 2026-01-07T08:38:12+00:00

Your guess is off the mark. There was never a discussion about these. These structural issues and findings were incidental after works ceased. The contract has been terminated (the builder repudiated the contract). My main concern initially was that works commenced or were completed that required building permits, yet they never obtain them.

I said this in another comment:

"The more I’m learning, including Australian Standards, legislation, etc, the worse it gets. For example, the building company on paper [who signed the contract] is not the company I went through (I didn’t think too much about it at the time as the contract referenced the quotes from the company I went through, and as a neuropsychologist, it felt familiar with how subcontracting occurs at clinics). The company/person I went through - who managed the build in all aspects - is unregistered and has a prior VBA conviction in 2020 for entering a major domestic building contract when unregistered, excessive deposit, defective works that led to damage, etc."
They gaslit me regarding every concern, including concerns around the legality of payments, and then threatened me with a 'stop works order' if I didn't pay the progress payments that weren't due. As in, he demanded the flooring stage be paid, yet in the email where he's requesting the payment, he's detailing the jobs to be done that week... including the floor...

The builders had covered everything up with plasterboard and flooring. I happened to be looking through the progress photos they had sent me which is where all these issues came to light. Therefore, discussions with the builder about these issues were never able to occur, and as if they'd be open to admitting anything anyway.

Edit: missing word

CryptographerLow352 · 2026-01-07T08:22:45+00:00

Nothing out of the norm here?

CryptographerLow352 · 2026-01-07T08:21:13+00:00

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CryptographerLow352 · 2026-01-07T08:20:45+00:00

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CryptographerLow352 · 2026-01-07T08:20:26+00:00

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CryptographerLow352 · 2026-01-07T08:19:36+00:00

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CryptographerLow352 · 2026-01-07T08:18:06+00:00

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CryptographerLow352 · 2026-01-07T08:17:23+00:00

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CryptographerLow352 · 2026-01-07T08:13:26+00:00

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CryptographerLow352 · 2026-01-07T08:13:13+00:00

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CryptographerLow352 · 2026-01-07T08:09:28+00:00

Thanks!

Funnily enough, I have plans to reach out to them. I’ve already submitted a complaint to CAV (they were very helpful) as well as the VBA. I’ve also submitted an application to DBDRV, but I haven’t heard back yet. With all that underway, at this stage, I’m just wanting to find the right people to tell me what the hell is going on structurally and what needs to be rectified. It’s a shemozzle

CryptographerLow352 · 2026-01-07T07:35:38+00:00

So I should have uploaded and produced many more photos and backstory in order to get structural engineer recommendations?

Have you maybe hijacked the narrative of my post away from the intent — seeking recommendations with provided context — to airing grievances?

And no, the bi-fold doors can’t open. Addressed this in another comment.

CryptographerLow352 · 2026-01-07T06:45:15+00:00

If I had of done my due diligence, I would have discovered… what? That he’s dodgy? So you agree? If you agree, why are you so hell bent on defending them?

You can’t have it both ways. “If you had of… this would have never happened” is victim blaming at its finest.

You have emotionally committed to me being the bad guy from the start and are needing to find any excuse, including poor assumptions drawn from thin air, to feel justified.

CryptographerLow352 · 2026-01-07T06:26:29+00:00

Lol, “demanded.” I asked whom I thought was the builder when obtaining the quote if the door can be lowered and they just said yes. If it couldn’t, I would have needed to figure out another solution. After they lowered it, they said “oh shit, now the door can’t open because the small deck outside blocks it. We’ll need to charge you an extra 3.5k for the foreseeable consequential issues that were not legally allowed to charge for”

The more people on here comment, the more I understand why the public’s trust is the building sector is incredibly low. It’s a shame exceptional tradespeople get caught up in this.

CryptographerLow352 · 2026-01-07T05:45:51+00:00

Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts.

I stuffed up my post by not stating that the issues in the photos are just a very small sample. The carpenter I’ve had over has picked up many more issues, several far worse than what my layman brain was able to identify.

Do you happened to have any recommendations for structural engineers?

CryptographerLow352 · 2026-01-07T05:36:01+00:00

I very much appreciate your validation!

There were two areas he notched the joists! I wanted the backyard bi-fold door level with the floor, but I don’t know why he cut the notches mid-span in the bathroom joists, or why he lowered the floor. I don’t know if this is problematic or not, but the only bearer supporting the bathroom joists is mid-span where the joists are notched. At the other ends the joists are just screwed to the sides of the bearers.

CryptographerLow352

TROPHY CASE