Twilight

An addendum for all who might come by way of this thread ... Please also see http://www.eastdulwichforum.co.uk/forum/read.php?30,1357439 .... I understand that I am not the only person to experience these issues with Dulwich Lofts ...

An addendum for all who might come by way of this thread ... Please also see http://www.eastdulwichforum.co.uk/forum/read.php?30,1357439 .... I understand that I am not the only person to experience these issues with Dulwich Lofts ...

If people would like to contact me via PM, I would be keen to meet with everyone collectively, so that we can get a satisfcatory resolution for all. This man is a multi-millionare and we need to collectively arrnage for re-dress ...

Thanks Sean ? Have already done that ? It's a flat in a Council Estate ? No one answers the door ? A neighbour two doors down told me that the owner - Pat Egan - occasionally pop's in ? It's all a house of cards ?

K&O Pest Control ? have PM'd you ?

Thank you all for your good wishes. I am sure at one point DL were a decent, reputable firm ? but the lure of quick money (lots of potential work) appears to have led to shoddy and unsafe building practices ? It would appears that others have also experienced issues ? Re: Has anyone used either Create Spaces or Loft Life? Looking for recommendation! Posted by EDAus June 18, 09:31AM Just in case anyone is considering Dulwich Lofts - we cannot recommend them after numerous ongoing problems. We started our loft conversion last October and everything is still not finished. Feel free to private message me if you want further information/details. http://www.eastdulwichforum.co.uk/forum/read.php?30,1340867,1342309#msg-1342309

Dear Constant Gardener ? The Approved Building Control thing is legal but it works against you as a customer. If Pat Egan goes to a private company who do Building Control and says "I do 300 lofts a year; will you do the Building Control for ?1000 per loft?", they are not likely to make his life difficult as they want the cash to keep rolling in. If he used Southwark Council's Building Control, they don't care if the cash keeps rolling in or not ? they'll make him do each and every build properly. I have learnt this at a significant cost ? I have also learnt that these non-council based Building Control companies ultimately issue you a certificate which says something along the lines of "we certify, to the best of knowledge and the information supplied it to us, that this build meets the requirements of Building Control" ? it doesn't say it meets Building Control standards. But Pat doesn't explain that ? he use says it's 'quicker' to use Approved Building Control, as Southwark Council etc.,. are 'slow'. The other thing that makes me worry about lots of people out there with a loft conversion already done by DL is that I saw them doing a conversion on Lordship Lane, just beyond the library (opposite side). They had Southwark Council doing the Building Control ? it took "Pat's guys" three attempts to get the roof right ? We too, have a Certificate of Lawfulness - all that does is say that what you built is in keeping with Planning Regulations etc.,. It is no guarantee of quality ... I think a lot of people get caught out by shiny new paint on new walls - as Pat Egan kept saying, "you're only going to live here a few years and then you'll sell up and move on". That's his logic ? if what he builds, lasts for a few years, he'll pocket the cash and all the people who hand over their hard earned cash won't have a clue ? we found out the hard way, that there is no substance to Dulwich Lofts.

Hi Miss Wiggy ? Have already done this ? no response. If needs be, I will start legal proceedings at the end of this month ? I am sure that I am not the only one this has happened to ? I think he has probably got away with a mixture of intimidation and lies over the years ?

Thanks DB ? Building work, from what I can tell, is a nightmare! But Pat Egan and Dulwich Lofts have really taken the biscuit ...

Thanks RoLo1 ? I too am absolutely stunned ? I thought Classic, Outlook and Dulwich Lofts were probably the 'best' at what they do ?. I have since revised my opinion and believe Outlook to be the best ? they refuse to subcontract which has clearly been a huge part of the issue ? I think Dulwich Lofts are probably trading on a reputation from several years ago; the cheek of it all is that Pat Egan (the owner) even demanded the outstanding 5% which is the final payment ? The thing that upsets me is how he has failed to 'fess up' and either put things right or just return the money that he has taken, so that I can just get someone else in. Most of all, he has wrecked what should be a very special time ... the arrival of our first child ...

Thanks Sophron ? Thinking of a three pronged approach at present: 1) Trading Standards 2) Legal action 3) Publicity The thing I find most scary is that so many people probably have no idea what structurally unsound roofs these guys have installed by abusing the 'Approved Building Control' route ...

Thank you all ? As part of the sales pitch and contract they said all work was guaranteed for 10 years and they have insurance cover for up to ?10 million ? All very good, but as I have now learnt, when you need it to swing into action, they will just not respond ?

Dear James Can you offer any help and or advice w.r.t my post ? http://www.eastdulwichforum.co.uk/forum/read.php?5,1357439,1357536#msg-1357536 Thanks in advance

Dear all I post here in an act of desperation and as a warning to all those contemplating a loft conversion. In April 2013, I decided to do a loft conversion to my two bed, typical ED terrace. I received quotes from Classic, Dulwich and Outlook Lofts. Dulwich Lofts weren't the cheapest but I fell for the rugged, workman like nature of Pat Egan (the owner of Dulwich Lofts) and the lilt of his architect (Pamela Fitzsimmons). In June of 2013 I paid the deposit. Work commenced (via subcontractors, which I hadn't been told about) in October 2013. In December 2013, I had a massive amount of water ingress through one of the two party walls. Pat Egan insisted that it was due to a problem with my neighbour's property. This is owned by Grainger plc; an independent survey has since been conducted by Banbridge Surveyors (I can't recommend them enough) and the report makes for eye-watering reading. It indicates that the roof is wholly sub-standard; the walls which were built to create the new space have significant cracks and have actually crossed into the territory that legally belongs to my neighbour. Interestingly, the surveyor was surprised that it had received approval from Building Control; the "trick" here is that Pat Egan used 'Approved Building Control' [a company called ACT Building Control - based in Gloucestershire] as opposed to Southwark Council under the guise that it would be quicker (PM me if you want more details). Since then we have had Russell from PJP roofing around to ask have a look at it; in his opinion it was the worst 'new' roof he had ever seen; the surveyor said he feared for his life when he stood on it. For the last few months water has started to enter via the second party wall. I have called, emailed and written to Pat Egan (and all those associated with Dulwich Lofts) on numerous occasions and sent him copies of the surveyors report. Other than send an email to say that he planned to appoint his own surveyor (no timescale specified), he has not responded. 13 months after this entire saga began and having paid 95% of the entire contract value to Pat Egan, my home is still a building site - he has ruined the arrival of my first born and caused untold damage to my marriage. To top it all off, I recently bumped into his son, Damien Egan. He would happily come round to collect the payments - when questioned about the lack of response, he reported that he was 'no longer working for Dulwich Lofts'. I had thought I was the only person in this situation, but I see that the poster EDAus has had similar problems ? if anyone knows of a good lawyer, please PM me ? But above all else, avoid this company like the plague ?

Dear all I post here in an act of desperation and as a warning to all those contemplating a loft conversion. In April 2013, I decided to do a loft conversion to my two bed, typical ED terrace. I received quotes from Classic, Dulwich and Outlook Lofts. Dulwich Lofts weren't the cheapest but I fell for the rugged, workman like nature of Pat Egan (the owner of Dulwich Lofts) and the lilt of his architect (Pamela Fitzsimmons). In June of 2013 I paid the deposit. Work commenced (via subcontractors, which I hadn't been told about) in October 2013. In December 2013, I had a massive amount of water ingress through one of the two party walls. Pat Egan insisted that it was due to a problem with my neighbour's property. This is owned by Grainger plc; an independent survey has since been conducted by Banbridge Surveyors (I can't recommend them enough) and the report makes for eye-watering reading. It indicates that the roof is wholly sub-standard; the walls which were built to create the new space have significant cracks and have actually crossed into the territory that legally belongs to my neighbour. Interestingly, the surveyor was surprised that it had received approval from Building Control; the "trick" here is that Pat Egan used 'Approved Building Control' [a company called ACT Building Control - based in Gloucestershire] as opposed to Southwark Council under the guise that it would be quicker (PM me if you want more details). Since then we have had Russell from PJP roofing around to ask have a look at it; in his opinion it was the worst 'new' roof he had ever seen; the surveyor said he feared for his life when he stood on it. For the last few months water has started to enter via the second party wall. I have called, emailed and written to Pat Egan (and all those associated with Dulwich Lofts) on numerous occasions and sent him copies of the surveyors report. Other than send an email to say that he planned to appoint his own surveyor (no timescale specified), he has not responded. 13 months after this entire saga began and having paid 95% of the entire contract value to Pat Egan, my home is still a building site - he has ruined the arrival of my first born and caused untold damage to my marriage. To top it all off, I recently bumped into his son, Damien Egan. He would happily come round to collect the payments - when questioned about the lack of response, he reported that he was 'no longer working for Dulwich Lofts'. I had thought I was the only person in this situation, but I see that the poster EDAus has had similar problems ? if anyone knows of a good lawyer, please PM me ? But above all else, avoid this company like the plague ?

Dear all I post here in an act of desperation and as a warning to all those contemplating a loft conversion. In April 2013, I decided to do a loft conversion to my two bed, typical ED terrace. I received quotes from Classic, Dulwich and Outlook Lofts. Dulwich Lofts weren't the cheapest but I fell for the rugged, workman like nature of Pat Egan (the owner of Dulwich Lofts) and the lilt of his architect (Pamela Fitzsimmons). In June of 2013 I paid the deposit. Work commenced (via subcontractors, which I hadn't been told about) in October 2013. In December 2013, I had a massive amount of water ingress through one of the two party walls. Pat Egan insisted that it was due to a problem with my neighbour's property. This is owned by Grainger plc; an independent survey has since been conducted by Banbridge Surveyors (I can't recommend them enough) and the report makes for eye-watering reading. It indicates that the roof is wholly sub-standard; the walls which were built to create the new space have significant cracks and have actually crossed into the territory that legally belongs to my neighbour. Interestingly, the surveyor was surprised that it had received approval from Building Control; the "trick" here is that Pat Egan used 'Approved Building Control' [a company called ACT Building Control - based in Gloucestershire] as opposed to Southwark Council under the guise that it would be quicker (PM me if you want more details). Since then we have had Russell from PJP Roofing (known to many on the forum) around to ask have a look; in his opinion it was the worst 'new' roof he had ever seen; the surveyor said he feared for his life when he stood on it. For the last few months water has started to enter via the second party wall. I have called, emailed and written to Pat Egan (and all those associated with Dulwich Lofts) on numerous occasions and sent him copies of the surveyors report. Other than sending an email to say that he planned to appoint his own surveyor (no timescale specified), he has not responded. 13 months after this entire saga began and having paid 95% of the entire contract value to Pat Egan, my home is still a building site - he has ruined the arrival of my first born and caused untold damage to my marriage. To top it all off, I recently bumped into his son, Damien Egan. He would happily come round to collect the payments - when questioned about the lack of response, he reported that he was 'no longer working for Dulwich Lofts'. I had thought I was the only person in this situation, but I see that the poster EDAus has had similar problems ? if anyone knows of a good lawyer, please PM me ? But above all else, avoid this company like the plague ?

Maurice came to our rescue this afternoon. We had a leaking radiator valve and he was a real star - working quickly and neatly throughout. Also gave me a few DIY tips! Would recommend him without hesitation.