MarkEdenBuildTeam

My name is Mark Eden and I am the Construction Director and co-owner of Build Team. I have read the comments relating to Build Team in this thread and wanted to put forward our version of events so that readers can judge accordingly. I will be nothing other than fair, factual and balanced with my comments. With regards to the post by AandM ?We weren't happy with them at all so switched builder.?, I am not aware of a build contract that Build Team have started and not completed. We do, however, offer all of our clients a Two-Stage design and build service, whereby following completion of the fixed-fee Design Phase (Stage 1), clients are free to tender the project to other contractors for Stage 2. It may be that this is what had happened with AandM. With regards to their complaint, if they would like to contact me at [email protected], or by phone: 020 7495 6561 or mobile 07950 555102 I would be very happy to investigate and respond accordingly. With regards to the experience of Awkward Knee; I was the Project Manager from start to finish and have a very detailed knowledge of the project. There would appear to be 3 areas of dissatisfaction: management of sub-contractors, adherence to programme and quality of workmanship. Dealing with each one in turn: Management of Sub-Contractors. The client is quite right to point out that I deployed two separate teams to the project. One of the driving factors here (also relevant to programme) was the discovery during the initial groundworks phase of the project of a mains public sewer, owned by Thames Water, and sitting directly beneath the proposed location of the reinforced concrete pad foundations. We had to overcome this with a redesign of the proposed supporting structure by our Engineer. There was additional steelwork required ? which had to be ordered and fabricated ? as well as additional concreting required. This added to the programme, and also meant that I needed to recalibrate my site team accordingly. I am also aware of the incident with the Electrician. This was a new sub-contractor to Build Team who, as it transpired, wanted to invoice us for work that he had not undertaken. His way of dealing with that was to attempt to hold us to ransom by threatening to cut the cables after they had been installed. This was, in my view, totally unacceptable and I went to site to ask him to leave. I must stress this was an isolated incidence, and I would like readers to understand that issues like this can and do occur in the construction industry ? however, clients place their trust and custom in Build Team to manage such issues on their behalf ? and whilst we can?t always stop them happening, we do commit and guarantee to our clients to be there if they do. I believe we did manage this situation, and have subsequently put in place procedures to vet more thoroughly the specialist sub-contractors we employ. Adherence to Programme. In addition to the Side Return, the client also contracted Build Team to hack off the pebble dash to the rear fa?ade of his 3-storey Victorian home and undertake works to the frontage of the property. Further, after the rear fa?ade had been scaffolded and pebble dash hacked off, the client asked us to consider a high performance external thermal insulation. There were several telephone discussions, site meetings and specification reviews ? before it was decided to apply a standard render coat. With the Side Return, the client wished to vary the specification of rooflights from Velux to an architectural product called Neo midway through the build. We duly accommodated this request ? however, the Neo rooflights, as we pointed out to the client at the time, are manufactured bespoke and have a 21 day lead time. Further, through no fault of our own, the rooflights were supplied without the necessary linking bars. It is simply inaccurate and unfair to imply that the construction of the client?s Side Return took 11 months. For reasons that were beyond our control, it did take longer than a standard build ? but the client was kept aware of the programme and issues impacting it throughout the build. Quality of Workmanship. The client refers to poor quality carpentry work, a missing damp proof membrane and an issue relating to the lead flashing used to weather the pitched roof. There were snagging issues relating to some of the 2nd fix carpentry work, however all of these were rectified in full as part of the snagging programme. He is right to point out that the coping stones were laid without a DPM. This was a genuine oversight which has now been rectified. Finally, with regards to the leadwork, this has also been rectified in full. In more general terms, the project is now complete, fully certificated and the client has paid the outstanding balance in full. There were some issues along the way which we have learnt from and have addressed our processes as a result. I hope the client sees Build Team for what we believe we are: an honest, hardworking and committed company that will stick around through thick and thin to get the job done.