In article ,
SRQLI m wrote:

There are absolutely no controls on the hot water
heater. It is run by a remote, which we were never given by the builder, so we
can't even attempt to adjust the heater.

Srqli-

I doubt the heater has a remote control. It should fire-up
automatically as soon as water flows.

From your description of the problem, the hot water heater is not
working properly. Near the heater you should have a continuous supply
of hot water within seconds, not minutes. At a greater distance it
might take longer to get hot, but the supply should be continuous.

Why don't you get the builder to fix the problem? You may need a lawyer.

Fred