On Sun, 30 Jan 2005 15:26:00 -0800, "Roger T."
wrote:


"Bob" wrote in message ...
I have the new home about to close (in about a week or two). Today I did
measurements of the house. To my surprise the overall depth on the side
with the garage is one foot short. It turns out the builder made the garage
depth one foot less than the plan/spec (23' depth x 22' width but now it is
22x22). I have the furnace, water heater and a chest freezer along the
inside. My extended size vehicle will still fit but very tightly. During
the planning/contracting I specifically told him I want 23x22 because of my
extended car and it is marked on the floor plan drawing. WTF he wanted make
it 1' less!!! How much he would save on the cost by cutting that 1'!!! But
I guess I don't have much to do with it, house is nearly completed. I kept
watching the jobsite from time to time but it still screwed me over. "

Take some of the responsibility yourself!
You use the typical I-am-a-total-helpless-victim terms such as "hate such
builders" and "screwed me over" , "to my surprise", and "I specifically
told him" . You further assume, likely incorrectly, that he "meant to"
screw you over.
The lesson is this. First, he has responsibility to follow plans, and this
sounds like a verbal side agreement, which rarely stands up in claims court,
if it not on paper. Secondly, there was possibly no swindle intent, likely
just tape measure dyslexia, or absent minded error, both of which are
common. Further, when we contract a home, I consider it my duty and
responsibility as owner and de facto uber-supervisor to take the few minutes
per room to actually measure, the day the foundation forms are up, or later,
when the interior room 2x4 plates are nailed down, to check the measurements
against any written agreement or plans. "Catching him" at the very end of
the process is unfair to him and you as well. Such mistakes are easily
rectified if you measure as you go, at the appropriate time of construction.
Was the foundation already there when you made this agreement? If so, there
may have been no option to move the wall further back.
If you



Read your contract. You have rights.