Residents of the UK’s most expensive flats have won a court case over defective pipework – and if their homes are shoddily built, what hope do the rest of us have, asks Phineas Harper in The Guardian?
Phineas Harper writes in The Guardian:
Even multimillionaires can’t escape Britain’s cowboy builders… residents of One Hyde Park, the UK’s most expensive flats, won a £35m court case against the contractor… construction company Laing O’Rourke to fix defective pipework…
In many developed economies, skilled construction jobs are strictly… In Germany… widely considered to enjoy a significantly higher standard of construction than the UK, carpenters, roofers, architects, bricklayers and plumbers must all be properly trained and accredited… In the UK… anyone – regardless of qualifications – can be a carpenter or perform the functions of an architect….
….
… Inferior modern materials have also played a role in the decline of UK building quality…. British architecture… made with flexible and breathable materials… able to handle temperature fluctuations, moisture changes and ground movements. Today, construction is dominated by cheaper… rigid materials such as cement, which is prone to crack….
See also: Terry Pawson lodges defence against £3.5m ‘defective’ house claim [paywall]
