A group of eight homeowners who undertook expensive renovation and extension work from a Wicklow-based building contractor have opened up about the bad experiences with the builder in a programme at RTE news. According to the homeowners, the builder’s works were non-compliance with the building regulations where issues including the roofs started leaking and cracks on the walls.
Issues like sinking floors and defective wiring followed after spending huge amounts of money for renovation with SP Construction in Wicklow.
There were reports that many homeowners lost their money after paying advance amounts to SP Construction where the disappeared soon after getting the advance or after a little or no renovation done. The people who were the victims of this fraudster said they transferred money to a man named ‘Slavik Sp’ who came as the representative of SP Construction. In these cases reported back in late 2020, majority of the victims were from India and there were also speculations that the builder was targeting expatriates.
The owners also accuse they didn’t’ receive adequate compensation from the builder where Olivia Hughes, a primary school teacher from Co Meath had got only €10,000 for the repairs from SP Construction. That too was after intense arguments with the builder.
She searched online and came across SP Construction before meeting its owner Mecislavs Pucka in Spring 2020. Her need was to build an extension to the house. Everything was good and work was progressing well but soon after the completion the roof started to leak. Once the renovation was done, cracks started to appear on the existing walls above the extension. The floors in the upstairs bathroom began to sink, a bedroom windowsill came away from the wall and a gap emerged between the floor tiles and the skirting board.
“Everything was moving and the bricks on the inner wall were falling,” Olivia said.
Olivia’s brother took a video of the work done by SP construction and the video showed serious issues with the structural supports installed. Prime Time reviewed the video with chartered building surveyor Kevin Hollingsworth, of the Society of Chartered Surveyors Ireland who also agreed that there was “glaring non-compliance” with building regulations.
After repair and spending thousands of euros extra, she approached SP construction to refund the extra money she had to pay. But she was just paid back €10,000 after many months of persuasion, said Olivia.
The situation was not different for other homeowners who contracted the builder. All pointed out the fraudulent construction works carried out by SP Construction to their houses and losing of hard earned money.
“If I was using four or five appliances together there would be a fire issue,” Eldho Aliyas, another affected said about the work done by the construction company to his home. Eldho also faced plumbing issues. He had to spend an additional €10,000 for fixing all the issues.
After fighting a case at the Small Claims Court, Eldho successfully received a judgment against the builder where he was ordered to give €2,000.
Many customers have previously approached Gardai with their concerns but were reportedly told that nothing can be done as their grievances were not criminal offenses. The only way to fight the builders was to file the case in court. But it is a long and expensive process and nobody usually opt for that. That is what home renovators like SP Construction take advantage of.
There is no statutory register of builders for the customers to report their concerns. The only remedy that they have before them is through the court which again is an expensive affair for the customers.
Though there are building control departments in all local authorities, it is difficult for them to trace issues with smaller renovations and extensions which require very little mandatory certification.
Meanwhile, Mecislavs reportedly told Prime Time that the allegations were “not correct” although he admitted that there were some “mistakes” in the construction.