Building nightmare

Hi, my wife who has MS wheelchairs bound, stuck upstairs most the time had a OT as assessment for a downstairs bathroom with a ramp to the back garden great I thought would make life easier and we can
get family and friends around again wife will be able to go to the toilet downstairs, I won’t have to take her all the way upstairs on and off the stair lift chair to toilet would make life so much easier for us both however council sent the wrong pack to begin with spent two months talking to builders when I wasn’t meant to now got the correct pack had to get Surveyors and architects involved all the way through the forms all it says if anything goes wrong it’s not down to the council take no responsibility for any overspend or poor work it’s not down to the council and the budget is only £30,000 with sounds a lot but the quote for the work I believe comes in somehere around 28,000 and that’s before the quantity surveyor Plus money for the waterworks and other bits and pieces it’s a complete and utter nightmare trying to work out whether we can afford or not afford as we have no savings left now so do we go ahead with it or not wife now getting stressed about it all because we’ve wasted 2 months on the first form speaking to builders when we shouldn’t even have been speaking to builders.has anyone been through this and did the quotes work out to be correct or did it work out a bit more on top the survey is saying some parts of it Vat free but some parts aren’t? Any advice would be greatly appreciated

Hi Chris.

Sounds as if you need an expert on your side dealing with the LA who knows how the system works and ,
most apt here , whether the LA are actually ( 1 ) telling the truth and ( 2 ) as principals , potentially liable
for the actions of their agents employed to do the works.

My immediate thought … SHELTER … when it comes to social housing , they are the experts.

Contact details … assuming England :

https://england.shelter.org.uk/

( Tack on upto date info on all types of grants available out there … if they exist , SHELTER will know …
VAT added / zero rated on building works for the less abled info as well. )

Chartered surveyors / architects called in … weren’t cheap ?

I presume that to employ either in the near future would not be financially feasible ?

( Mention that to Shelter … in case any costs involved might be recoverable ! )

Others will be along to add their thoughts … hopefully , from first hand experience of similar issues.

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As an aside , the caring element … having read one of your previous postings.

CHC / NHS Continuing Healthcare.

Anyone mention it … offer it … applied for but refused ?

Maybe worth having a read of the main thread :

https://www.carersuk.org/forum/support-and-advice/all-about-caring/chc-coughlan-grogan-judgements-nhs-contuing-healthcare-nhs-fnc-hospital-discharges-all-under-this-one-thread-35998

Although most LA’s should work the same …
Some LA’s are more generous with there funding. Which is your LA?
Individuals can either have LA’S recommended builders or select their own.
It would seem the later not so given your latest issues.
If you use the LA’s at least your have some protection. As the builders should be at least approved contractors. Given your caring duties I feel you need as already stated an advocate. To see you through this process.

I know individuals who have worked with their LA and it’s be OK. Some have received grants.