Hi everyone,
18 months ago I purchased a brand new unit from a developer who is building a whole bunch of other houses in my area. There are a couple of problems that have been there since we moved in that are really driving me mad!
First, the front door (made of timber) makes these loud cracking noises all day long just out of the blue. Not when being oppend or anything like that but when its shut. It does it during the day and night. It almost sounds like fire crackling noise or someone throwing rocks at it. It is scary most of the time as we are not expecting it especially at night. I have woken up some nights as a result of the noises thinking someone is trying to break in.
Second, when turning hot water tap on and off in the bathroom it makes a loud bang noise. It is most annoying when my wife is brushing her teeth and while I am shaving (we seem to turn tap on and off frequently whilst doing these two particular tasks). Our bedroom is next to the bathroom so the noise is felt there than anywhere else. The hot water cylinder is also outside the bedroom wall. The builders are there all the time building other houses, so I got the site manager to come and have a look at these issues.
He said the door was something to do with a metal covering thing above the door which was not sealed with silicone so he applied silicone and said to let him if it keeps doing it. Seems like the noise is less frequent since then but its still there. So I have let him know but now he said it is to do with the timber expanding due to temperature and apparently "he heard his door do it last night as well" sounds like BS to me. So I asked if it is going to go away or not but he said no. which means I have to live with it for who knows how long :(
And the water tap problem, he sent the plumber to have a look and the plumber said it was the return valve that is making the noise so he changed it he said. Again the noise is still there. So I contacted them again and plumber said there is nothing else he can do and I should contact the hot cylinder company to send someone and have it looked at as there was a similar problem a couple of doors away from mine and they replaced the whole cylinder and the noise was gone. So I got in touch with the hot cylinder company and they send a plumber and sure enough it was the return valve making the noise.
My question is, are these problems common or am I making a big deal about it all? Should I make a complaint to the developer to have the problems solved? Where do I stand if I want to take this further? I honestly can not see myself putting up with it any longer!
Thank you!
Your not being annoying, these things would annoy anyone. I can't diagnose the issue without being there and looking at it, but word of advice would be to push to get everything fixed as soon as possible while the tradesmen/manager are still there. The second they leave your job will go from being difficult to impossible. These guys will have to keep trying as long as they are there building the other units and you keep asking them, because they have to come there everyday irrespective and can't just ignore you. If they come up with excuses just give them a blanket response, "The noise is there, it's not normal, you need to fix it as I can't and don't have the experience". Simple.
Door expansion sounds a bit weird as there is not a lot of mass to it.