Due the way the houses at Oxley Woods are built, it seems there are a few “features” that are par for the course. These include creases in the walls, and nail/screw head “pops” coming through the paint work, on walls and also woodwork.
When we moved in, some of the heads were pretty severe and obvious, especially around the skylight on the top floor, by far the hottest part of the house during the so called summer months. We didn’t appreciate this was an issue, but our site manager (who really has been very patient and helpful, even when it seems the house and his workforce are going against him!) called for these to be skimmed and painted over, the results were fantastic, pops gone, and they haven’t come back.
Reading more into this (internet forums, so the accuracy in unclear) it seems we should not have any nail/screw heads popping or blowing at all, which is not good news, as the house has several of these in numerous rooms. Apparently we shouldn’t expect cracks from settling to be there when we take possession either, but there were plenty?
The “creases” in the wall are apparently a side effect of the way the walls are (not) plastered. To save time, cost, money and improve eco credentials (so we’re told) the walls are not fully plastered or dry lined. The boards are applied, and then the gaps and screws are feathered over lightly, which does mean there is a slight “bulge” at the join (could this also explain the “popping”?).
Anyway, for the most part this doesn’t show, but our large corner window in the kitchen floods light onto the wall beside it, and this has probably the largest bulge/crease/fold in the property. Once again, our reassuringly fastidious site manager was unhappy that this should look that way (we were too preoccupied with leaks and such to worry about cosmetics at the time) and he requested the skimmer, who is amazing to watch and has done some fantastic work elsewhere in the house, try to fill out the area to smooth things down, to them be cut back and painted by the painter.
This was delayed due to the hole cut in the facing wall to try and find the source of rain water entering the downstairs living area, not point making two trips, but when the work was carried out, unfortunately, despite a couple of goes, it looks probably worse than ever.
Today though comes the news that, with any luck, a dry lining expert will be around to voice his opinion on possible solutions. This will no doubt involve the wall being worked on and a lot of disruption again (this is our kitchen/dining area remember), but the untidy join is extremely irritating, especially when the sun casts shadows on the wall due to the bumpiness! Fingers crossed we get a resolution on this soon.
