12/07/2026
🏡 Not every building project goes exactly to plan, and that’s okay. It’s how you deal with it that matters.
On this extension, once the footings were dug we uncovered an unexpected issue…
The existing soakaway was far too close to the house, and the rainwater drainage pipework was running straight through where the foundations needed to be. 🤦♀️
Here’s how we handled it:
✅ As soon as the issue was uncovered, we contacted the client straight away and explained what we’d found.
✅ We were honest that, unfortunately, resolving it was likely to involve some additional cost.
✅ Dan actually drove four hours back from our family holiday in Cornwall so we could assess the situation in person and keep the project moving. Nobody asked him to – that’s just how we work.
✅ We carried out exploratory work to understand exactly what we were dealing with before making any decisions.
✅ Once we knew the full extent of the issue, we went back to the client with a clear plan, explained the options, and obtained their approval before any extra work started.
✅ We rerouted the drainage correctly, decommissioned the old soakaway, and made sure everything complied with current regulations.
✅ We worked closely with Building Control throughout, ensuring the solution was fully inspected and approved before moving on.
Unexpected issues are part of construction sometimes, especially on older properties. You can’t always prevent them, but you can choose a builder who communicates well, keeps you informed, and finds the right solution rather than the quickest one.
That’s exactly how we like to work at DSM. 💙
