Short Circuit

As mentioned in the previous post, Electrical Shortage, the house cannot the support the electrical appliances we plan to install. Here's what Avida provided as copied from the panel board schedule located in the building plan:

Here's the computation made by Alecto General Technology Corporation based on what we actually need:

And here's the series of emails triggered by this discrepancy:

From: Nicole
Date: 2010/7/12
To: AVIDA Frolan, AVIDA Ellen

Hi Frolan & Ellen,

Please refer to the email below. According to people from Alecto, the house cannot accommodate the appliances we are planning to plug in:

1.) Water heater for the shower only (x2) - 3kW to 8kW (see website)
2.) Fridge - Whirlpool 21.8 cubic feet - 24 A / 615 W
3.) Washing machine - Whirlpool 10.5 K load - 5 A / 60 HZ
4.) Clothes dryer - Whirlpool 6 K load - 10 A
5.) ACU - split type 2HP - ground floor
6.) ACU - window type 0.75 HP - masters bedroom and the second largest bedroom

They also advised that if we are planning to add more electrical devices in the future (i.e. electrical pump), this will no longer be possible.

We would also like to know why there is only one electrical outlet in each bedroom and why is it located beside the door? Did the planners of Avida not account for what people use in their homes? ACU, night lamps, computers, printers, scanners, TVs, DVD players, etc?

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From: AVIDA Ellen T.
Date: Tue, Jul 20, 2010 at 5:56 PM
To: Nicole

Hi Ms. Nicole,

Thanks for the advice. With regard to your concerns, the Technical team would like to confirm that indeed the electrical design and load schedules presented in our plans are the standard offering of Avida and in accordance with the Electrical Code. Any upgrade or increase on load requirements outside our specifications shall be on the account of the buyer since electrical design/load schedules are patterned after our standard specs.

Further, the location of our electrical outlets, are based on the suggested floor plans designed by the team (as per brochure inserts).

Also, as verified on site, the rectification of your unit is currently on-going. Will keep you posted until punch lists are fully addressed. Kindly refer to the below update.

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From: Nicole
Date: Tue, Jul 20, 2010 at 6:40 PM
To: AVIDA Ellen, AVIDA Ruth

Hi Ellen,

Then we have a problem. Had we known that we would not have bought the house but your sales agent assured us that the appliances we planned to install are all possible. Take note that these are just the usual appliances that one buys for a house.

Also, why is the electrical load provided for the ref only 500W? According to Alecto, that's only good for a personal ref.

What kind of house only provides for a personal ref and basically nothing else?

What kind of house only has one electrical outlet per room and it's located by the door of all places? What do you do with the night lamp? Position it by the door?

This is NOT a quality home. Quality does not mean you have to spend extra just so that you can install a fridge. This is UTTERLY RIDICULOUS!!!!!

Also, what brochure inserts? Are they the ones given out to potential customers? Because trust me, it's not indicated there.

If we were to base it on your model unit, each room would have an outlet for the aircon.

Avida is very deceiving. It sells based on lies - A LOT of them.

I called up our sales agent Mich last night and told him to NEVER tell the customers that they can plug in basic appliances. I've also told him that he should also tell them that the waiting time for a house is over a year and that it will be subject to A LOT of repairs once done.

By the way, turnover means that it's ready for move-in. It's mid July and the house is still being repaired. So basically the house is not ready and is now 11 months LATE and counting.

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From: AVIDA Ellen
Date: Wed, Jul 21, 2010 at 6:19 PM
To: Nicole
Cc: AVIDA Christine

Hi Ms. Nicole,

You may introduce changes, improvements and/or upgrade in your unit but that is through the account of the buyer since your requirements are not within our specifications.

We have delivered a Patrice Standard unit to you as per commitment and disclosed specifications in our plans.

We’ve provided the options (such as Basic, Standard and Premium units) to cater to our buyers need.

Also, model units (both with I.D & non-I.D) were showcased on site to provide buyers better appreciation/ idea of the actual unit they purchase.

Pardon us if the specs on the Standard unit you purchased don’t meet your requirements, but it is our standard deliverable and is in conformance with the house building plan we have provided to our buyers.

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From: Nicole
Date: Wed, Jul 21, 2010 at 9:45 PM
To: "AVIDA Ellen, AVIDA Ruth

Yes but we were NEVER informed of what the actual electrical capacity was. We were just told it's ALL possible.

THE MODEL UNITS ALL HAVE EXTRA PLUGS - ISN'T THAT DECEIVING?!?!?!

You guys would not even give any of the plans in advance when we asked for it. You gave it after we paid for the house.

Your commitment is whatever your sales agents tell us is possible - especially since the specs given to us don't include anything about the electrical.

So I would suggest that you stop telling us that we knew in advance what came with the house because all we know is what the sales agent told us.

And as to delivering "a Patrice Standard unit to you as per commitment and disclosed specifications in our plans" - are misaligned walls and floors part of your specifications?

THE PROBLEM IS THAT YOU KEEP MAKING PROMISES AND BREAKING ALL OF THEM.

"Pardon us if the specs on the Standard unit you purchased don’t meet your requirements"

YOU'VE GOT TO BE KIDDING!!!!! THIS IS THE BIGGEST MISTAKE WE'VE EVER MADE AND NOT TO MENTION THE MOST EXPENSIVE ONE.

Oh, and the non-ID model unit - it had no walls. THERE WAS NEVER A NON-ID STANDARD MODEL UNIT FOR PATRICE. Don't you guys know that?

SO YOU SHOULD STOP WRITING AS THOUGH WE WERE AWARE OF EVERYTHING THAT CAME WITH THE HOUSE PRIOR TO PAYING FOR IT.

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I just received the quotation from Alecto on how much it would cost to add extra load and the outlets and their fee will be around Php 160,000. Now that is a little too rich for our blood but the facilities manager at work advised that of all the big name electrical engineering companies he has dealt with, only Alecto has not failed. So by my estimate, other not so well known companies will at least charge Php 100,000.

*Update: Alecto sent another quotation the following day. This time the total cost is Php 121,000. While the new price is better, it's still over Php 100,000.

Earl and I have a bit of money saved up but we were planning to use that for the contractor, the kitchen and if there's anything left over, maybe furniture. We were not planning to spend it on something that should have been provided for to begin with.

I also spoke with Ellen earlier today - despite the emails, I like to think that we're starting to get along. But I pointed out to her that before she sends out an email template, she should try to put herself in our shoes. We've just paid a lot of money for a dud.

I know of others who bought much larger houses at less than what we paid - with complete electrical load and sockets. Can someone remind me again why we decided to go with Avida? I'm starting to forget.

Ellen wants to set up a meeting with us and Noel (her boss). I asked her what good will that do? She said that Noel can make decisions regarding our house. If that's the case, why can't he make a decision now? But I agreed provided that the meeting will be on a Saturday and we can meet at the house.

This entire situation is extremely depressing and I don't think Avida understands the gravity of what their actions have done (starting from the sales agent) and what it is causing us - both mentally and financially.