# Forum More Stuff Owner Builders Forum  Screw up Wide Span

## sabre

After some advice please. Purchased a Wide Span Country Kit Home, building as an owner builder. I am a qualified boiler maker/plant operator with 20+years experience. I have also completed many large building and home renovation projects, so I thought I would tackle building my own kit home. Started building the kit in April with no major issues that I want to mention at this stage but I need advice.   
The roof/ridgecap/barge screws that were supplied to us with the kit have been advised to me by a builder with 40+ years experience, a qualified roof/plumber, the screw manufacturer (but he said he did not engineer it) and Wide Span's own engineer for that plan (thinks there may be a problem), were incorrect. Approximately 20% of the roof is screwed off plus every lap at every baton. The roofers noticed when they walked on the area that had been screwed, the screws were popping from the baton. They had previously mentioned to me that they looked to be the wrong screws before commencing screwing off, but I replied they were the correct screws as described in the Bill of Materials from Wide Span.  I have spoken to everyone involved, including supplier of screws (not their problem), Wide Span (will not respond to emails or telephone or their so called helpline Shed Builders).   
Roofers have had to mobilise and demobilise themselves and their edge protection and have advised that to correct the problem some of the roof sheeting will need to be replaced and all the sheeting will need to be moved 10-20mm which wont be cheap.  I feel I should not be out of pocket for someone elses "screw" up.  Cyclone season is nearing and I need this sorted ASAP.  Any advice would be greatly appreciated

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## Neptune

G'day, is it possible the pitch on the screw was incorrect? 
Also if they've been "over driven" they may have just stripped. 
They really need to be done with a clutched/torque limiter type driver.

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## k1200

would be best to confirm the screw suitability with your certifier i reckon. 
If the screws are incorrect then pursue wide span sheds, otherwise if it was an installation problem, then you will have to wear the cost. 
Good luck

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## playnjane

Hi, 
I'm considering owner/building one of the Wide Span 'Country Home' kits (with the help of a local unregistered builder) and keen to be in contact with someone who has built one.  Any advice will be appreciated as there don't seem to be any positive testimonials that I can find.

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## shauck

> Hi, 
> I'm considering owner/building one of the Wide Span 'Country Home' kits (with the help of a local unregistered builder) and keen to be in contact with someone who has built one.  Any advice will be appreciated as there don't seem to be any positive testimonials that I can find.

  Seriously, why would you still consider them as an option with some of the horror stories out there? Surely your "builder" can put together something much better.

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## playnjane

I take your point.  Do you have any suggestions or recommendations? I'm also considering Swenrick Homes who they use their own builders.  I'm basically looking for a relativel economical way to construct a two-story residence (to lock up) on my country property.

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## shauck

Talk to your unregistered "builder". Between you and them you could probably come up with a plan. I suppose it depends on they're capabilities and your dedication to taking on a project. As an example, I'm partially trained as a carpenter. Didn't get to finish my apprenticeship. I've kept my hand in by renovating my own place and then a couple of friends have had me build for them. One a bush house (off the grid) and the other council approved and legitimate. with the second house, my friend became owner builder and organised and co-ordinated all the other trades from design to roofing plumber and left me to the structural stuff and cladding. I went off the plans provided although I could have been involved in that stage too if she had wanted. (Would have been slightly better for me if I had). I taught her how to do a lot of stuff and she worked alongside me quite a bit. This was all on hourly rate and a pretty fair one considering she's a friend and I'm not hugely experienced. At the end of the day, If you have someone working for you who is honest and puts in a full days work and they are competent, I think it works out well. It's a possibility but not the usual way.

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## playnjane

Thanks for the advice Shauck, I appreciate it.

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## Bloss

I reckon a kit home could be a better option as they come with instructions (all are never quite right!). But shop around though - google and look at forum comments, but remember that those who are unhappy or have bad experience tend to tell many and speak loudly, those who are OK with the result usually tell no-one! To know what is real you'd need to know the total volume of clients and what proportion were unhappy - and that info is not really available. And often the the DIYer has bitten off much more they can really handle and the overselling by companies about how easy it is means there are unmet expectations on both sides. 
Building of any type is complex whether it is from scratch or by assembly from a kit - with a kit at least you have someone who is obliged by law to provide what they said so far as components go etc. Remember though that kit homes are not Lego - they often are priced well because they exclude lots of PC items (that's Prime Cost because they are not cheap!) which must actually be bought to make the house liveable. 
A few links: Kit Homes Australia, Quality Steel Frame Houses | PAAL Kit Homes Budget steel frame kit homes easy to build affordable Australia NSW VIC QLD Kit Homes, Kit Barns from Australian Timber | Alternate Dwellings 
All will need approvals and most will come with doco to help that happen. Of course it is possible to have a 'shed' or 'barn' built which is possible to live in comfortably for quite some time and at much less cost - but will not be approved if you mention it is for habitation! Depends on needs and location etc, but it is common to do a two stage process by constructing a steel kit shed then use that as the base while the main residence is planned and built.

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## Uncle Bob

Further to Bloss's once again excellent post above, the Wide Span jobs may be ok if you take the option of getting their subbies to erect it.

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## barney118

> After some advice please. Purchased a Wide Span Country Kit Home, building as an owner builder. I am a qualified boiler maker/plant operator with 20+years experience. I have also completed many large building and home renovation projects, so I thought I would tackle building my own kit home. Started building the kit in April with no major issues that I want to mention at this stage but I need advice.   
> The roof/ridgecap/barge screws that were supplied to us with the kit have been advised to me by a builder with 40+ years experience, a qualified roof/plumber, the screw manufacturer (but he said he did not engineer it) and Wide Span's own engineer for that plan (thinks there may be a problem), were incorrect. Approximately 20% of the roof is screwed off plus every lap at every baton. The roofers noticed when they walked on the area that had been screwed, the screws were popping from the baton. They had previously mentioned to me that they looked to be the wrong screws before commencing screwing off, but I replied they were the correct screws as described in the Bill of Materials from Wide Span.  I have spoken to everyone involved, including supplier of screws (not their problem), Wide Span (will not respond to emails or telephone or their so called helpline Shed Builders).   
> Roofers have had to mobilise and demobilise themselves and their edge protection and have advised that to correct the problem some of the roof sheeting will need to be replaced and all the sheeting will need to be moved 10-20mm which wont be cheap.  I feel I should not be out of pocket for someone elses "screw" up.  Cyclone season is nearing and I need this sorted ASAP.  Any advice would be greatly appreciated

  sounds like its a screw issue/ or batten problem , I dont know how big the shed is, but the 20% that is done I would look for a solution for this, obviously the screw thread hasnt engaged the topspan properly, I would say the screw thread is too coarse (possibly wood thread, not metal?) alternately the batten BMT is not holding the screw? If its a screw issue then the one (cheaper option) way to correct this easily would be to go up a size, do you have a pic of the screw?

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## Bloss

> sounds like its a screw issue/ or batten problem , I dont know how big the shed is, but the 20% that is done I would look for a solution for this, obviously the screw thread hasnt engaged the topspan properly, I would say the screw thread is too coarse (possibly wood thread, not metal?) alternately the batten BMT is not holding the screw? If its a screw issue then the one (cheaper option) way to correct this easily would be to go up a size, do you have a pic of the screw?

  Barney - this is an old post (October) re-started with a different problem by a new poster playnjane on 16 January - Admin might move to a new thread.

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## barney118

> Barney - this is an old post (October) re-started with a different problem by a new poster playnjane on 16 January - Admin might move to a new thread.

  Thanks, it would be good to see the OP update on the outcome for others.

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