A friend recently bought a new-build house. It was only after the first heavy rain that she realised that something was not right. An architect acquaintance confirmed to her that, no, the back door should not be flush with the back garden which sloped downhill towards it, and while there was indeed a damp proof course installed, it was below ground level. Of course, every housebuilder makes mistakes, and everybody knows that what really counts is how the housebuilder reacts when a mistake occurs.
