Under pinning to correct builders mistake - advice

nikinak

It appears our builders didn't follow building regulations, all unknown to us - they told us all was fine, and we stupidly trusted them. Never again - lesson learnt!
We now need to dig up the kitchen floor and check foundations under a supporting peer in the kitchen, then possibly (and most probably) have it under pinned.
We are obviously going to pay for this ourselves not through our insurance.
I am concerned this is going to be an issue when we come to sell.
Once its done the extension will be signed off.

Its a victorian property and the last survey in 2003 said that there had been some minor movement that would be expected in a property this age, but showed no evidence of recent movement.

I guess we need to find out if more movement had occured due to this poor foundation under the peer.

We're having a survey done Tomorrow.

If there's no more movement, will this retrospective work to the peer be assessed as susbsidence or just building work being corrected?

keystone

Why aren't you claiming off your own insurance and get them to claim back off your builders insurance.

Alternatively why aren't you sorting this out directly with your builder and his insurers?

Doozergirl

It won't be 'that' sort of underpinning. It's strengthening the existing to support new work above, which you haven't explained in this OP. It will be signed off as part of foundations work for the extension, not as a separate issue.

ormus

this is a peer.



this is a pier.

BargainGalore

this is a pier too sorry couldn't resist

nikinak

Some slighty better news, building inspector has suggested we dig test holes in the garden and the structural engineer with the inspector can come to a descision on the whether the peer is ok on a strip foundation based on quality of the ground then decide if under pinning needs to be done based on this> Inspector was really nice today, he's also said that normally in the area I live if there's movement it happens within 12 months, and extension has been up for 20 months now, with no cracks even in the plaster work in the kitchen around the peer, so there may be some hope yet.
Saying my prayers


Thanks for the images some more useful than others! But at least they made me smile.

I was presuming our insurance wouldn't cover us, as the bottom line is we didn't make sure building work was carried out correctly so its our fault and repsonsibilty.

As for the builder the company has liquidated. Its still running exactly as it was just with a new name, guess we're not the only ones with issues over his work!

pimento

nikinak wrote: »

Thanks for the images some more useful than others! But at least they made me smile.

But not correct the typo..

nikinak

pimento wrote: »

But not correct the typo..

but then the images wouldn't be amusing to any other readers....