Damage to our side of party wall caused by drilling next door

dave82_2

Hi All,


Just looking for some advice. Our new neighbours are having their house renovated and someone working in the house has come right through the party wall pushing our TV/satellite point and network point out the wall and knocking a chunk of plaster off.


I spoke with the Builders who were very nice about it and blamed the electrician who they are going to have come and speak to me.


I just wonder where I stand in terms of making good. I would prefer to use my own people.


I would also like them to test all the electrical circuits in the house as the place where damaged is right next to our consumer unit and the trunking that takes the electrical circuits all around our house!!


We had everything rewired and re plastered a few years ago so I don't want this patched I want it fixed to the exact standard it was before even if the whole wall needs re-skimmed.


Any advise on my rights? Perhaps willing to give them a chance to make good with the caveat that if I am not happy I will get my own people to put it right and ask them to pay.


I get that accidents happen so no point in getting mad but do want it put right ASAP!


Thanks


Dave

DTDfanBoy

You're going to have to be a bit more realistic, demanding that the entire wall is reskimmed because a small piece of plaster was knocked off is completely bonkers IMHO

dave82_2

A re-skim isn't my starting point but if a patch doesn't look as it did and have the integrity that it did then I don't think asking for this is unrealistic.

It isn't really a tiny patch it has blown a big area of plaster and pushed two back boxes out the wall.

Unfortunately I don't believe patching will fix the plaster that has been blown by the accident even if it covers up that has actually fallen off.

If someone crashed into my car I wouldn't let them just patch it up so why should I accept this in my home?

dave82_2

I appreciate that I came across as a bit well you don't agree with me so get lost.


I agree I need to be realistic but expect them to put it back as it was

phoenix_w

dave82 wrote: »

I agree I need to be realistic but expect them to put it back as it was

That's exactly what you should be entitled to, but not betterment. Gather the invoices and receipts for when you had the work done to demonstrate it was previously in good order. Let the builder/electrician or their insurance worry about the practicalities. If they don't do a job to a decent enough standard (i.e. it doesn't look as good as what was there before), either complain to their insurance until they sort it, or if they didn't claim at that point make a claim on their public liability to get it done right.

To be honest I'd be more concerned about the repair to the block/brickwork rather than the plastering etc.

dave82_2

Yes I am a bit worried about what they have done to the party wall else where that they didnt come the whole way through!

I am more worried that they may have damaged the cables that run up that wall from our consumer unit than anything though!

societys_child

Is the party wall just a single leaf structure or has the sparky come all the way through a 9" (or more) wall?

If it is single leaf, I'm not sure sinking back boxes into it is/was a good idea on either side.

dave82_2

Think it is single brick but not totally sure might be double brick at most but there is no cavity between the properties.


Just had a look at the pictures I took of the rewire our side and the back boxes are low profile and only chased into the brick about 5mm there is a fairly thick layer of rendering that they are sunk into.

muckybutt

Unless your electrics are tripping out on other circuits other than the one that got knocked out of the wall then you haven't a chance at getting the whole house tested, that is just ludicrous !

Getting a patch done may look well out of place and obvious so I would say a full reskim on that wall and redecorate isn't out of the question ... I'd want the same !

dave82_2

Cheers the only reason I am suggesting getting the circuits tested is that the damage is right next to where every circuit in the house runs through trunking.

They could have gone through the earth or damaged a cable. Perhaps I will just pay for this myself for piece of mind and deal with any issues uncovered by the testing as they arise.

Cheers

D