Insurance cover for building work

kellym

Does anyone have any experience with builders and insurance?

We're having a single story extension at the back of the house. Our builder's T&Cs say that we have to claim on our household insurance if there's any damage to our property or our neighbours. Is this normal? It makes me think that they don't have liability insurance.

The other problem is the home insurance. Our policy is with Intelligent Finance, who have told us that they won't cover us for accidental damage to the building or its contents whilst we're having the building work done! Is this normal or is it just them?

Is there some kind of special insurance we can get to cover us for the building work?

I'm starting to panic a bit, so any advice would be great!

Many thanks!!

HugoSP

If it's not too late - Find another builder.

DO NOT LET THEM INTO YOUR HOUSE AGAIN AND DO NOT GIVE THEM ANY MONEY.

You may have just had a very narrow escape.

Public liability insurance is not expensive. My policy costs me around £140 per year and covers me for up to £2m.

If you have already hired them and they are on site, then there are schemes that deal with construction work. I can't remember any specific companies but they advertise in the likes of Homebuilding and Renovating magazines. A good broker should be able to help.

kellym

Thanks for the advice.

The builders don't start work until next week, but I've signed a contract (my husband hasn't signed it, not sure if that makes a difference). I've sent a cheque for the deposit, but it hasn't been banked yet because the owner of the company is on holiday.

The builders have been recommended by two of my husband's work colleagues and we've seen the work done at one their houses. So I assumed that they're OK. Obviously this was short-sighted of us!

iamcornholio

I would not be too concerned with this term.

There is nothing to stop you claiming against the builder should he be negligent or otherwise, or if damage is caused to your property due to the building work.

It's a bit of a pointless terms for the builder to include, and is just really to try and dodge any claims - but he can't dodge his responsibilities in law

And you forgot the golden rule of not signing anything you don't agree with

Out of interest, what contract did you sign? Is it the builders own terms, or is it one of the standard small works/domestic building contracts?

If it is the builders own, I just wonder waht other conditions are lurking in there?

kellym

That is a good point. I'm probably worrying too much, it's a bad trait of mine!

I did think that the builder was just covering himself at first, as you say, but the fact that our home insurance provider said they wouldn't cover us got me worried!

It does look like it's the builder's own conditions, there's quite a few! There's stuff on there that I'd expect - hours of work; speak to the owner about the work rather than approaching his staff and contractors; we're responsible for planning permission, design issues etc.; we get charged if we haven't moved furniture and it stops them working.

The condition I wasn't that happy with is that if we ask the builders to fit lightling, floorting, etc. supplied by us they aren't responsible for accidental damage or breakage. They break a light and we have to pay for another one!