Subsidence on new build?

aidso

I moved into a home that's 3 years old, 1 yr ago, and over the months have noticed the small hairline fractures on upstairs walls and the likes that you'd come to expect from a new home settling-in. A few months back I put my foot into a largish hole in the driveway, dropping around 1ft and as of late while commenting to a neighbor that I thought my drive was actually sinking, we've noticed a significant "bow" leading toward the house. I have an open-planned garden at the front of the house shared with a neighbor (no fence/wall) and have noticed a hole has appeared in theirs...so something is not right.
I spoke to a friend who suggested that under the NHBC warranty I should be covered but I need to go speak to someone sooner rather than later. So my question is, who do I start with?
I have a management company for the development. In addition, the builders are still in the area doing other jobs. Do I speak to the foreman to have a look? Or do you speak to the management company and ask them to start the investigation and they sort someone out?

CocoLouie

Is the management for the common areas? If so your private land is not their concern.


You could try the customer care for your builders but they may direct you to NHBC as it is outside of the usual 2 year snagging window.


I would advise trying to keep everything in writing as this has the potential to be a serious issue and you don't want to have to rely on something said on the phone which can't be proved.

Tom99

[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]I think I would do my own investigation employing my own professionals before raising anything with the management company or builder etc.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]If you contact the management company or builder you are probably going to be fobbed off.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]If you contact the building control dept of the LA it is possible they may be able to tell you whether there was anything unusual about the ground conditions etc when the houses were built.[/FONT]

getmore4less

Could be just the drives that are bad and the houses are OK

We are on phase one of an estate and all the drives are fine 20 years on, ants and around drain covers small dips.

Phase two a large number have massive ripples and dips in their drives

Clearly a case of a bad batch of drives, Phase 2 was the last so they did not have to care about people noticing once off site.
(both are block paving)

If the estate is still being built then highlighting shoddy workmanship should get prompt attention


Any drains under the drives?

aidso

Some good points above

1. The house is built on reclaimed bog land according to a previous neighbour. Other gardens in the area have problems with drainage, albeit not mine. So I expect some land is soft...

2. Management only covers common areas, so sounds like I need to act on this one alone.

3. There are manhole covers (x2) on the drive and I think one of them reveals a water meter - I haven't lifted it to investigate. Neither of them drain as far as I can see.

4. So far the problems are all outside, just trying to get ahead of any problems such that if its more than a shoddy driveway I dont want a wall crumbling.

5. WRT to the " your builders but they may direct you to NHBC as it is outside of the usual 2 year snagging window.", I thought the NHBC lasted for 10 years for structural stuff? Or are you saying driveway is outside of that?

avacapri

i would start with the insurance company, they will be more proactive than the NHBC and if it is covered under the NHBC the insurance co will do their utmost to prove it.