Buildings insurance faulty workmanship

Justonemorecupoftea

Hi all,

Looking for a bit of advice regarding the "faulty workmanship or design" clause in our home insurance.

We had some builders out to look at replacing our backdoor which is sticking, thinking it was something wrong with the door/frame. They suspect we have subsidence from a suspicious crack along the door frame.

This is covered by our home insurance, but I am slightly concerned as the wall in question is part of an extension from 14 years ago and the builders have suggested that it's possible it was built directly onto the garden wall, so doesn't have a proper foundation. Now we obviously didn't know about this and there was nothing in original survey from when we bought the house 2 years ago saying it might be an issue.

Could the insurance company decline to pay out if this is the case?

The insurance company are sending a surveyor out next week and I'm having sleepless nights at the thought of them not paying out as we just can't afford to have a whole wall replaced!
Any thoughts or advice appreciated.

Thank you.

Quentin

All you can do now is await the outcome of the survey.

But if it's down to poor workmanship then it won't be covered by insurance!

Justonemorecupoftea

Thank you. I thought that might be the case. But it doesn't seem fair (ha - I know) when the workmanship was down way before we owned the house and there was now way of us knowing.
Or rather, the way of us knowing - the survey (we went for the full report - to identify stuff like this) didn't pick it up.

Quentin

Await the forthcoming survey and should it turn out to be something your original survey should have reported then you can train your sights on the original surveyor

London28UK

Have you checked with your local council to see if any plans were submitted for the extension ? Some councils have plans online. If plans were submitted it may show what foundation was used. If there are no plans you could dig an inspection pit, say 1 ft x 1 ft next to the wall and dig down to see what foundation is there.

Justonemorecupoftea

We already had to go back to them because they missed something with the roof.

I don't think we have any come back because they said "there is no way to ascertain if the foundations are suitable but given that it currently shows no sign of movement we assume it is suitable" or words to the effect. I'm not sure we can hold them to that.

QuagaarWarrior

Surely those who carried out the work are culpable here?

[Deleted User]

Indeed, if it is the case that it's poor workmanship then the builder should put it right, or you can take them to Small Claims Court if they are still around.