Neighbours building work

grumbler

It's hard to believe that the wall is single-brick. Garage walls are usually double-brick (no cavity).

I can't even imagine how a beam-bearing surface can be half-brick deep and I don't think that any structural engineer would approve this. It's 150mm minimum even for the shortest lintels.

Jeepers_Creepers

I was thinking that, Grumb. Even using a single skin of a cavity wall wouldn't be enough, and this lady seemingly wanted flush side walls!

Once this debacle is stopped, I think the two neighbs should insist on PW surveyors being employed before any work continues (that'll teach the silly woman) and then each neighb insists internal brick piers are built to fully support the steel without impacting at all on the party walls. That'll teach her twice.

Phil4432

FreeBear said:

I can see this getting messy & expensive very quickly. The neighbours on both sides of this nightmare need to harass the council until they do send someone out. Putting a steel from party wall to party wall is going to need holes to be knocked through both sides. Pad stones must be fitted under each end of the steel, and then the damage made good.

Unbelievable that the individual in the middle thought this was OK, and the "builder" must be a right cowboy for going along with it.... He probably doesn't have insurance or any assets worth going after.

On the bright side, it would be the property owner that would be pursued for any damages - How much her house is worth once the builder has gone would be open to debate... Would it be enough to cover the cost of repairs plus legal bills to both sides ?

It's already got messy, all they can do is stand up for themselves at this point.

OP, this could well be in violation of party wall regs, as no notice was given.  Also, the builder/neighbor is fully responsible for the damage caused.

However, you are soon going to find out that the cowboy is very used to doing things like this, and getting away with it.  In fact, many bad builders are expert conmen.

The council will be useless, because councils are useless.  You need to get a party wall surveyor and a solicitor.  Document everything.

Move fast, though the neighbor can be held liable, all a cowboy has to do is declare their company bankrupt, and disappear.  If he's even a company in the first place.

FreeBear

Jeepers_Creepers said: Once this debacle is stopped, I think the two neighbs should insist on PW surveyors being employed before any work continues (that'll teach the silly woman)

And if they insist on separate PW surveyors each, that will cost her twice before any remedial work starts.

Jeepers_Creepers

Ouch! That's nasty, FB. I like it.

GDB2222

Assuming that the lady in the middle only has limited funds to put this right, do you want the money spent on remedial measures or on multiple pw surveyors?  Ultimately, the liability may be attached to the property, but it may be personal to the owner, and if she goes bankrupt the work won’t get done, or it will have to be at the expense of the neighbours.

I strongly suggest getting a solicitor tomorrow, to get an injunction unless the lady agrees to stop all work immediately. I don’t recommend wasting the lady's money, as that may backfire.

Jojomissy

Thanks everyone for your help.

Well hopefully the council will gain access tomorrow to look at the damage. We contacted a party wall surveyor who advised the first step is a solicitor before he gets involved. 
We tried the council as a first step before costs escalating with a solicitor, hopefully when the building works can be seen we can make a plan. My family member walked into the property when he first had concerns due to the amount of noise, this was when he noticed what they had done and could see his wiring from their demolition job. They have since denied him access.

I will update when the council have visited tomorrow, my family member will have to take time off unpaid to sort all this out while she is sat in her bedroom shouting orders down the stairs. It makes me so angry.

williamgriffin

FreeBear said:

I wonder if it is worth giving the police a call and reporting it as criminal damage....

 They may well say it is a civil matter, but they may pay a visit and might even issue a fine or two under Covid regulations.

What Covid regs do you think have been breached?

twopenny

Document the amount of time taken off work. If it can't be recompensed it can add weight to the claim.

Agree with GDB2222, with the low value of the womans house it's best not to incur more cost than necessary. It may not even be totally hers but part funded by someone else. If she's gutted it badly the value could have gone down and she could have spent every penny on the work.

To me the builder is mainly at fault.  Should have known or found out, what the walls were like before quoting and certainly before  starting work. Should have put his foot and tools down when this was demanded. Somethings not right there.

DiddyDavies

If another party has an interest in the family member's property (such as a mortgage company) and it turns out that there is some major structural damage, would they be interested?