ScooBStu

We are in the process of buying a house which is approx 40 years old. The house had a shale test done to make sure clevleand shale was not present which came back negative, HOWEVER!!!!!

We have been speaking to one of the neighbours tonight who commented that they also had a shale test done approx 10 years ago before moving in to theirs which also OK. A couple of years ago they took up the parque floor in the living room and discovered a crack which stretched from the front of the house to the back. It turns out that the rubble used to fill the floor was so big there were gaps everywhere.

Their insurance company dug it out to see what was causing it and discovered that the fault was due to neglect by the builder so completed the section they had done and said the remaining was up to the home owner. They told us it had cost them £59,000 to put right and they had to live in temporary accomadation for 6 months whilst it was done.

Is there a specific test (name) which can be used for this purpose? Also if the test is done do structural engineers guarantee that it will not occur or just in that particular section?

The shale test stated that there were 3 bore hole tests done in different rooms and at each there was a comment that an obstruction was met - What would this be?

Cheers for any advice guys!!!

ScooBStu

anyone?

Tidgy

problem will be when it comes to insurance and getting morgague, always worth having a full structural survey done anyway on old houses, there may be items in the insurance policy/ morg docs to say any required test must be carried out before the money is payed/payed out if worst case happens.

the boreholes simply check what ground is below, doing a test like this is normally used for new developments, but after 40 years you would have thought that any movement would have ocured by now.
one of the exceptions to this is that plant growth since construction, and can have major issue, i've help carry out dozens of house surveys where cracks have formed due to water levels changing as tree grow and influence areas are increased.


just out of interest y did the owners have to foot the bill and not go through insurance?

ScooBStu

The insurance company commented that the problem was due to shoddy workmanship when the house was built and so they were not liable. The house builders apparently were not interested as they put it up 40 years ago.

I spoke to a surveyor this morning and they commented that even if they carried out a full structural survey if you know there is a potential for there to be a problem they will highlight it in the report and it will not be covered by their insurance either!!!! Seems like a bit of a cop out to me.

I am really gutted now as I really thought this was the house for us.

Tidgy

generally speaking the builder would have had a 25 year responisbility for any structural defect resulting in major repair work and lets face its £60k is major work.
best bet would be to check the terms and conditions of any insurance policy you get with regard to the property (i know this normaly has to be in place before exchange of keys) and make sure they havn't got that included in get out clauses, lawyers shold be able to advise you on this, you might have to pay slightly more if you want it to be specifcaly mentioned as being covered for it but if its a worry might be worth it.
have you got any info on the ground conditions pre construction? was the house build on made ground, old landfill etc?

Peanuts

iTrader: (15)

your potential new neighbours are lying to you, they dont want you to move in.

Tidgy

harsh lol

mattstant

If the same builder built both houses walk away now.
always assuming your neighbours arent telling you porkies and want it for a bargian price for themselves

ScooBStu

I have spoken to a local specialist and he seems to think they were ripped off and said he had never heard of that problem.

He said there are two issues - One that there may be shale in the floors and two that if there are levels of sulphuric acid which will allow it to eat the concrete. He reckons that they will have suffered from one of these - He said if the shale had expanded it could potentially push the walls to the edge of the foundations and it would be bye bye house.

He also mentioned that insurance companies will not cover for checmical damage anymore.

The other thing he mentioned is that if the floors needed replacing it would only take a week to carry out and only cost about £12,000.

Any comments from specialists?

lawson101

I say your thread earlier mate and am waiting on a structural engineer friend of mine getting back to me...watch this space.

ScooBStu

Cheers - I will keep an eye out.

Jaydee5

He wouldn't be Wentworth Miller, would he

ScooBStu

Anyone? I have been looking into it and things dont add up - especially since they had 15 piles and a floating floor put in - They never said there was movement. Spoke to a ground specialist who carried out the bore holes to check for shale and he seemed to think it was OK.

Tidgy

sounding like cowboy builder the more you find out