Baywindow

[elaineH]

Hi, My baywindow and gas meter are on an access road, someone has already hit the brickwork, and lorry took corner off the top of the bay. I spoke to Premier Guarantee, he said the bay may not be within the building regs. Is this true?

[Redbeard]

Cannot tell without a picture.

 

Could you post one up, please? Is this a brand-new build?

[gaz_moose]

could just be trying to scare / fob you off so you don't claim off them. 

[elaineH]

They don't know me, I will pursue this until my dying day.

[elaineH]

@Redbeard, oh I thought I added a picture.

[elaineH]

I also have water coming out of the air vents at the front of the house

[ProDave]

A couple of plants in large tubs, one either side of the bay might make it easier too see / avoid hitting the bay window.

 

Post a picture of the water coming out of the vent, that might be more serious.

[Redbeard]

Agree with @ProDave re the vents, and as for the bay I think you ought perhaps to write to the developer explaining that they have effectively 'left your bay in the road' and ask them (with a suggested timescale) to install stout bollards (preferably ones which do not look awful) so that the vehicles hit the bollards instead of your bay. Is that  a car-park at the top of the pic? Should trucks be going past your bay?

[Mike]

Yes, pretty silly design (only beaten by one I know that has a bay window that jets out at head level). Maybe they added it to prevent vehicles hitting the gas cabinet. Bollards seem like the solution.

[saveasteading]

41 minutes ago, Mike said:

Bollards seem like the solution.

Attractive .cast iron ones. like in a Georgian town. Cheap ones will look awful.

Of course it is part of the building regulations. Except for exposing it to impact, so the developer/builder should sort it.

 

More photos of the water issue please. I've often dealt with water going in, but running out is weird, and needs sorting.

 

[ProDave]

It looks like they have already widened the "road" in an attempt to prevent this?

[elaineH]

The person went into the bay after they extended the access road

[elaineH]

The problem with bollards or anything else, is if we want to sell, selling will be near impossible, no one will want the buy the house. 

 

No, not a car park, there are two houses. 

 

The builders know about the bay window, yet will not do anything else that's why I got Premier Guarantee involved, they are the ones who said the bay isn't within regulation. I just want to know because I am thinking of taking them to court. Also the Director said in hindsight, the house should be a meter down to where it is.

 

The chap who repaired the bay said he has not seen such shoddy work in 40 years he has been a builder.

[joe90]

10 minutes ago, elaineH said:

why I got Premier Guarantee involved, they are the ones who said the bay isn't within regulation.

Do they mean building regulations or planning? Do you have it It in writing? If so forward it to the council (planning or building regulations) they are the ones who will have granted planning and building regs.

[ProDave]

1 hour ago, elaineH said:

.

Is that leaking like that all the time?  Or just when it rains?

 

Start by making a listening stick and with all taps in the house turned off use the listening stick to see if you can hear water flowing at the main incoming stopcock.  You might have a leaking pipe under the floor.

 

If it only leaks like that after rain, it might be rainwater getting into the cavity.

[Susie]

Where is your water meter in relation to your stop cock? If they are not adjacent you could turn your stop cock off and make sure your water meter numbers are not still going round. 
This will just check for leaks between the two.  If you turn it back and keep all taps off check again the numbers are not moving this will check within your house, make sure no toilets are filling up etc. 

 

[Conor]

The solution is obvious to me and I'd be pushing the developer for it:

 

There is adequate land to the right to move the whole road 1m+ to the right, then install kerbing all along the LHS against the building to form a 1.2m wide walkway* and provide a physical barrier to traffic. Anything less is a bodge.

 

The gas meter is also a balls as it should have been a cavity box set at the right height. That will get smashed someday.

 

 

*Obviously with consideration to the DPC

Edited March 10 by Conor

[saveasteading]

When was this built?

Perhaps you know the construction or can get hold of the drawings.

If it was a formal dispute, then i would have that air  brick taken out to see what we find behind it. presumably a concrete screed slightly lower than the brick, and a suspended floor above....