R
Roland28024 Sep 2010 15:12Hello, I bought/moved into a semi-detached house from a general construction company in 2003.
After about three years, cracks approximately 1 cm (0.4 inches) wide and one meter (3 feet) long appeared continuously in a 30 cm (12 inches) aerated concrete wall in the gable, caused by the twisting of the ridge beam. The beam had obviously been built in too tightly. After exposing it to relieve the pressure on the wall and injecting the masonry with an epoxy adhesive, the upper part of the gable was filled with plaster, about 2 cm (0.8 inches) applied on the outside of the gable. The visible part of the beam was treated to create a visually harmonious appearance.
A further two to three years later, the beam was still twisting and additional smaller cracks had appeared. Now there is also a sole plate involved, which has twisted so far that cracks have appeared in the plaster and probably also in the masonry there.
The contractor’s suggestion was to cut off the visible twisted parts of the beams and replace them with straight pieces, and to cover the gable with wood cladding. I find this very concerning because any damage that might occur afterwards would likely no longer be visible.
Who has experience with this? Who knows a recommended expert in the Münster/Westphalia area and a lawyer specializing in construction/real estate law?
After about three years, cracks approximately 1 cm (0.4 inches) wide and one meter (3 feet) long appeared continuously in a 30 cm (12 inches) aerated concrete wall in the gable, caused by the twisting of the ridge beam. The beam had obviously been built in too tightly. After exposing it to relieve the pressure on the wall and injecting the masonry with an epoxy adhesive, the upper part of the gable was filled with plaster, about 2 cm (0.8 inches) applied on the outside of the gable. The visible part of the beam was treated to create a visually harmonious appearance.
A further two to three years later, the beam was still twisting and additional smaller cracks had appeared. Now there is also a sole plate involved, which has twisted so far that cracks have appeared in the plaster and probably also in the masonry there.
The contractor’s suggestion was to cut off the visible twisted parts of the beams and replace them with straight pieces, and to cover the gable with wood cladding. I find this very concerning because any damage that might occur afterwards would likely no longer be visible.
Who has experience with this? Who knows a recommended expert in the Münster/Westphalia area and a lawyer specializing in construction/real estate law?
B
Bauexperte5 Sep 2010 10:10Hello,
Go to your nearest engineering or architects chamber, contact the energy agency or even the consumer advice center. They can provide you with contact details of publicly appointed and sworn experts. Discuss your case with the building expert you trust, provide them with all the documents you have available, and listen to their recommendations.
From the way you describe your builder, they will likely comply with the expert’s assessment, in their own interest. Involving a lawyer too early usually harms communication rather than helps it. The building expert called in will also advise you in good time if they think it is necessary to involve a lawyer.
Good luck and best regards
Roland2802 schrieb:First, I would not take the second step before the first.
...who knows a recommended expert in the Münster/Westphalia area and a lawyer specialized in construction/real estate law.
Go to your nearest engineering or architects chamber, contact the energy agency or even the consumer advice center. They can provide you with contact details of publicly appointed and sworn experts. Discuss your case with the building expert you trust, provide them with all the documents you have available, and listen to their recommendations.
From the way you describe your builder, they will likely comply with the expert’s assessment, in their own interest. Involving a lawyer too early usually harms communication rather than helps it. The building expert called in will also advise you in good time if they think it is necessary to involve a lawyer.
Good luck and best regards
Similar topics