Hello!
I hope this is the right subforum.
Here is the situation: Our neighbors are currently excavating about 0.50 - 0.6 m (20 - 24 inches) away from our garage to a depth of approximately 1.50 - 1.80 m (59 - 71 inches). Our garage is built on strip foundations. I don’t know the exact depth of these, but I assume they extend to a maximum of 80 cm (31 inches). No underpinning, shoring, or battering/sloping was done during the excavation. About 0.5 m (20 inches) from our garage, the ground is now excavated straight down to at least 1.50 m (59 inches) depth.
According to my understanding of standards like DIN 4123, if no additional underpinning measures are taken, excavation up to 2 m (6.5 ft) next to the garage should only go to a maximum of 50 cm (20 inches) above the foundation base, which is about 30 cm (12 inches) deep. Only beyond 2 m (6.5 ft) distance can excavation be carried out deeper with a proper slope or batter. Otherwise, appropriate section-by-section underpinning should be carried out professionally.
Are my concerns about the structural stability of the garage foundations justified, or am I mistaken? We have already spoken with the neighbors, but they rely on their contractor. If my concerns are valid, what would be reasonable next steps I can take to ensure the stability of the garage? The location is the federal state of Hesse.
I would really appreciate any advice anyone can offer here.
I hope this is the right subforum.
Here is the situation: Our neighbors are currently excavating about 0.50 - 0.6 m (20 - 24 inches) away from our garage to a depth of approximately 1.50 - 1.80 m (59 - 71 inches). Our garage is built on strip foundations. I don’t know the exact depth of these, but I assume they extend to a maximum of 80 cm (31 inches). No underpinning, shoring, or battering/sloping was done during the excavation. About 0.5 m (20 inches) from our garage, the ground is now excavated straight down to at least 1.50 m (59 inches) depth.
According to my understanding of standards like DIN 4123, if no additional underpinning measures are taken, excavation up to 2 m (6.5 ft) next to the garage should only go to a maximum of 50 cm (20 inches) above the foundation base, which is about 30 cm (12 inches) deep. Only beyond 2 m (6.5 ft) distance can excavation be carried out deeper with a proper slope or batter. Otherwise, appropriate section-by-section underpinning should be carried out professionally.
Are my concerns about the structural stability of the garage foundations justified, or am I mistaken? We have already spoken with the neighbors, but they rely on their contractor. If my concerns are valid, what would be reasonable next steps I can take to ensure the stability of the garage? The location is the federal state of Hesse.
I would really appreciate any advice anyone can offer here.
M
MachsSelbst18 Sep 2025 10:43Well, whether the neighbor sees it that way remains to be seen. Because for him, it will definitely become significantly more expensive. It is completely naive to believe that the contractor will absorb the additional costs...
If necessary, the entire pool construction will have to be canceled...
The construction halt was inevitable, but that everything is now fine... I seriously doubt it.
If necessary, the entire pool construction will have to be canceled...
The construction halt was inevitable, but that everything is now fine... I seriously doubt it.
N
nordanney18 Sep 2025 10:52MachsSelbst schrieb:
It’s completely naive to think the contractor will cover the additional costs out of their own pocket... Who else should be responsible? The situation was known in advance. At the latest, the pool installer should have raised concerns at the start of construction if they weren’t aware of the circumstances. The only one who ends up losing out is the pool installer because they are the ones who must handle the proper installation of the pool and all related measures at their own expense. The client might be asked to cover the costs, but that is not justified.
Exception: There might be specific clauses in the contract, though I wouldn’t expect that from a pool installer.
MachsSelbst schrieb:
The building halt was unavoidable, but that everything is now fine... I highly doubt that.From a factual perspective, everything is now fine—emotionally, maybe not—but with a bit of life experience, you know that 100% happiness in any relationship is nowhere to be found, so everything fits perfectly! But yes, you can always find a flaw if you want to.