ᐅ Concrete slab contractor, city inspection report

Kira94 schrieb:

Hello everyone,
our house needs to be built on piles (depth 3.5–4 meters (11.5–13 feet)). No problem, we knew this beforehand. The seller from the prefabricated house company said at the time of purchase that €2,000–3,000 (around $2,300–3,400) is a reasonable amount because the excavator would already be on site and for that money you get a lot of concrete. Now the foundation slab contractor (construction company = partner) says that this is definitely not possible at that price. We have now requested a concrete quote because recently figures in the range of €7,000–10,000 (around $8,000–11,500) have been mentioned. We are unsure what would be a fair price for a slab with an area of 78 sqm (840 sq ft) plus a 50 sqm (540 sq ft) garage. He also wants to reinforce the slab somewhat—but by how much? We also don’t know if 9 or 12 piles including the garage will be enough, as that number is planned for our timber-frame house.
Can anyone give us advice or tell us what costs are reasonable?
Best regards, sonne

We agreed with the foundation slab contractor on €10,000 (about $11,500) for a planned depth of 4 meters (13 feet).
A few more details about the construction site: A company used to operate on this land years ago. The city purchased these old buildings, demolished them, and developed building plots.
All assessments were carried out by the city, which confirmed that all hazardous substances found in the soil were removed and properly disposed of. Therefore, there was no cause for concern, especially since the environmental authority conducted inspections and issued clearance. We knew that the soil had been moved and filled in, which is why the plan was to build on piles.
Now to the disaster: When digging the first pile, after 5 meters (16 feet) there was still no solid ground in sight, and here is the worst part—there was a large amount of contaminated soil, which we suspect is polluted with heating oil.
The city, police, district office, and our lawyer were immediately involved. The construction site is now on hold; analyses and investigations will follow. After just one day, approximately 40–50 liters (10–13 gallons) of liquid had accumulated at the bottom of the pit. The area smells strongly of contamination. Neighbors who have already built their houses are now very unsettled about what might be under their own properties.
Who is responsible for ensuring that appropriate measures are taken, and most importantly, who is liable and will cover the costs of the soil remediation?

Hello,

Kira94 schrieb:
... Who is responsible for ensuring that the appropriate measures are taken and, above all, who is liable and covers the costs of soil remediation.

I don’t want to be pessimistic, so I will refrain from guessing – check your notary contract, as it should cover everything regarding the costs of any soil remediation after the transfer of ownership.

Kind regards

Better consult a lawyer. Anything not explicitly stated in the notarized contract will MOST LIKELY be your responsibility. However, no one here can tell you for sure. Only a lawyer can help by first reviewing the contracts and, if necessary, trying to prove that you were misled or something similar.

But a forum won’t be able to assist you in this case.

Hello Kira

Have you had a soil survey carried out?
(Preferably BEFORE buying the plot)

What does it say?

Regards
Micha 😉

Soil surveys, unless otherwise requested, only cover up to 5 meters (16 feet)... at least that’s the case here... They do not include anything below that depth.

So, today the mayor, the district office (environmental department), the developer, the foundation slab company, our lawyer, the police, and the company previously contracted for demolition were on site. Soil and liquid analyses as well as soil drilling will be carried out by next week. Then we will know which liquid we are dealing with, how widespread it is, and at what point the natural soil begins.

The legal situation is now relatively clear, as the purchase contract mentions three times that this site is free of contamination. Additionally, the report confirming the absence of pollutants is referenced. The city knows that we will hold them accountable or consider them responsible for the soil replacement. If they are held accountable, that will no longer be our issue.