Hello,
the house is almost finished and we are in the final stretch. Until a few days ago, we were very excited.
During the installation of the utility connections a few days ago, I had a clear view of the foundation slab. I noticed that the reinforcement bars are considerably exposed.
I then dug test holes around the house and found that parts of the reinforcement bars are also exposed here and there.
Workers from neighboring construction sites kindly pointed out that this might be a serious defect. The bars could rust, and the rust might eat into the slab, causing it to crack. At the same time, frost and moisture could worsen the damage.
By the way, I also noticed that the brickwork is hanging free over a stretch of about 1m (3 feet).
My question now is: is this exposed reinforcement a major problem? Or can it be repaired?
the house is almost finished and we are in the final stretch. Until a few days ago, we were very excited.
During the installation of the utility connections a few days ago, I had a clear view of the foundation slab. I noticed that the reinforcement bars are considerably exposed.
I then dug test holes around the house and found that parts of the reinforcement bars are also exposed here and there.
Workers from neighboring construction sites kindly pointed out that this might be a serious defect. The bars could rust, and the rust might eat into the slab, causing it to crack. At the same time, frost and moisture could worsen the damage.
By the way, I also noticed that the brickwork is hanging free over a stretch of about 1m (3 feet).
My question now is: is this exposed reinforcement a major problem? Or can it be repaired?
The damage is already significant, and the expert has documented what was obvious. The legal dispute between your contractor and their subcontractors is contractually between them and does not concern you. The construction company can start fixing the damage right away (which they are required to do according to the contract) and can recover the costs from the subcontractor later (which you don’t need to worry about).
You can forget about moving in. Legal advice is absolutely necessary if nothing happens now. Also, keep in mind that the weather is getting colder, and in a few weeks, there will be ground frost, etc.—then digging will become more difficult, and no one will want to work in the rain and cold and so on. Something needs to happen now. If you can’t reach the person in charge, you should try to talk to them calmly and reasonably. Ask why nothing is being done. If you threaten them with legal action, they will likely just say, “Go ahead.” They hold the upper hand (they have insurance and know that you could face financial ruin, and you don’t have legal protection), so you will be waiting indefinitely. It is better for everyone if things are resolved reasonably now. It is also in both parties’ interest. If you involve a lawyer and official letters begin, this whole process could easily drag on for 2–3 years.
You can forget about moving in. Legal advice is absolutely necessary if nothing happens now. Also, keep in mind that the weather is getting colder, and in a few weeks, there will be ground frost, etc.—then digging will become more difficult, and no one will want to work in the rain and cold and so on. Something needs to happen now. If you can’t reach the person in charge, you should try to talk to them calmly and reasonably. Ask why nothing is being done. If you threaten them with legal action, they will likely just say, “Go ahead.” They hold the upper hand (they have insurance and know that you could face financial ruin, and you don’t have legal protection), so you will be waiting indefinitely. It is better for everyone if things are resolved reasonably now. It is also in both parties’ interest. If you involve a lawyer and official letters begin, this whole process could easily drag on for 2–3 years.
MusterFaust11 Oct 2016 22:20So the plan is as follows:
Our move-in date will be postponed indefinitely. Today, I finally received news that the foundation repair work will begin tomorrow.
The subcontractor is being uncooperative, so a third company will carry out the job.
This is actually preferable to me, since the original subcontractor had suggested simply pouring new concrete onto the damaged areas. Even the structural engineer hired by the main contractor found this amusing.
Our neighbors built with the same company at the same time and have exactly the same foundation problem. We have all agreed to resolve the issue reasonably, without prematurely threatening legal action to avoid a deadlock and escalating conflict. Nonetheless, we must keep the legal option open.
In a phone call with one of the company’s partners, I felt I was treated very inappropriately. No one has contacted me until today. I had to inquire about the status by phone and was met with short, curt replies. I was genuinely taken aback on the call…
For now, we will wait for the contractually agreed construction period of 6 months (starting 11/01/2016) to pass. After that, I believe there will be better legal opportunities to achieve something.
Our move-in date will be postponed indefinitely. Today, I finally received news that the foundation repair work will begin tomorrow.
The subcontractor is being uncooperative, so a third company will carry out the job.
This is actually preferable to me, since the original subcontractor had suggested simply pouring new concrete onto the damaged areas. Even the structural engineer hired by the main contractor found this amusing.
Our neighbors built with the same company at the same time and have exactly the same foundation problem. We have all agreed to resolve the issue reasonably, without prematurely threatening legal action to avoid a deadlock and escalating conflict. Nonetheless, we must keep the legal option open.
In a phone call with one of the company’s partners, I felt I was treated very inappropriately. No one has contacted me until today. I had to inquire about the status by phone and was met with short, curt replies. I was genuinely taken aback on the call…
For now, we will wait for the contractually agreed construction period of 6 months (starting 11/01/2016) to pass. After that, I believe there will be better legal opportunities to achieve something.
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