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Author Topic: Large crack in ground floor  (Read 6235 times)

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DBailey

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Large crack in ground floor
« on: September 20, 2019, 11:52:04 am »
Hello everyone and thanks in advance for any advice and guidance you can offer!

We are in year 5 of a Taylor Wimpey home we bought from new in Telford.
Whilst in the midst of an upheld NHBC claim for a leak (they forgot to fit undertrays to the roof of the 1st floor dormer) we noticed a large crack in the floor, from one side of the house to the other, roughly central to the property.
Eventually, we get someone out to look at it, very dismissive, further communication and they agree to come dig a hole. Man arrives with drill, digs hole, hits gas pipe that they didn't know was there because no-one at NHBC thought to check the drawing! Much cursing ensues.

The line of the crack follows the line of the gas pipe, clearly this is why it has snapped here not but not why it has broken in the first place.

NHBC man still dismissive and adamant that is is "not structural" despite not having a clue what has happened.

I am looking for some advice about the overall build here -I think this house has not been built correctly but this is not my area of expertese. In the pictures (aaargh, can't work out how to add pictures!) below you can see the tops of two beams. The infill is loose pebble, is this right? There is DPM but no insulation, that seems wrong to me. The positioniong of th beams is slightly weird to me as well as there is a weight bearing wall jsut 450mm across from the crack - why have two beams here? Does anyone know of any resources I can go to that might help out with this?

Does anyone have any experience of anything similar. I am somewhat at my wits end here!

thank you,


DBailey

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Re: Large crack in ground floor
« Reply #1 on: September 20, 2019, 12:02:42 pm »
Figured out pictures!


New Home Expert

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Re: Large crack in ground floor
« Reply #2 on: September 21, 2019, 10:23:33 am »
Looking at your photos, I've no idea what is going on here as its wrong on so many levels.
But I'll hazard a guess.
What you have is a structural suspended slab. It is not "ground-bearing" as the beams support the load of the floor. Two beams together are supporting the load of a wall which is sort of standard.
I am amazed that you have some stone fill in between the beam as this will puncture the DPM. It appears the stone fill is to temporary shuttering supporting the concrete screed over the beams.
Again amazed there is no mesh reinforcement in this concrete.
So the crack is definitely a structural issue and claimable under your NHBC warranty.
If fact there are many breaches in warranty standards (which the NHBC deem are guidance when you claim!)

You should try and get hold of the working drawings and specifications, especially the structural engineering drawings. These should be publicly available at whoever approved them for Building Control.
You may not get to keep them but you should be able to see them.
If you have difficulty do a subject access request.

Taylor Wimpey did use a system of suspended floor, with polystyrene in between the beams.
Given your home is only 5 years old it is questionable how it could meet building regulations for insulation without any floor insulation!

Finally, it is best practice that any gas service pipe is formed in steel barrel pipe, painted with two coats of bitumen paint and wrapped in 'denzo' tape.
Plastic sleeved copper pipes are not suitable for gas service pipes in this location.
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DBailey

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Re: Large crack in ground floor
« Reply #3 on: September 21, 2019, 12:58:05 pm »
Thank you so much for such an informative response. It is pretty much what I thought, it just didn't look right!

DBailey

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Re: Large crack in ground floor
« Reply #4 on: September 27, 2019, 03:05:55 pm »
So, NHBC and Taylor Wimpey now state that they cannot locate the floor construction drawings and are asking the floor manufacturer of they have a set lying around. Is there a legal requirement to retain these drawings? TIA.

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Re: Large crack in ground floor
« Reply #5 on: September 28, 2019, 06:16:38 am »
These are structural and would be part of the approved plans for Building Control whoever did this. Usually local Authority (plans publicly available) or NHBC (apparently not so available!)

My guess is, that there is an attempt to get plans from the manufacturer showing 'as built' rather than 'as designed' (as should have been built)  - that would be fraudulent and dishonest though and we all know how trust-worthy plc housebuilders are!
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