Piling damage?

[milkman]

Hope this is the right place for this. There's a building going up next door which will be using piling.
Are there any things I can do now to put myself in a stronger position should the vibrations cause any damage?
We have a pretty old house with shallow foundations. An excavator was doing work the other the day and the vibration was easily felt even at the front of our place.

Work will be about 15m from the rear wall of our house.

Would very much appreciate any thoughts from anyone with knowledge or experience of this.

Thanks Marko

 

[mattylad]

I know nothing but.....

I'd suggest you go round the house photographing every wall, so that if cracks etc do appear then you have proof it wasnt like that beforehand.

Include a recent newspaper in the shot.

Also remove objects likely to fall off the walls etc for safety.

 

[Shytalkz]

Firstly, if any of the piling work is within 6m, they are obliged to serve notice on you under the auspices of the Party Wall etc Act 1996. If they haven't you can go to court to get an injunction to stop the work until they comply with the Act. There is no provision within the Act itself to force compliance on them.

Secondly, to protect themselves as much as you, they should arrange for an inspection of your property immediately before they start piling and make detailed notes of cracks etc.

 

[aelitaman]

Slightly more expesnive, get a full structural survey or a surveyor to produce a report before work commences. If you garden is on a slope make sure thay also photo and survey the garden.

 

[^woody^]

Invite them to survey your property to record its current condition. Failing that you can either engage your own surveyor, or make your own records.

Mainly look externally for any cracks, and if there are some, note their length and width. Internally look at wall/wall and wall/ceiling junctions

But vibrations do travel far in certain soils and through buildings, but it does not automatically mean that the foundations will collapse.

And if you do have a ming vase, now is the time to place it just on the edge of the window cill, and look forward to a nice payout .... if they never notified you beforehand