Issues with cracks in floors of new homes-Drynam Hall (and others).

[shirlscur]

Re: Subsidence issues in new homes-Drynam Hall etc.

I have just returned from two weeks holidays. I live in Drynam Hall.
My house is presently up for sale. I got some leaflet in the door to contact two numbers to in relation to works being carried out. I can not make contact with either number. What's the story. Please update me?

 

[kaza]

Re: Subsidence issues in new homes-Drynam Hall etc.

Well the builders are on holidays for the next two weeks so that is probably why you cannot get any response. My brothers house is in that estate and he has to wait until the builders holidays are over to get the tests done. There is a waiting list of over 150 people to get the tests done but if you say your are currently in process of selling house i think they try and bump you up the list.
They take a sample and send it off to Trinity for testing and it then takes about two weeks to get the results back. So you are probably looking at about a 4 week wait before you know if your house is affected.
My brother was also in process of selling his house, he was at contract signing stage and the keys should have been handed over by now. Unfortunately when the buyer heard the news he backed out. You should get onto your solicitor and ask him about the current status on the sale of your house. Hopefully, it will all work out for you!

 

[shirlscur]

Re: Subsidence issues in new homes-Drynam Hall etc.

Thanks for the update Kaz. :mad:

 

[PyritePete]

Re: Subsidence issues in new homes-Drynam Hall etc.

As one of the affected 8/10 others, alas the builder hasn't yet admitted responsibility, so we have to get a solicitor involved. A nice letter will await them pending their 2 weeks holidays !!!

 

[Lee May]

Re: Subsidence issues in new homes-Drynam Hall etc.

We had a similar experience with sub-standard sub-floors in the mid 90's when our house was about 3 years old. Builders were Carmen Builders. The situation was dealt with by Homebond CIF and the procedure was quite long drawn out resulting eventually in 1997 with us moving out whilst the downstairs floors had piles driven into them for reinforcement.

Note we never called it subsidence which I think is a more serious occurrance. Anyway, everyone in the estate had to go through the same process, no one could sell their house for about three years and yes the stigma attached for some years afterwards. Now of course they have the best sub-floors going so Happy Days again. They have regained any lost value. We delayed selling for years til we had dealt with it fully. Naturally your estate agent must tell any prospective buyers about the issue and of course it sends buyers running.

On the bright side I think I would rather have this problem than be built on a flood plain. Best of luck with the process, open a file and keep engineers fees and any expenses re new flooring etc.

 

[Kara]

Re: Subsidence issues in new homes-Drynam Hall etc.

Is the whole Drynam Hall development finished or are they still building more units? Also, is this place all apartments/duplexes or are there houses too?

 

[JACKJILL]

Re: Subsidence issues in new homes-Drynam Hall etc.

Hi, I logged onto this by searching for pyrite on google. I live in new estate in Dublin 15 area, My house is 4 years old i have cracks all over the house and 2 doors not closing my kitchen floor is dipped i am up the walls. I have had Homebond out 3 times and builders out twice last time they took samples of in fill the construction company showed me the gold in the rock its now gone to Trinity College.My house is block of 6 four so far have had holes dug.What should we do next ?I have kept files of everything hats happened.The hole was dug 2 wk ago exactly.To anyone in Kinsealy my claim process is in action.What happens after.The workmen doing the dig said our whole floors will need to come up though i havent got anything official and on paper yet.My neighbours houses are particularly bad. any advise gratefully accepted ?THis problem could be huge here excuse the lack of info on Builders etc early days here !!

 

[HalDrynam]

Re: Subsidence issues in new homes-Drynam Hall etc.

This thread has lost track of the facts of the matter. The issue in Drynam Hall is with Pyrite levels in the concerete used for the floors. There is no subsidence issue in Drynam Hall, that I know of. For there to be a subsidence problem, the foundations, or the ground beneath the foundations would have to be unstable.

Drynam Hall is a great place to live. As other posts have stated, the neighbours are friendly, there's lots of green space, residents plant their gardens really well and the estate is well maintained. Every time I drive into Drynam Hall I am struck by how well it looks.

I am requesting that the title of this thread be changed from 'Subsidence issue...' to 'Pyrite issue...', to accurately and calmly reflect the actual situation faced by some of our neighbours. I also request that discussions of cracked buildings as referred to by 'Cahir' be moved to a new thread for the estate (so far unnamed) in question.

I notice that none of the information in this thread comes from affected residents. We are doing them and ourselves a diservice by loosing site of the issue, and forgetting what a great place we have to live in. We need to establish the facts and take steps to resolve the problem where it arises and be good neighbours to those affected.


Excerpt from Donal Buckley Independent Thursday July 12 2007
As many as 60 of those under investigation are in the modern housing estate of Drynam Hall, Kinsealy, in north county Dublin. Test results so far indicate that most of those tested have cracked floors due to an excess of the pyrite mineral in stones placed under the floors.
A spokesman for Drynam's developers, Menolly and Hansfield Developments, said that "the foundations and structural integrity of these homes is not in any way affected and there are no health and safety issues associated with the presence of pyrite."

Subsidence:the sudden collapse of something into a hollow beneath it

 

[CCOVICH]

Re: Subsidence issues in new homes-Drynam Hall etc.

Drynam Hall is a great place to live. As other posts have stated, the neighbours are friendly, there's lots of green space, residents plant their gardens really well and the estate is well maintained. Every time I drive into Drynam Hall I am struck by how well it looks.

That has nothing to do with the issue here where it appears that defective or sub standard quality material was used in the construction of the actual houses. Great neighours, gardens etc. have no bearing on the quality of the construction unfortunately.

I am requesting that the title of this thread be changed from 'Subsidence issue...' to 'Pyrite issue...', to accurately and calmly reflect the actual situation faced by some of our neighbours. I also request that discussions of cracked buildings as referred to by 'Cahir' be moved to a new thread for the estate (so far unnamed) in question.

I have changed the thread title, but as this issue appears that it may affect other estates, I am not splitting the thread. The issue originated in the 'Drynam Hall' thread in 'Location, Location, Location' and so that is why 'Drynam Hall' will remain in the thread title.

 

[TheBlock]

Re: Subsidence issues in new homes-Drynam Hall etc.

I notice that none of the information in this thread comes from affected residents.

I think if you read the tread again you will see that there are quite a few residents posting on it. I don't believe that seperating the tread into different locations would be benificial and indeed believe that if all effected areas (Clongriffin,Beaupark,The Coast, Drynam) posted on one tread we might get a better handle on how the developers are dealing with the issue.

 

[HalDrynam]

Thanks for changing the title of the thread.

That has nothing to do with the issue here where it appears that defective or sub standard quality material used in the construction of the actual houses. Great neighours, gardens etc. have no bearing on the quality of the construction unfortunately.

I disagree. No 'sub-standard quality material' was used in the construction of my house. Neither I, nor any of my neighbours have cracked floors. The houses are great! ( Btw, are you a resident of Drynam Hall?)

Of course, I am not trying to deny there is an issue, and I can only hope that it not affect many houses and familys, but it is not structural and can be fixed.

The picture this thread paints does not reflect the reality of life in Drynam Hall. This is why I refer to the aspects of living there which you describe as having

nothing to do with the issue here

.

Re

as this issue appears that it may affect other estates, I am not splitting the thread

If indeed the issues are related then your point is valid. Perhaps Cahir could clarify whether the cracks they refer to are in the floors only and are pyrite related?
re

The issue originated in the 'Drynam Hall' thread in 'Location, Location, Location' and so that is why 'Drynam Hall' will remain in the thread title.

I think it would be more fair and accurate however, to name each affected estate in posts as at the moment seems like all issues relate to Drynam Hall. As Cahir stated in their first post, they do not live in Drynam Hall.

 

[HalDrynam]

Re issues in new homes-Drynam Hall etc.

I think if you read the tread again you will see that there are quite a few residents posting on it.

..affected residents.

The point being, most of the information on this thread is of little value.

 

[Bosshog]

Haldrynam - i think everyone living in drynam Hall is "affected" by this in one way or another. cracks or no cracks.

 

[finbar]

Unfortunalety the problems with cracks in Dyrnam hall have been documented in the irish independant and the North county Leader that 60 houses have been affected.The fact that people will have to move out of their homes and have their floors dug up is not a very good prospect.
Mellony homes should not have used this stone in the first place in Drynam or Beaupark.
Anyone trying to sell their home now or in the future may have difficulty selling due to the history of this or the fear that problems may still arise in the future in these estates.

 

[CCOVICH]

Re: Re issues in new homes-Drynam Hall etc.

..affected residents.

The point being, most of the information on this thread is of little value.

If you have nothing useful to add, please do not bother posting.

If you feel this thread is of little value, please feel free to ignore it.

I will not allow you to drag this thread off topic.

The facts are, there has been an issue identified that has affected houses (and the residents) in Drynam Hall. The same issue may have affected other estates, and this thread can serve as a reference point for any questions relating to this issue no matter where they have occured.

If there has been anything inaccurate said, please feel free to correct it.

To discuss the realities of living in Drynam Hall (gardens, neeighbours etc), please use the relevant thread in Location, Location, Location, or on

Please leave it at that.

CCOVICH
AAM Moderator

 

[Bronte]

I purchased a property in an estate that had subsidance issues due to it having been built on a dump. The fault did not affect all houses, it ran in a particular vertical line through the estate. It did effect all houses in one respect, the value of the houses were lower than normal and they were therefore more difficult to sell. Even today nearly 30 years later some people in the area say not to buy there as there are subsidance issues. I still have that property which never had a problem and I know for sure that the houses with problems were rectified. It's a very nice estate today but about 5 years ago there was a development of the site/field beside it and the builder having heard about this estates problem sent a solicitor's letter to every houses saying he was sending an engineer round to check our houses so that if we tried to claim damage done by his work he would be able to prove that it had been there already. I never replied to this letter but I never heard of anyone having problems after the new estate was built but this just goes to show that a bad name can linger a long time.

 

[HalDrynam]

I do not doubt that negative publicity can have a lasting effect. I agree, this issue does affect all residents, not just those who's properties need to be fixed. I think all houses need to be tested and certified as sound to alay the fears of potential future buyers. If concern over the negative impact of bad publicity

Moderator, I have no interest nor intention to drag this thread off topic. I am out of the country and trying to acertain the facts about what is going on at home using the internet. My comment on the information in the thread being of little value was in the context of one seeking bare facts about the problem in Drynam, and not intended as a criticism of the entire thread. Again, thanks for removing the misleading reference to subsidence in the subject.

 

[Bosshog]

I heard that a large solicitors firm held a meeting last night with residents. Does anyone have any information on that?

i do not think posting any information in relation to that on a public internet forum is a good idea.

 

[Seagull]

Perhaps Cahir could clarify whether the cracks they refer to are in the floors only and are pyrite related?

The issues at Drynam Hall are not only related to cracks on the floor. There are a number of houses with significant cracks in the walls. Mennolly are still trying to establish whether these are pyrite related (probaly), or related to blasting at the quarry together with ground conditions and foundations.

 

[spud0301]

I live in Beaupark and the engineer has been around to look at house. Upon visual inspection he said that all seemed fine but we insisted that a test be carried out anyway.(Thats getting done today the 22/08/2007) He also informed me that up to 40+ trucks were leaving the quarry in question a day and Menolly (Beaupark) only received a percentage of these. This begs the question where did the the remain stone end up? and what other builders have been affected but have yet to come forward? Personally, while its not my ideal situation, i take some comfort in the fact that it was Menolly that contacted me and offered their services rather than me noticing the cracks (of which i have none) and trying to coax them into action. I would advise anyone, who bought a house in the dublin area, over the last 2-3 year and is experiencing the saem kind of issues to contact their builder and find out if they same stone was used