Key Post Pyrite in Foundations leading to cracks

Hi,
I've read a fair bit about Irelands Pyrite problem in the last few hours. I'm in the process of building my own house at present. We've just finished sticking insulated slabs to the inside of the outside walls and I've gotten a few quotes for plastering the inside. The reason I've started researching Pyrite is beacuse I've noticed some cracks on the outside walls (which are plastered) that don't look like settlement cracks.
I've just come back from looking at a house that was completely finished a year ago and the floors started to rise. The outside walls started to crack just like my own. The owner moved out and removed all the floors and infill, put in some pyrite free infill and re-pored the floors did the 2nd fixing again and moved back in.
The worst thing is his original infill came from the same quarry as mine ! A small quarry in co.Meath where we are both based. The infill is a black Shale that is fairly brittle.
I need to find out if the infill expands to a point and then stops or does it keep moving. I need to know if my floors are going to be ok or do I need to remove everything. I have underfloor heating that would need to be done a second time too. Any advice would be appreciated. Scarey Times. Thanks in advance,

J.R.

Hi,
I removed some of the infill and sent it for testing. Got the preliminary results today. It's full of pyrite and iron oxide, swelling has started. All the infill has to be removed. Not great.

J.R.

Re: Pyrite

concentrations as low as 1-2% can cause these problems. However be careful. It is not the concentration that is important, rather whether it has changed into gypsum causing the swelling and expansion. Get proper expert advice and not legal yet. What about the house guarantee policy. Do you not have one. Get proper engineering advice.

Only certain way of knowing is to test the material. There are two good companies out there. Any good engineer should be able to advise you. Ask the quarry for a certificate re their stone.

Re: Pyrite

I have been reading a bit about the case sourounding this Pyrite. Pyrite is a natural substance that has been around forever. It has been in stone for years. The only other recorded problem was in Canada in the 80's. The big point here is it takes years to cause a problem. In Canada it was 15 to 20 years after construction completion. I read above about people having cracks in houses that are not even completed yet. I am sorry mister you may look somewhere else for your problems. Pyrite is not some new product that has been just invented it has always been here. Under high concentrations, and under certain circumstances it will over timecause heave. This mass hysteria now is laughable. It is driven by the legal industry which see it as a way to save their business. The builders love it as they can blame every defect from the shoddy construction practices on it. There is a whole industry growing around it via testing and certifying. You will soon not be able to sell your house in Ireland unless it is certified pyrite free.

If your house, after 10years of no problems starts to develop heave there is every possibility that a chemical reaction, in the aggregate has caused heave. This is very rare and will remain rare.

If your house, within the first year has problems with cracks, subsidence etc., there is every possibility that substandard workmanship is at play even if pyrite is discovered in the aggregate. It is so convient for the builder and the legal profession to blame this as it is becoming acceptable to blame this for all our ills.

Hello from yet another user who has had similar problems and needs advice on how to proceed. My house is coming up to 6 years old. At about 4 years old it started to develop v small cracks which soon multiplied. I have a crack over my kitchen door you can almost fit your little finger into its so wide, and dorors are getting stuck when opening and closing - all the telltale signs. Spetmber last year I hired an engineer to look at the house - he took pics and lodged a claim both with premierbond and my house insurance.
Since then, both sent out loss adjusters, and the house insurance crowd sent out an engineer and a guy to test the drains, who confirmed my downstairs toilet outflow is leaking. Heres the bizzarre part - after that, there was no contact from anyone for 4 months until I started calling and hassling them. I then got letters back from both loss adjusters - the house insurance crowd one said they "are satisfied that the damage does not arise as a result of an insured peril", and the Premierbond one states that 'in the absence of any evidence on causation the matter should be handled by previous insurers under their household policies." My house insurance also refused to re-insure me when my last policy ran out stating the house was not in a fit state of repair, so now if the house cauight fire or got robbed I'd be left with nothing. I was hoping to rent it out while I return to college in Dublin in September and now I cant becuase of all tis, and will be commuting from Offaly every day. In short, disaster.

I re-contacted the engineer, who said that samples need to be taken from the house, and that this had to be done with the insurers knowledge etc, but since then nothing has happened. I feel let down by him, by the insurers, and dont know how to progress. Should I get the services of another engineer or should I take the legal route? The house is 6 years old in November - I also heard that this is the time limit on which one can make a claim against the builder for defective workmanship etc. and am nervous of this date passing me by?

Any advice on how I should proceed would be most welcome.

Hi sistinas. I would right to your builder, presuming you purchased directly from a builder/developer and record all your defects. That should be your first port of call. I would also have a Solicitor follow up with a letter to them as well. On the matter of your house insurance I would have a Solicitor look at your policy and contact them.

The belief that problems only arise after 10 years in Ireland is totally wrong. There are many houses that are showing problems 2-3 years after construction. The reactivity of the pyrite is primarliy down to the type of rock that t is contained within and the location where it is being used. Pyrite needs heat and mositure and air to react and given all these can react very quickly. Get a competent engineer and also get the testing of the material done is a comprehensive manner.

just reading this thread. In our new house two years. We have a some cracks in walls downstairs, especially in the corners. Also the paint seems to be coming away from top of the walls there the ceiling meets the wall. It some parts it is the plaster coming away. should I be getting worried or is it just bad workmanship?....

jsn said:

just reading this thread. In our new house two years. We have a some cracks in walls downstairs, especially in the corners. Also the paint seems to be coming away from top of the walls there the ceiling meets the wall. It some parts it is the plaster coming away. should I be getting worried or is it just bad workmanship?....

Click to expand...

Probably the latter.

Keep an eye on it. Most new houses suffer from shrinkage in timber elements and where these meet with block walls cracking is common. The big dive away is if u find upward movement of the floor and cracking in the walls in the immediate vicinity. Some people believe that every crack is pyrite related. Nonsense!!

just to update on my own situation - by chance I met up with another guy whose house has been confirmed as contminated with pyrite, and got the no. of his solicitor. Less than 4 hours after speaking to him he had a builder round my house for an initial inspection who says the probs in my house are consistent with the usual symptoms (raised floors etc), and he is going to take a sample tomorrow for testing. While I wouldn't say I'm a happy camper, at least I finally have some momentum.

The other man I spoke to was extremely frustrated, and said that Homebond are offering to fix up the houses on his estate but only on the condition that homeowners sign a clause which effectively cancels the remainder of their 10-year guarantee once works are complete, unbelievable (the houses are <5 years old). He reckons he may have to take them to court.

I have to say I'm very surprised that this issue has received so little attention in the media. Supermarkets get caned for charging things like nappies for a few quid dearer than in the north but not much is being said about the thousands of folks who have made the biggest purchase of their lives only to find they've been sold a wreck which they will be stuck with forever, and that the '10 year bond' that even now is valued so highly by everyone doesn't do what it says on the tin.

I have a quick question reference pyrite symtoms and a ICF build home. Will I get symtoms of cracks within the 10 year homebond period? As the construction is effectively reinforced concrete with no weak points like blocks or timber frame.

Hi Sistinas, we were also told by Homebond that once the 10 years guarantee expires, then that's it. It beggars belief to be honest..I kept the article from the Indo saying that people had more rights if they bought a 30 euro kettle than a house ( or something to that effect). Roll on october and the outcome of the Menolly/Lagan quarry court case

Hi PyritePete
no what they are saying down here is 'we'll agree to fix up your house now if you sign this document which cancels the remaining 5 years of your 10 year (so-called) bond! I can understand them saying AFTER 10 years that they were out.
The builder came around the house last night and took a sample. He showed it to me and it is streaked with yellow (see pic here) - he reckons 6-8% pyrite, which is apparently quite severe. Will update in a few weeks.

Hi there, thanks for clearing up the confusion from me - that sounds quite underhanded by Homebond to me. I would also suggest contacting/emailing Homebond your photos & keep written records of everything. Good luck...

Get someone independent with full knowledge acting for you. Do not leave it in the hands of the builder only. You need to protect your own interests. What area of ireland is this?

heres an update for you. In recent Menolly homes that have been repaired, Homebond have issued new structural certificates and Menolly's Engineers have issued new certificates of Compliance. The precedent is set. I can give you more detials and even copies if you wish. Stick with it

thanks pyriteengine.

Assuming the builder accepts responsibility and agrees to fix the problem and you get an independant engineer to certify work is done to the required standard, what then????

If i go to sell my house, it may be unsellable due to pyrite stigma or the value could be seriously undermined for the same reason.

Would you buy a house which had Pyrite problems???

Has anybody recieved compensation for this devaluation and if so who would pay it????