Structural Engineer

B

Butter

Registered User
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602
Hi, I believe that the insulation in part of my two year old house is inadequate and doesn't met building regs. The builder denies there are problems. I would like to get an independent professional report drawn up that I can use to go back to my builder to try to get them to do something about the problem. Is a structural engineer the person to do this? If not who is and how do I find one? Many thanks!
 
call an insulation company in the golden pages and
they'll set you straight, nothing to do with a structural engineer.
 
if you want to force the builder to rectify the problem (if one exists) you will probably have to go to court or probably threaten to at least.

For this you will need an engineers report. If you look in the golden pages there are a number of them listed. Just check that they have indemnity insurance and ask for a list of satisfied customers.
Be aware however, some of the engineers may do a lot of business with the builder. The engineer should still act honestly, but it is good to know these things.
 
You should have a cert for a 2yr old house, already.........when you bought it.

And if it's Homebond reg'd, ask for the inspection record.........
 
Hi all,
Thanks for your replies. We have contacted Homebond who told us that insulation does not come within their remit, although an architect told me yesterday that it should. i really don't know who is right. The building control officer for the county council is not terribly helpful. The builders are without doubt the worst in the entire country. It makes me want to give up chasing this except for the fact that we have a room in the house that is so cold in winter it is unusable.
 
don't let Homebond off that easy. They collect Eur800 to register your house, and they were bound to inspect it conformed to their own handbook. They have a duty of care to do so.

So, back on them, I'd say.
 
afaik homebond only cover structural stuff, so the level of insulation provided would not be a concern of theirs
 
I'd look at the cost of fixing it yourself, vs going down the legal route, even partly with a engineer etc. After looking at that maybe you could strike a deal with the builder to "enhance" the insulation in that part of the house. it might be cheaper.
 
I would recommend an Architect sooner than an Engineer when it comes to insulation. As for replacing it yourself, the builder is 100% responisble for having the correct insulation (in accordance with building regulations). If you end up replacing it yourself then at least make a reasonable effort to get the builder to do it, otherwise the builder can simple claim you didnt allow him the oppertunity to replace it. Once you have replaced it, sue him for the cost plus expenses.
 
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