Trouble with 10mm+ wide brick gaps

P

Pixie

I live in a strata apartment, and the building is approx 30+ years old.

Over the summer, a big massive crack developed (a common wall between my unit and my neighbours) and it is gettin bigger and bigger. It first appeared in early Dec 2012 and now the cracks are huge.. see pics..

On average cracks have opened up to 10mm and length is at least 2 meters....

I have advised Strata in Dec but they are just taking their time in getting back an answer to me,. In the meantime, they offered me a bottle of white gap filler - which this was totally unacceptable to me.

What else can i do? i m so worried the bricks will land on my head... should i pay for a strucutural engineer to asses myself?
 

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The strata should organise for a structural engineer to inspect it. He will then be able to provide solutions on how to rectify the problem, and more importantly, how much each solution will cost (it won't be cheap).
 
Found a similar problem in near new townhouse at Southport. The agent says the body corporate are getting it fixed. There was only 20k in the whole account of the BC, somehow, dont think thats going to cover it, and even if it did, it would wipe out almost all the funds for the entire complex. It looks like the foundations have failed at the common wall with a neighbouring unit.

The BC were going to put in an insurance claim, unfortunately, I dont know of any insurance policy that covers building / structure defects, so its going to get ugly I feel. The builder cant be found (shock / horror).

I really wanted to buy the place but I would want to be buying very much under recent selling price of the other townhouses as insurance for how much it might have ended up costing me to fix myself. Ballpark I reckon is 30k and I doubt I would be able to have tenants in while it was underpinned.

With older places I think a lot of the cracking has been caused by some extreme weather .... either long dry spells or flooding rain .... and its impact on the soil structure. I read somewhere recently about a new and cheaper resin like product they inject to lift and hold foundations. I think they operate out of NSW.
 
Pixie said:
What else can i do? i m so worried the bricks will land on my head... should i pay for a strucutural engineer to asses myself?
Click to expand...
e

Write to BC stating your concern and ask for a response (in writing) at a specific date. Telling them that non-response mean you will take action to protect yourself and they will bear the cost.

I thinks it would help if you includes;
- you are not doing your job.
- I am living in fear and you are not helping me with it (like you suppose to)
- I give you this date and you still not telling me SPECIFICALLY how and what you are doing, I am taking matter into my own hand and you going to pay

Tell your neighbor to be involves in this. Group power :)

Hopes that helps
 
daniel ngo said:
e

Write to BC stating your concern and ask for a response (in writing) at a specific date. Telling them that non-response mean you will take action to protect yourself and they will bear the cost.

I thinks it would help if you includes;
- you are not doing your job.
- I am living in fear and you are not helping me with it (like you suppose to)
- I give you this date and you still not telling me SPECIFICALLY how and what you are doing, I am taking matter into my own hand and you going to pay

Tell your neighbor to be involves in this. Group power :)

Hopes that helps
Click to expand...

Thankyou so much for your help.

BC end up organising an engineer to assess the cracks. It has now been classified "unofficially" severe catergory - report is yet to finalised.

Worst case is if the buliding requires structural works to be done in the coming months (assuming the building crack due to soil movement) , who will pay? is it strata's insurance or this will come out of the sinking fund?

Our property got no sinking fund ...:eek::eek:

TIA
 
I would think that the Strata manager would be able to tell you if this is something that can be claimed on insurance or not... or at least tell you who you are insured with so you could call them and ask or look through the PDS.
If it isn't covered by insurance then I would have thought there would be a special levy to raise the funds -- but my understanding of special levy's is that there needs to be a vote and people agree... what would happen if the other units/townhouses didn't agree to it?
 
jkat said:
but my understanding of special levy's is that there needs to be a vote and people agree... what would happen if the other units/townhouses didn't agree to it?
Click to expand...

then wait until a brick lands on your head, then sue the body corporate:D


(cynical view only, please obtain professional advice before making decisions on this matter)
 
It wouldn't surprise me if that is what it came to... lol. In my building they have been talking about replacing windows for about 7years now and still nothing has been done about it.
 
its *****

structural engineer cannot finish his report because of we do not have good plumbing history

apparently we have had many drainage issues in the past...

pls.. recommend me a GOOD RELIABLE plumber located in melbourne.

thanks.
 
Whoever the strata manager uses would have the best record of work done on the block.

If you have no sinking fund, more fool you, your BC & the strata manager for not making provisions for maintenance, it will be a hit to your pockets with a special levy.
 
We tried getting a sinking fund but some idiot owner who doesn't live n our property had the final call.. He refused and strata didn't start one
 
Not having a sinking fund is not an option. The bc must be able to provide for maintenance and repairs. If you suck it all up in your unit, then everyone will have to contribute regardless. You only need 60% (or is it 75% to pass a resolution for a special levy but your strata manager should be able to advise).
 
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