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Neighbour's builder is installing a patio and fence and has been running a mixer on the front drive about 2m from my car and there's now set cement on my car windscreen and paintwork, about 10 spots the biggest is 5p size.
We want to keep good relations with the neighbours, so wife has said to just suck it up and not mention it, which is probably the right thing, but the builder has pissed me off all the time he's been on the job with his inconsiderate behaviour.
The car is nothing special.
WWSTWD?
Nope, photos, get a quote for the repairs and present it to the neighbour. Let the neighbour deal with the builder.
If the neighbour isn't mortified and embarrassed by this, you haven't got good relations to lose.
might actually be under neighbour house hold insurance.
Nope, photos, get a quote for the repairs and present it to the neighbour. Let the neighbour deal with the builder.
If the neighbour isn’t mortified and embarrassed by this, you haven’t got good relations to lose.
Is the right answer.
It will kill the paint if you don't get it off quick. I dropped a torch in some setting cement and it stripped to anodising off. The glass should be fine. Plenty of water while it is fresh.
Tricky situation. I'd let it slide for neighbourly relations. Our neighbours builders and decorators have done a few things similar. It would upset the neighbour but I suspect the builder, who you actually want to be concerned, wouldn't give a shit.
Perry much identical thing happened last year when we were getting building work done and or neighbours car got splattered. Our neighbour mentioned it to me and I sorted it because it was the right thing to do then I worked out a deal with the builder
I was embarrassed that we had put them in that position and was pleased that they told us that it happened. Most importantly it was sorted and we stayed on great terms with our neighbours.
It did piss me off that neighbour left their car on the drive slap bang next to it long term building site when they could have easily parked on the other side of their house but I let it slide.
Absolutely no way I would be letting that slide. I would be raising it with the neighbour politely and calmly and asking them how they would like to proceed to rectify.
If they are not apologetic, mortified and similarly keen to resolve they are not worth having a relationship with.
If it was me and my tradesman had damaged my neighbours Car I would be doing everything I could to sort it (and would be very pissed off with my tradesman - who is the one who really needs to sort this out).
If they are not apologetic, mortified and similarly keen to resolve they are not worth having a relationship with.
mortarified, surely
👏🏻
I had similar, my neighbours roofer pointed their chimney while I was at work. He had his ladders must have literally been touching my car on my drive. Car was covered in mortar splatter.
Luckily it rained so cleaned off ok.
I didn’t say anything at the time as family were visiting, but asked for the builders card and planned revenge in about a months time. In the end I threw away the card to stop myself.
Surely this is exactly what insurance is for. Instruct your car / home insurer to claim against the builders liability insurer. No need for the neighbour to be involved.
My car's shit so I wouldn't be bothered about the paintwork, but I'd still be saying something to either the builder or the neighbour or both.
I do a bit of gardening but this is why I and then builder have PL insurance. Not the neighbours fault or problem, don’t see why they should be mortified? I’d have a polite chat with builder
mortarified, surely
Rendered speechless
Tell the neighbour or builder. Actually show it to them & say you are going to try and clean it off but if it doesnt come off then you are going through the insurance.
Actually show it to them
definitely worth pointing out
WWSTWD?
Wait until the patio is finished before getting into an argument with your neighbour 🙂
If there is no satisfactory response from neighbour or builder then Fairy Liquid in the cement mixer.
Raise it with the builder, but let your neighbour know you’re doing so. It really is nothing to do with the neighbour but as a courtesy I’d inform them.
Builder’s insurance should cover it - I’ve dealt with loads of claims where vehicles parked on/nearby sites have been damaged by concrete/cement.
My builder did this to my neighbours car a few years ago. He approached me and I paid the bill without question. Was £350. More than happy to spend that to keep good relations, esp in context of final bill from builders!
So has it actually damaged the car or not?
Not the neighbours fault or problem, don’t see why they should be mortified?
Because you should select a builder partly based on how professional you think they are, both in terms of the work done, and their courtesy and consideration to your neighbours. So this kind of carelessness reflects badly on you, or at least I'd feel that way. And while it's nice if the neighbour and builder can sort it out amicably, I wouldn't be surprised or put out if the neighbour asked me to sort it on his/her behalf.
So has it actually damaged the car or not?
That's a good question. Over the years due to parking on building sites I have had many incidents when my car has received splashes from cement mixers.
In my experience they tend to be very watery splashes which occur when water is added to an existing mix, and are more water than solid. That's why they tend to travel further than expected. It might have even occurred whilst the mixer was being washed out.
Once dried they tend to leave a bit of dust on the car body rather than a firmly adhered solid piece of cement. This can be removed by simply wiping it with your hand.
I would check that it has actually damaged your car before falling out with your neighbour or his builder.
Edit : Sorry I've just reread the OP and apparently it has set on the windscreen, if that's the case then it sounds like sold cement. But as you are unlikely to damage the windscreen I would have a go seeing how easily it comes off. If it does just rub off then it's likely to come off just as easily from the paintwork.
We want to keep good relations with the neighbours
It's not the neighbour's fault. The builder will (should) have liability insurance for exactly this sort of thing if an expensive repair job breaks out.
It’s not the neighbour’s fault. The builder will (should) have liability insurance for exactly this sort of thing if an expensive repair job breaks out.
That’s a fair point. Perhaps that should be brought in to the mix? Maybe the neighbour can cement good relations between OP and the contractor?
It did piss me off that neighbour left their car on the drive slap bang next to it long term building site when they could have easily parked on the other side of their house but I let it slide.
Your building site, his drive. If you were concerned you could have had a chat or put up hoarding
I’ve dealt with loads of claims where vehicles parked on/nearby sites have been damaged by concrete/cement.
Mrs Kilo’s boss had his Bentley comprehensively screeded when someone laying a floor above the office car park forgot to plug one hole in particular.
It is so easily removed if you are careful, dab some vinegar on it and watch it dissolve but try not to run as you may scratch
Any acid would do but if it's 28% hydrochloric acid you have water it down a wee bit
It does happen from time to time but the builder should have politely either asked you to park elsewhere for a few hours or moved his mixing area
Thanks all for your views and advice.
The cement is definitely set. I might give it a go with some vinegar.
Interested to know who really is liable, builder or neighbour?
If I go via my (car) insurance I'll pay an excess and my premium goes up. Given the builder's attitude I can't see him just rolling over and paying up.
go via the neighbour, the builder is contracted by him not by you. He can then either get the builder to sort it or shell out himself. Either way, not your issue IMHO
My neighbour proactively came round and apologised saying there'd been some splatter so they'd get the builders to wash the car before leaving so nothing would happen
If I go via my (car) insurance I’ll pay an excess and my premium goes up. Given the builder’s attitude I can’t see him just rolling over and paying up.
The excess should be reimbursed by the builders liability insurance as an uninsured loss?
At least no one threw pebbles and dashed off.
I have a year old white transit pick up it's had the odd few spots on one side I hadn't noticed and it was set
A coach builder/sprayer won't respray they will use some brick cleaner /acid
My insurance excess is £250 possibly £500 can't remember exactly but the hassle of leaving it with an approved garage for a week to justify the bill
Go to Toolstation/Screwfix for £6 for 5l
It's much weaker nowadays that's why I said acetic acid earlier will possibly dissolve it
I would have a conversation with the neighbour, if it goes well it could actually end up cementing the neighbourly bond between you.
It’s not the neighbour’s fault.
Exactly! Only a couple of weeks ago, a house at right angles to where I park was having the facias done. The neighbours I don't even know, cos it's a rented house. The builder knocked on my door and said would I like to move the car as they were moving some scaffold poles, which potentially could've touched the car (they weren't even close). Another builder, a few months before that put a leaflet through the door saying they might be noisy, in the way etc as they were working down the road... sounds like your neighbour has employed a bit of a git.
Oh sorry, puns...er, you must be mortarfied. that'll do
Sounds like you already the foundations of a good relationship. I’d mention it to them and show the damage, so you have concrete evidence. Bricks.
It is so easily removed if you are careful, dab some vinegar on it and watch it dissolve
Lime juice surely?
Ongoing similar issue with me. Neighbour's scaffolder damaged my garage door but my neighbour has been a bellend and has not tried to sort it. I had to threaten him with court action last week.
The problem is it happened over a year ago and there were no witnesses to the damage being inflicted on my (virtually brand new) garage door.
He has been bullshitting me for the whole year about talking to the builder, he finally gave me his phone number a couple of nights ago.
I don't think I will get anywhere with a claim but I sure as hell won't do him another favour.
Surprised no one has mentioned sausages and bumming dogs yet
I had similar to the OP a few years ago - I had parked my car at the office (it was the weekend and it was the only car on the whole car park) and some builders were building a wall nearby and were throwing gobbo about like a bukkake party. I went for some lunch and saw what was happening and went mental at them (their excuse was 'we didn't know who the car belonged to to ask to move it'. Err, that doesn't mean to say you crack on - but as it was the only car in a work car park with the office door a few feet away surely you could have rung the bell). Anyway they apologised and made to start scrubbing it off with some water and a sponge - not the best thing to do with abrasive sand and cement.
Anyway I just took it down to the local garage and jet washed it off as thankfully it hadn't set.
Neighbour’s scaffolder damaged my garage door but my neighbour has been a bellend and has not tried to sort it. I had to threaten him with court action last week.
The problem is it happened over a year ago and there were no witnesses to the damage being inflicted on my (virtually brand new) garage door.
He has been bullshitting me for the whole year about talking to the builder, he finally gave me his phone number a couple of nights ago.
I don’t think I will get anywhere with a claim but I sure as hell won’t do him another favour.
In fairness, why should your neighbour sort it? He didn't cause the damage, the scaffolder did.
Probably because he contracted the roofers/scaffolders and I was just doing him a favour. I don't think i should be the one trying to sort it out.
I would have been embarrassed if someone I had instructed damaged my neighbour's property and I wold have tried to sort it out ASAP not fob off my neighbour with bullshit stories about having spoken to them when he hadn't (as he revealed last week).
I have been asking him for the number for months.
Surprised no one has mentioned sausages and bumming dogs yet
Because we have moved on to pooing in recycling bins nowadays. Keep up.
Because we have moved on to pooing in recycling bins nowadays. Keep up.
It was you that did it then!
It’s 100% the builders issue to solve and would more than likely be covered under their insurance (subject to their excess).
Most paint sprayers have an exclusion third party property over spray damage because it’s so common, a builder wouldn’t for cement splashes so the insurance will pick it up, unless they’re cowboys and don’t have any.
franksinatra
Because we have moved on to pooing in recycling bins nowadays. Keep up.
It was you that did it then!
Aha! The culprit emerges! I'll send you my bill for the trauma.
I have to say, I thought better of Ol' Blue Eyes til now...
on a lime stabilization job lots of cars got covered in lime ... the contractor offered to wash the cars with brick wash... not well received