You don't need to be an 'investor' to invest in Singletrack: 6 days left: 95% of target - Find out more
No, not Ramsey street kind.
Upstairs have been getting some building work done for the last 3 or 4 months. During all this time they have had their boiler ripped out so no heating. As a result my house has had an average temp of around 12-13°C. Anytime the heating had stopped the temperature plummets like a count down timer. I hate to think how much gas I have used as all my heat is being sooked up to their unheated house.
My livingroom and kitchen windows overlook their garden which has been piled high with crap since the start. Their builders are using the garden in leu of a skip...
The noise has been incessant for months now, power tools from 8 till 5 everyday (I work from home) and being a real pain in the arse.
During the building work, a large crack opended up in my ceiling. I moved out for a few days week before last to allow the builders to rectify. During this time all my belongings have been moved into my bedroom. My bed is like a fortress as stuff piled high all around it and has been for the past two week since the plaster started.
I stupidly said I would paint the ceiling in a bid to regain normality asap.
As a result my walls got spattered with paint leaving me with no option but to paint the whole room.
So I find myself today, a glorious sunny winters day decorating when I could be out riding my bike. The first day in months when I could of actually rode my bike on sunshine.
On top of this my neighbour popped over to tell me that the cost to re do my ceiling is £300.
I am absolutely fuming.
I being unreasonable to tell my neighbour to;
"**** the ****ing **** off to the ****ing far ****ing side of ****ing **** and when they ****ing get there ****ing **** off some ****ing more. "
(to steal a lovely quote from mumsnet food thread)
Sorry for the rant.
why do you have to pay?
Tell them to do one, their work caused your ceiling damage, I'm assuming that they've moved walls etc ?
Eh, they want you to pay for damage they did to your ceiling ?
to steal a lovely quote from [b]mumsnet food thread[/b]
Maybe I'm misunderstanding the thread you're referring to and I know it's good to give as well as receive but I would never consider [i]that[/i] as food...
While most of those things are a pain the only thing I'd consider unreasonable is asking you to pay for the repair. Ideally they should be talking to you and keeping you on board but there is nothing there.out of the ordinary for a neighbour getting some work done.
they ruined your ceiling and you pay to fix it
assuming a reasonable chat does not resolve this i advise you to smash his windows and then send them a bill*
* I dont really but that is basically what they have done
Basically yes. It would seem theu are trying to hit me with the full bill.
My ceiling was previously wall papered so there has been a degree of betterment so I could agree that I should perhaps pay something. That said when the paper came down the substrate plaster was in excellent condition.
Howver this is offset my the fact that I have needed to redecorate my living room (which was last down only a year ago) and the massive ball ache they have caused me.
Also consious that I don't want to ruin an otherwise good neighbourly relationship, when I intended to hang about for another couple of years for the sake of a few hundred pounds.
Trying to hit me with the full bill though tastes like he is trying to serve me a cup off piss.
When he mentioned the cost, I never reaponded as dumbfounded and he fluffed about how we can "sort it out later"
As you could have used the damaged ceiling as an opportunity to put some insulation between the floor joists.
Errrr... ride now paint later
he fluffed about how we can "sort it out later"
I assume they are embarrassed by his cheek
Worth speaking to them perhaps they are skint with all the work and feel bad but cannot afford it?
I appreciate they may be skint and can't afford it. I'm also quite laid back however that falls into the category of not my problem.
After thinking about this, I think I'll just point out the expense I have stumped up for; moving out, decorating materials & paint not to mention hassle. Which not accounting for hassle comes to over £150. Make it clear that I see that as a reasonable contribution and if they can't afford the plaster then that comes out of the builders insurance.
This seem fair?
Claim on your Insurance then if they have caused damage. Might cost you £300 excess though.
Is it really worth it?
its not your neighbours fault either, the builders are to blame.
So you haven't got insulation above your property and have been relying on his efforts to keep you warm?
You said you'd paint your own ceiling and made a mess of it, splattering the walls, so you're angry at your own ineptitude?
I get that the work and cracked ceiling are annoying, but you can't pin your shortfalls on the neighbour.
The noise has been incessant for months now, power tools from 8 till 5 everyday (I work from home) and being a real pain in the arse.
At least they are cracking on with it
As a result my walls got spattered with paint leaving me with no option but to paint the whole room.
Not sure how you managed to do this?
On top of this my neighbour popped over to tell me that the cost to re do my ceiling is £300.
I am absolutely fuming.
This is cheeky, I would suggest, pleasantly, that you are happy to go 50/50 and explain why. If I were in the neighbour's shoes I would take that. You have a nicer ceiling now after all.
I can understand that the noise will be doing your head in if you're working from home. Headphones?
On the bright side, if they come to sell before you, it might help to push the value of your own property up. Don't fall out, be calm and stand your ground but overall pleasant. Otherwise the stress isn't worth it. Experience speaking.
Bit harsh too tall. How many tenement buildings do you know with inter dwelling insulation?
Secondly have you ever painted fresh plaster on a ceiling? If you have you will know that you need to heavily water down the paint and it becomes particularly messy.
Secondly have you ever painted fresh plaster on a ceiling? If you have you will know that you need to heavily water down the paint and it becomes particularly messy.
I find fresh plaster beautiful to paint on, but it depends on the paint I guess. I don't usually mix, but I use naturally thinner paints for this. A bit late to be helpful, I know...Sorry 🙂
Your painting ineptitude and lack of insulation is one thing, but your neighbours expecting someone else to pick up the tab for damage to their property caused by your building work is royally taking the p***.
I don't see any scenario in which the cost would be split 50/50, unless the crack could have been patched successfully and the OP insisted on a full skim.
Who cares if they're skint? Their lack of contingency isn't your problem.
Your painting ineptitude and lack of insulation is one thing, but your neighbours expecting someone else to pick up the tab for damage to their property caused by your building work is royally taking the p***.I don't see any scenario in which the cost would be split 50/50, unless the crack could have been patched successfully and the OP insisted on a full skim.
Who cares if they're skint? Their lack of contingency isn't your problem.
This, ladies and gentleman, is how you end up falling out and physically avoiding your neighbours. What's it going to be like in the summer when you're enjoying your garden next to them? You'll be worrying about it unless you're a total narcissist.
Whilst I don't agree with being walked over in the slightest, the OP stated that he now has a better ceiling as a result.
Is it *REALLY* worth falling out over £150? Christ...
Perhaps I'm putting myself in the position of the neighbour and can think of no scenario where I'd have the nerve ask for a 50/50 split, let alone for the bloke I'd totally inconvenienced to stump up the whole cost...
If that's the neighbourly relationship he's trying to preserve, not sure it's worth all that much.
If it was Christ, I'd probably think twice though. Bloke's got some powerful connections.
Only its not just £150 is it?
I am looking at being, at best £300 (or £450 if I pay their full bill) out of pocket, on top of being majorly inconvenienced for two weeks plus losing a weekend to decorating a room only recently done.
I wouldn't be paying them a penny, when I had building work done I had a party wall agreement and took liability with my builder. I would have to resolve at my expense any damage caused by the work, I had a written agreement of condition and detailed the works and time scales for completion. Talk of keeping the peace is crap in my opinion, they don't appear to have considered you as an affected neighbour so why should you?
The conversation about the 300 quid (should be 450 though) should be between your neighbour and the builder shouldn't it ?
I'm with 100% with marcus on this...and because you've been quietly putting up with it they gonna see how far they can push their luck ( take the piss ). The sad thing is I doubt they even realise how they are treating you. Totally up themselves. I've no time for miscreants like this. Is it worth falling out with neighbors like this? Oh yes. If I were building I'd be apologising twice a week for putting you out.
If the neighbour can't afford to make good your ceiling (or make their builder suck it up) then why can't they just live without their decoration etc. once the work's done and save up for a bit more for that instead?
Do you know why your ceiling cracked?
It's lucky you didn't get paint on your carpet ole that would need replacing.
Don't tell me your neighbour hasn't sorted out a party wall agreement!
Have a look on the RICS web site + there's a free 30mins consultation service
Imo, you should move out and live on the street, far cheaper and less hassle than what your going through.
Scruff as profesional builders, we try to minimise noise,sadly nobody makes rubber hammers to knock down walls and plastic foam filled bricks, powertools make noise so nothing can be done there.
Your neighbour and builder should have set up with yourself a party wall agrement, and provided details of public liability insurance should something go wrong,also a schedule of work should have ben made and discussed with you and the neighbour.
Because its a domestic type job, there is no money to rehome you for the time the work is being done, so you cant move out.
As for the heating, wear a thicker jumper or go for a walk, and chill out warm up.
neighbour (or their builder) should pick up total cost of rectifying damage done to ceiling. The argument of "betterment" isn't valid unless you would have chosen to do this anyway. If they won't suck up the cost for THEIR damage then personally I would not seek to endear myself to them.
Was about to post a detailed reply to the OP but CHB hits the nail squarely on the head.
I'll ask again. Why did the ceiling crack?
+1 for what project and T1000 have said above. Party wall agreement should have been entered into, I would seriously question how professional and knowledgeable their builder is as they should have advised their customer what was likely to be needed. Do not pay them, take advice and additionally consider what exactly have they done structurally in their property which has lead to your ceiling cracking.
I wouldn't be paying them even if hell froze over!
Good luck!
MUTDZ
How many tenement buildings do you know with inter dwelling insulation?
None, but I wouldn't think it was someone elses fault that my flat was cold. If you had insulation in there it might be a bit quieter as well. Just a thought for future improvements!
Secondly have you ever painted fresh plaster on a ceiling? If you have you will know that you need to heavily water down the paint and it becomes particularly messy.
Yes I have and yes I know that. Having that knowledge means I would use drop cloths, plastic and tape to cover the places I didn't want to drip paint.