Key Post Pyrite in Foundations leading to cracks

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Does anyone know, if you have your test to confirm you have pyrite, how long it might take to get the court with a claim like this? Like approx? Are we talking years ?

It is not sufficient to prove that you have pyrite. You have to show that you have damage directly resulting from it reacting. If you go your own independent route, expect the courts to take at least two to three years.
 
Cheers mrduke, I know all about the builders 6 year gig - unfortunately like many big developers they form a new ltd company and use it as a vehicle to build/sell developments then liquidate it once all is complete. It makes it very clean from a tax/vat point of view but makes it a legal nightmare for the poor punters who paid serious money for their houses during the boom!
I've met the MD of the parent company before and am due to arrange a follow up now that we have the confirmation of pyrite throughout the development (1.7 - 2.3% from all tests carried out).
I'm also arranging to meet Arthur Cox and A&L Goodbody this week to get a read on what legal avenues are open to us.
I do have a serious issue with Premier Guarantee though, looking at their insurance schedule it appears that they can continue to request ongoing tests, confirmations and reports before they will even accept my claim.

You gotta love being stuck between a rock and a hard place!!!
 
true... problem with being stuck between a rock and a hard place is that the pressure builds. god have mercy on the soul on the man that i get to lose it with, i have 2 years of frustration to unleash .....
 
I feel your frustration @mrduke! I met the builder yesterday and as they used a vehicle company to develop the site (which is obviously now dissolved) they are claiming there is nothing they can do - not even put right items on a temporary basis. Pressuring Premier is going to be a very expensive exercise and I am very aware that there are many in the development who just can't afford it...
I hope that the legal route can apply the required pressure but I have no doubt that it'll be 18 - 24 months more before I get a result - I just hope the house stays up that long!!!
 
Premierbond is an insurance policy. No insurance policy, be it motor, travel, life or buildings will pay out without evidence there is a valid claim so I don't suppose you can blame them. There's a lot of scaremongering going on at the moment. The testing costs are relatively little compared to how much the claim is, but a lot more than most people can afford. On the plus side - they have told me that if I get my information in correctly I will know within a month if I am covered.
 

So i'm not sure what stage your at with Premier but let me share my experience with you!
Back in April having already proved with IGSL tests that the levels of pyrite in the development common areas was up to 2.3% (anything over 1% is accepted as a problem) they agreed to allow people submit photographic evidence along with their claim form to process the claim - this we all did and after the 27th full visual inspection report was submitted by our engineer they reverted to tell us to stop sending these in as they were no longer willing to accept them, nor would they stand over their request for them earlier in the year. Now the spec for testing is per unit, 12 - 16 bore holes to be taken from the center of all ground floor rooms plus a full engineer report on the heave and damage caused. The cost for this per unit is serious, something like €10k, not to mention the cost of the floors that will be ruined and even then there is no guarantee they will accept the claim. It is likely that this demand will be followed by a series of further requests in order to stall the processing of the claim. It is the builders and my belief that they are going to keep stalling until the Menolly/Lagan case is complete which will take years.
On another note, Premiers policy is a defects insurance policy - unlike Homebond there is no onus on them to repay any professional fees, reinstatement of floors, fixtures and fittings etc - this is likely to cost an additional €50k in my case to return my house to what it was after I had finished decorating it.

Be very careful with Premier, they lure you in to see what your ability to act is and then pull the rug!
 
Sorry Cruiser 1427 but with the greatest respect that's absolute rubbish. Don't know who's telling you this but if you haven't already I suggest you speak to Premierbond directly. I have. Theie no's 0044 151 650 4343. As pyriteengine says the tests costs are nowhere near what you have said. They also have documents they'll send you telling you exactly what evidence you need to provide - why don't you phone them yourself and check your guy's getting it right, that might be the problem? Also, check your policy, fixtures and fittings are covered. If you haven't got one Premierboad will send you a copy that way you'll know exactly what's covered. You won't get the costs of your tests back, but if you're covered their solicitor will try and get it back for you free of charge. Not ideal I know, but better than nothing. Good luck.
 
Sorry Tommy, I have to disagree completely with you on this one - i've spoken to Premier numerous occasions and while my discussions with PMR over the phone are perfectly reasonable and straightforward their 'new' protocol for testing required as outlined above is circa €10k, I have the quotes. I do accept that basic single bore test is around €1500 but thats not what they will currently accept and have rejected three claims already that include this.
If you've been lucky enough to have your claim processed in full prior to the moving of the goalposts then well done but rubbish is something not i'm talking here.
 

If you live beside a forest, It does not mean that your house is on fire or will definitely go on fire. Read my previous threads. Structural Insurance policies only covers definite and identifiable damage. The mere presence of pyrite is NOT enough to trigger policy cover. There are many published cases where higher levels of pyrite are present but due to the lack of the additional ingredients, heat, humidity oxygen, to name just a few, no expansion of the material has occurred. Get a copy of the insurers requirements for testing etc and follow them to the letter.
 
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Be careful Cruiser 1427, The cost to carry out all the tests should be no more than €4000, including the engineers reports. No insurance company covers the cost of you submitting your claim. That would be daft!!. What insurance company will finance a claim against them. I repeat for the nth time. you must prove the connection between the pyrite and any damage in your house. If you are being quoted up to €50k for reports, then they must be printed on gold bars or someone is taking the mick.
I have seen the testing document from Premier and it is thorough. They are testing one location in a house and that is reasonable.
 

Go back to whomever is quoting that nonsence. IN fact you should send a copy of them to Premier as I am sure they would be interested in any company overcharging as you are suggesting. I know all the companies in Ireland currently testing and the entire cost for them is no more than €2000. The engineers inspection, report drawings etc should be no more than 2000. If you are being quoted more, then wise up and go elsewhere
 

Fair play, Tommy, some common sense. Follow that lead and you will see results.
 
Ok, so clearly I’ve got this completely wrong or something as I’m sure all the comments are correct in their situations - the testing spec requested by Premier on 22nd Oct ’09 in writing to me was 4 bore holes from the centre area in each ground floor room in my property, being that there are 4 rooms accessible this is 16 bore holes that samples are to be taken from. The costs from the two main players in this field in Ireland are €5,800 and €6,500 plus then my engineers costs which he estimates to be €1,400 for the collating and documenting to report format - all of these figures are plus VAT thus the circa €10k figure. In terms of property damage, the house is 4 years old - all ground floor doors are sticking, all external doors and window frames no longer meet the plaster above due to the pushing up of the slab. Its a three story house and all floors now have the stairs significantly coming away from the walls. External cracks are showing near or at windows on each floor and require resealing approximately every 8 weeks to stop drafts. The €50k figure mentioned is that which I have invested in my property from marble and solid oak flooring and some retrofit fixtures and fittings that are not removable without breaking them - I have again got it writing from Premier Guarantee that these will not be covered/replaced under the terms of the policy that the builder took out and that passed to me upon purchase of the unit. I am very doubtful that my situation is completely different to those outlined previously but it appears that I am being asked to go through vastly more in order to prove that the house is damaged as a cause of pyrite being in the fill.
 

Get back onto Premier immediately. I have never seen a requirement for more than one hole, approx 18'x18' which is generally cored out for convenience. I know of no case where more than a single sample location has been requested. That hole opening and testing will cost no more than 1800-2000, unless you are being creamed. Engineers cost seems spot on. I have not seen your letter from premier, but I wonder if you are reading it correcly.
 
 
i have spoken to premierbond. They were very interested to know what has been said on this forum. They gave me the name of a company they have used that costs less than €2,000 and confirmed fixtures and fittings 'are' included. not sue why someone would want to post incorrect information as it will only upset people more than they are already. It certainly made me worry. I'm not going to be on here any more and sugegst any premierbond clients contact them directly.
 
Great information on this thread.
I live in Offaly and surrounded by pyrite problems. Up until recently I believed I too had the same issue with pyrite. Had the usual difficulties with Homebond and have my own engineer and Homebond engineer out on more than one occasion. The house was built in 2001 and subject to the max €38k with homebond. My problem is that the individual floor slabs are actually dropping by a couple of inches causing minors cracks etc but the integrity of the outer and supporting walls seem ok. We broke ground this week and confirmed that this is unlikely to be a pyrite problem. Homebond took a sample away. It seems the builder used poor quality fill (muck through the fill) and neglected to use a whacker to compress it before pouring the floor slab. We also discovered that the floor slab is only 4 inch think and we've been told it should be 6 inch also only 45mm insulation used. The worst thing is there is a 60mm gap between the floor slab and the insulation/loose fill and it's a miracle that the floor has not collapsed totally. Even though it may not be a pyrite problem the solution apparently will be the same. Floors up and the fill removed and replaced.
Question is because the builder breached the building regulations, does that change the situation with Homebond? There seems to be some suggestion that Homebond may now pursue the builder. Another builder is suggesting this (not an expert) I would appreciate any feedback. Thanks
 
As you say, this is not a pyrite issue. We have seen many properties with similar issues with poor quality fill used under the floor slab. I would recommend that the replacement fill should be in accordance with all current guidelines, see previous threads in this regard. This type of defect rarely causes any internal cracking as the floor should be independent of any loadbearing walls. Only non loadbearing stud partitions may be affected. No damage should arise upstairs. Homebond may pursue the builder but you may have to also for any uninsurable losses. Talk to Homebond and see if you can join with them in any such action which ssould reduce any potential legal bill for you.
 
i'm dealing with home bond for the last 18 months about pyrite and hitting a wall. they have offered a small some, less then 1/3 of the price of the repair. the builder is no longer around so they are our only point of recourse. my advice is to go after the builder straight away to porevent him from closing his company which will leave you with no option then to deal with home bond...
 
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