These houses are over 100 years old - what do you expect? was the comment a builder made to the adjoining owner one Saturday morning after knocking a hole through the party wall into one of her bedrooms.
The adjoining owner was very distraught as it had been arranged for her grandchildren to stay over on the Friday night but, luckily, had been cancelled at the last minute. She could not help but think about what might have been, as their bed was directly below the hole where the bricks had been out.
When opening the roof dampness got into the ceiling.as they did not afford adequate protection. They have also caused other damage during the course of removing chimney breasts.
The ceiling will have to be re-boarded with plasterboard and skimmed, the whole room will have to be redecorated and other remedial works carried out.
The final cost has yet to be established, the surveyors costs have mounted up already. I will publish the costs once known.
It is the Building Owner who is directly responsible to the Adjoining Owner, so it is treated as if had caused the damage himself and will have to try and recover the costs from his contractor.
