Another Wimpey soundproofing disaster.

[dowden]

Our flat was built in 07,we moved in 09,since then we have been fighting Wimpeys to listen to our concerns with no success,we can hear the people above using the loo,having sex,them showering sounds like we are in a caravan when it's raining on the roof,preparing food,washing up,walking,talking,kitchen cupboard doors and drawers opening and closing and one of the worst things is sunday night she does the ironing in the kitchen which we can hear and then the bedroom drawers opening and closing when they are putting the clothes away.

 

We have to change our sleep times so we can get to sleep.The people above are great,they are not noisy purposely and the things we hear are just daily living noises.

 

Wimpey did a sound test 2 year ago,they said it passed but would not give us the results unless we paid £150.The only thing left to do was get a builder friend to remove the bed and en-suite ceiling and install some soundproofing,it didn't work as when the plasterboard was removed we found big holes and gaps in the concrete that separates our flats(my roof and there floor).

 

Still they would do nothing and refused to visit to discuss the problems so i contacted one of the big bosses and said there are health and safety and fire issues due to the holes and fire could easily spread to the flat above,amazingly he told the divisional manager who refused to visit to make an urgent appointment to come to my home,he is coming on the 4th June with either a production or technical manager.

 

There is absolutely no insulation in any void or cavity nor are there any fire walls above the plasterboard.Any advice for when they visit would be great.If i have done it right there are photos of the problem.

Edited June 2, 2013 by citizenB
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[Conniff]

Keep a 'detailed' record of all that is said and what he does. If poss, stick your mobile in your top pocket and film it all.

[dowden]

Thanks i will do,really worried about the concrete the pics don't do them justice.

[raydetinu]

suggest you contact the council, building control, with concerns about fire integrity and possible structural problems.

[dowden]

Thanks,will the council get involved in private developments.

[raydetinu]

If they contravene building regs, they should.

However, is not the build covered by any NHBC/Zurich 10year guarantee? that would cover the integrity of the structure, you could make a claim under that.

Details should be in the Health and Safety file ( home owners pack ) that should have come with the property.( mandatory since 1994 ).

Failing that you may have to get an independent surveyors/structural engineers report done and if any problems highlighted, sue the builder for the defects.

[dowden]

The NHBC are a waste of time,they said they would have to divide the cost of repairs by the number of apartments on the development,they estimated the work would have to cost over £100,000 and they reckon it would not add up to that much.How they know that from looking at photos is beyond me.

[dowden]

My photos are still pending,can this be sorted please as they speak volumes,thanks.

[raydetinu]

Why are NHBC a waste of time if they are going to pay for it!!! or put pressure on Wimpey's to put it right.

what do you want to do then!!!

[dowden]

Why are NHBC a waste of time if they are going to pay for it!!! or put pressure on Wimpey's to put it right.

what do you want to do then!!!

They are not going to pay for it,they said the cost of the work would not add up to over £100,000,they come to this figure as they say any costs have to be divided by the number of apartments on the development.They have refused to help because of this.I am pressuring Wimpeys i have been for over 3 years,please read my first post.

[raydetinu]

The NHBC minimum claim is about £1200/1300 at the mo. so how many flats?

and how do they Know it applies to all the flats, have they inspected them?

Have you appealed the decision? through their complaints procedure.

you could also consider referring to the FOS!

I would still get professional advice as to the problems and what to do about them.

This would be a basis of any discussions you have with Wimpey,s and if you want to legal action later.

[citizenB]

My photos are still pending,can this be sorted please as they speak volumes,thanks.

 

 

Do you know why the photos are pending approval ? I cant see any note that says they should be.. I will ask and get this sorted for you.

 

Ok, I cant see why or who unapproved them - so have approved them.

[raydetinu]

Sound transmission both impact and airborne, between flats must comply with certain limits and as you have found out if not correct is very disturbing.

There are standard tests and these can be done quite easily insitu with the right equipment. So a specialist is required, preferably independent, but accepted by Wimpeys, to carry these out.

Firms like Stangers, STATS Consultancy or Sitesound testing have experts that can do it. They should be UKAS approved.

Just a note that the flats would have to be tested before getting building regulation approval at completion and being signed off.

It could be that in fact NHBC were the approving authority not the council!

Also NHBC should of inspected the build during construction from a QA point of view and also for compliance.

[dowden]

Thanks for approving the photos citizenb. re:raydetinu,Wimpey did a sound test 2 year ago using bluetree acoustics,they said it passed but would not give us a copy of the report unless we paid £150,the lads who did the test said they could hear exactly what we described but they had regulations they had to follow to do the test.There are about 83 flats on the development and if the cost to repair ours was say £2000 they would have to multiply that cost by the number of flats,that would make £166,000,that is how much our repair would have to cost for them to do the work.It is to do with leasehold etc,i find it a very strange way of doing things but they say it is correct and will not do the work.Also i believe it will cost a hell of a lot more to repair than £2000 and i still do not know how they came to this figure just by looking at the photos i sent them,not once did they visit to have a look.I am unaware if the other flats have the holes but i know there are a lot of problems with noise transference.

[raydetinu]

I cant advise anymore other than the steps I have outlined.

[dowden]

Thanks for the info,the meeting did not go well at all,there was supposed to be 2 people visiting but 3 turned up,they came to discuss the noise transference and the structural defects yet all i got when discussing noise was it was built to regulations,they did not want to hear anymore,Mr John Murphy also made a statement which threw me,he basically said what quality do you expect for the price,he did not use those words but that was the meaning.They said they had brought the sound report but did not show me it nor did they leave me a copy as promised.As for the structural photos he unbelievably referred to the concrete as being uneven and there should be a slight gap,i replied it is a massive hole big enough to put your hand through and extends the length of the room,In another of the photos he described it as chipping,again it is a big big hole.Mr Murphy asked me to involve the NHBC to which i told him I had done numerous times and they refused to help,he said he cannot contact them on my behalf only to change his mind later and say he would contact them.By this time i was becoming irate at his repeated use of the word regulation and his refusal to listen and take my concerns seriously.Mr Murphy then told me another lie saying he had never refused to visit me at home,i informed him i had written proof and I will forward it to him which i have done.

I know it hasn't helped me but i felt like i was talking to a brick wall so i verbally threw them out before i lost my rag completely.

[raydetinu]

Again, you need an independent report on both the structural/fire and sound problem by a specialist to take this forward.

Then you can use the court system if you have an expert witness and report.