Cavity wall insulation ground floor only

[flamespittingcobra]

I hope you can help me, I am trying to get some cavity wall insulation in a block of flats, which I am the freeholder and have all the leaseholders are in agreement.

We've encountered a strange problem though, 15 years ago the owner of the 2 ground floor flats had their cavity walls insulated with white beads by Domestic and General Insulation. They have only insulated the ground floor flats, leaving the first and second floor uninsulated.

No other company want anything to do with the building as a result, and DGI do not want to do the job.

My query is this, did DGI make a mistake when insulating only the ground floor flats and should I have any right to get them to rectify the situation?

I have spoken to CIGA have been asked to speak to DGI about it, however I cannot seem to find anyone at DGI to talk to me about it.

Any advice greatly received.

 

[AronSearle]

I can't see the problem myself, may be worth finding out if the original beads where bonded together or lose, that may interfere with pumping in more, but not really sure how or why.

Maybe it's just an insurance issue (their litigation insurance doesnt cover them in such a situation).

Techcnially I can't see what difference it makes.

 

[rjm2k]

Yep, it will be down to liability if something goes wrong, there would be no way to blame a single party. You could offer to sign a waiver but I doubt that would work.

 

[flamespittingcobra]

Thanks guys, I've had people mention the liability issue to me about it so that seems to be right.

My main question is were DGI right to only install the insulation on the ground floor of the building in the first place, or were they at fault by doing so?

 

[kbdiy]

My main question is were DGI right to only install the insulation on the ground floor of the building in the first place, or were they at fault by doing so?

After 15 years, whether they were right or wrong is now a moot point. If they were only commissioned to do the ground floor flats then that's what they did. So long as the owner/freeholder agreed then that's the end of it as far as I can see.

Doubtless as already mentioned, adding insulation to the rest of the block will now be a liability issue so you may unfortunately just be a victim of the shortsightedness of the previous owners.

 

[AronSearle]

I'd agree with Kbdiy, forget about fingerpointing.

If nothing's gone wrong with it after 15 years, which I assume it hasnt, that's a good indication it's all good, find out what insulation it is, then top up.

You can hire the equipment, rather than get a company to do it.

Or if it is loose fill, you can suck it out, then they can blow in as new.

 

[flamespittingcobra]

In my ideal world, I'd just like somebody to come along and "top up" the cavity. Sadly that doesn't seem to be an option due to the liability issue.

The companies I've spoken too, and CIGA, seem to think it is an exceptionally strange thing to have only done the ground floor. DGI initially told me that there was no way they did the original job as "you're not allowed to only do one floor".

I've looked at the idea of sucking out what's already in there, and it looks to be too expensive.

I'm not trying to "fingerpoint", just wondering if there was anything in building regs about only doing one floor in a block of flats. The work has a CIGA 25 year guarantee, so if it wasn't quite the right thing I might have a chance to get it rectified.

 

[AronSearle]

DGI initially told me that there was no way they did the original job as "you're not allowed to only do one floor".

Whilst it's damn odd, and a little stupid, I am aware of no reason why you wouldnt be allowed to only fill one floor, possibly modern regs would have some clause about any modifications to the thermal fabric having to meet xxx criteria, but even then I'm doubtfull.

The work has a CIGA 25 year guarantee, so if it wasn't quite the right thing I might have a chance to get it rectified.

So your not trying to finger point, just trying to find out if there is something wrong with it and get someone to fix it, ok

You've mentioned no problems with the existing insulation, so I can't see that there is anything at fault to rectify.

As said, just find out what specific insulation is present, and either suck it out, or top it up with the same stuff, either yourself, or find a willing contractor.

If you do it yourself, you take on any risk of any issues that occur, and you will invalidate the remaining 10 years on the guarentee for the existing stuff, personally I would be happy that if the existing stuff has presented no problems after 15 years, and it was my own building, i'd just top that up, making sure any openings (windows and such) are well sealed to the cavity to prevent water ingress.

All the insulation guarntees will cover, is that if damp occurs (due to water getting into the cavity, and it now being full), they will have to sort it, and even then they probably put all kinds of crap in the small print.