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- 5 Aug 2021
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Thanks JobAndKnock for the detailed solution re. dealing with the central/fireplace joists. Yes you did say it was unlikely for the joists to go through to next door. I was still hoping though 
I eventually got back for a better look at the 2 central joists. They disappear into the brickwork of the fireplace so I can’t actually see how they interact with the party wall. However I did some research and sounds like they could be trimmer joists that are embedded in the party wall or perhaps into a joist socket with the neighbour’s joist coming in the other side. I managed to recreate the hugely disturbing vibrations we are subjected to on a much smaller scale by hitting one of the joists with a hammer. So this looks to be how they are doing it. Perhaps as you said previously, the tails are touching or the presence of a socket makes it behave as if they are one joist.
Just wondering, would the fireplace need to be (re)moved to implement your solution re. dealing with the central joists as we can’t get to the ends of the joists (party wall ends) from the side of the fireplace either.
Having thought about it, before I undertake any major works on my side, I am definitely going to look into the possibility of forcing my neighbours to fix the problem. It seems clear (to me anyway!) that it was their building work that caused the problem/exposure of our ‘joist’s movements’ as it wasn’t happening previously. I even wrote to them and the party wall surveyors advising of this new vibration problem at the time but they did nothing. So, I’m not quite sure how yet (perhaps my home insurance or their legal services/building specific solicitor - if such a person exists), but it seems only fair that they pay to resolve these issues. Otherwise, not only have they caused this ‘damage’ but instead of fixing it, they have used it to harass us constantly with these vibrations.
Not sure how far I’ll get but have to give it a try. At the same time I will do some research and try to fully understand the solutions you’ve suggested. Might even convince myself that maybe, possibly, with a fair wind, I might be able to attempt them!
Thanks again JobAndKnock and especially for convincing me to look under the floorboards That has certainly shed a lot of light on matters.
Jackie
I eventually got back for a better look at the 2 central joists. They disappear into the brickwork of the fireplace so I can’t actually see how they interact with the party wall. However I did some research and sounds like they could be trimmer joists that are embedded in the party wall or perhaps into a joist socket with the neighbour’s joist coming in the other side. I managed to recreate the hugely disturbing vibrations we are subjected to on a much smaller scale by hitting one of the joists with a hammer. So this looks to be how they are doing it. Perhaps as you said previously, the tails are touching or the presence of a socket makes it behave as if they are one joist.
Just wondering, would the fireplace need to be (re)moved to implement your solution re. dealing with the central joists as we can’t get to the ends of the joists (party wall ends) from the side of the fireplace either.
Having thought about it, before I undertake any major works on my side, I am definitely going to look into the possibility of forcing my neighbours to fix the problem. It seems clear (to me anyway!) that it was their building work that caused the problem/exposure of our ‘joist’s movements’ as it wasn’t happening previously. I even wrote to them and the party wall surveyors advising of this new vibration problem at the time but they did nothing. So, I’m not quite sure how yet (perhaps my home insurance or their legal services/building specific solicitor - if such a person exists), but it seems only fair that they pay to resolve these issues. Otherwise, not only have they caused this ‘damage’ but instead of fixing it, they have used it to harass us constantly with these vibrations.
Not sure how far I’ll get but have to give it a try. At the same time I will do some research and try to fully understand the solutions you’ve suggested. Might even convince myself that maybe, possibly, with a fair wind, I might be able to attempt them!
Thanks again JobAndKnock and especially for convincing me to look under the floorboards
That has certainly shed a lot of light on matters.Jackie
