The Importance Of Getting A Dilapidation Report For Your Property Before Nearby Building Work Begins
Many homeowners groan at the mere sight of workmen showing up and scaffolding being erected at a property near their home, and it's true that nearby building, development and demolition works can cause problems with visual blocking and excessive noise. However, there also exists the possibility of more serious, physical damaging being done to your home -- with so much heavy machinery and earth-moving equipment operating nearby, even small building projects can cause inadvertent damage to nearby properties.
However, unexpected damage to your home caused by nearby building works can be prepared for in a number of ways, and one of the most important is having building inspectors compile a dilapidation report of your home.
What is a dilapidation report?
Put simply, a dilapidation thoroughly and accurately assesses the physical condition at the time the report is compiled. While compiling their report, building inspectors will comb over every inch of your home looking for existing damage, structural weaknesses and other flaws which may be exacerbated by nearby building works. This report is then filed, and copies are given to both you and the people in charge of the nearby construction works.
In the event of unexpected damage being dealt to your home, this report will allow you to prove that the damage that was done did not exist before construction work began. This can be a significant piece of legally-binding evidence if the building contractors dispute their responsibility for the damage, and becomes particularly valuable if the damage dispute ends up in a court of law. Without one of these reports, seeking compensation for accidental damage to your home can be much more difficult, and you may be forced to pay for repairs out of your own pocket.
How should I have a dilapidation report created for my home?
In most circumstances, builders will be required to inform nearby homeowners in writing before any building work can commence, so you should act quickly if you receive a letter informing you of nearby construction or demolition. Get in contact with reputable building inspection services as soon as possible and arrange a through dilapidation inspection of your home.
When arranging your inspection, sure to tell the inspection services the nature of the nearby construction works as they are described in your letter. Some minor forms of building work may pose little or no damage to your home, while larger-scale works and excavations are far more dangerous; if the building inspection service knows how extensive nearby works will be, they will be able to tell you whether the nearby works pose enough of a danger to warrant a dilapidation report.
Creating a dilapidation report can be a time-consuming process, but the process is not especially obstructive and you will be able to remain in your home while it is carried out. Inspectors will take photographs, create diagrams and take measurements, but generally, do not need to use any damaging or invasive inspection methods.