[FRUITFULL]

Our neighbours were building a conservatory at the side of thier house but its ended up a extension.Im a bit concerned as they have built a double skin wall 3 inches from our boundary and we are 6ft lower than them!We alraedy know they are dodgy builders as they have used flooring insulation in the cavity and put it on the outside wall.They have no planning or building regs.
The boundry wall was already leaning over our way with the weight behind it but now i have visions when we come to take it down and rebuild it that our neighbours extension will cave in our way.
Could this happen?I feel they have built this extension on a mini cliff edge.

[matthew2riches]

SPEAK TO THE COUNCIL RIGHT AWAY.  WE HAD THIS HAPPEN WHEN WE LIVED IN FELIXSTOWE.  VERY NOISEY AND NOT NICE!

[GrannieAnnie]

Complain to the council Straight Away as already said!  An extension needs to be AT LEAST 1 metre from your bounary!  And NEEDS planning permission AND Bldg Regs!

We also had a problem wimilar when we lived in Essex.  That sounds Dangerous to me!!!

[FRUITFULL]

Oh dear,i dont like confrontation but i think we will have to take your advise and get in touch.There isnt room to put guttering even so rain will come over the fence.They only scratched the surface with foundations yet they built a double skin wall 14 foot long down the boundry so theres nothing much to take the weight.
I know all this because i work in admin at the local builders yard and the builders are customers with a reputation thats not too good.

[woodburner]

Ye gods! How did they dig foundations, so close to, and on the top of a retaining wall?  :blink:

[FRUITFULL]

i know but they have!not very good situation im begining to realise

[sunshineband]

Fruitfull, all these guys ahve given you sound advice -- council phone call asap. There is actually something called the Party Wall Agreement that they should have entered into with you as well as having planning permission.ASAP!!!!

[BestBreast]

Contact building control they will investigate, make them pay for planning (if it was required) and building regs (at least an inspection fee will be payable). The party wall agreement is only applicable if it is built within 3m of your property. This is all dependant on what they have done. If it's as bad as it sounds they could be made to take it down.

Having said this it may all take a while to resolve as building control usually take 5weeks to make any decisions.

Good luck

[GrannieAnnie]

Foundations scratched the surface?  My Brian said foundations for an extension should be at least a metre down, and being so near your boundary, and 6ft higher than your land, there is no way is that going to be safe Fruitfull!  Foundations for a conservatory are normally about 300mm I think, but even then, sometimes they hae to have planning permission for a conservatory, but you can't just decide to turn it into an extension!

Please don't let any of your family get too near that extension.  It sounds dangerous!

[Ice]

Please don't let any of your family get too near that extension.  It sounds dangerous!

That's sound advice.

[GrannieAnnie]

Ooooh just the idea of what some of these cretins do makes me shiver Ice!!!!

[Ice]

You also have to feel sorry for their victims who pay thousands of pounds and get shoddy, dangerous and ultimately useless building work.

[GrannieAnnie]

Doesn't bear thinking about does it?

[FRUITFULL]

I agree.I bet the neighbours dont even know whats not right.The builders have span them a yarn and they trust them.
I will phone the council today and let you know the outcome.I hope it doesnt get messy with the new nighbours but looking up at the extension from down my side is pretty worrying.
Thank you for all your suppoert and advise.

[sunshineband]

Hopefully the neighbours'll thank you in the end.