damp in my new apartment?

jubi lee · 18-09-2006 10:50am #1

i've been living in my newly built apartment about 8 months. when i moved in i noticed the external wall in the master bedroom looked patchy and damp to the touch. I immediately went to the builder on site who said it wasn't damp. he said it had been treated during the winter so it couldn't be damp.he also said the ground floor apartment beneath me had thought they had damp, builder got damp guy in who said it wasn't damp and was due to them not opening window's etc. Builder told me to wipe walls down with damp cloth and see if that worked. but it didn't.

in the last few days grey patches have started coming through the paintwork on majority of walls/ceilings in the master bedroom and in the ensuite. I've also notioced little creepy crawlies on the dark patches. I don't have a shower cube in the ensuite yet so it's not like i'm even having showers that might cause damp!.

I don't dry clothes in the bedroom and try to leave the window's open as much as possible.however i do notice that the windows are full of condensation in the mornings. air vents seem to be open and don't seem to be blocked.

Builder has since finished on site and wasn't very helpful.

is it up to me to get someone in to check if its actually damp???or is there a way i can check myself?

jdivision · 18-09-2006 10:52am

Sounds like it's mould caused by damp. Could be a leak in apartment above you. Builders are usually desperate not to have to cover stuff like this - might have to go with the Homebond scheme to get redress. You don't live in Adelaide Square do you? There was major problems with that in apartment I used to live in there.

jubi lee · 18-09-2006 10:57am

hi ya, there are no apartments above me just the roof space for the apartment block. nope not living in adelaide..

what would be the steps to go through the homebond scheme???

what did you do with ur old apartment issues?

irlirishkev · 18-09-2006 12:07pm

Homebond are quite helpful. I had a query I had to run by them recently. I dropped a mail off to info@homebond.ie, with the details. I included my phone number, and someone actually phoned me back that day.

Give them a shout.

K.

Paulw · 18-09-2006 3:07pm

Definitely an issue for the builder to deal with. You can also report the issue to the Health & Safety authority, since mould is a health issue.

Tell the builder that you want it resolved and that you're reporting the issue.

If that doesn't work, get on to HomeBond.

Best of luck.

whizzbang · 18-09-2006 3:19pm

jubi lee wrote:

hi ya, there are no apartments above me just the roof space for the apartment block. nope not living in adelaide..

dodgey roof?

egan007 · 18-09-2006 3:27pm

Your apt will have (should have) a hone bond certificate.
This is a builders guarantee against this sort of thing happening for 10 years.
as suggested above contact homebond

jubi lee · 18-09-2006 3:43pm

will do. thanks guys. i went on to the homebond.ie site. it says they deal with structural issues only unless i misread and have a leaflet that you can get on how to deal with condensation in the home

i've emailed the builders, as teh Foreman i was dealing with really doesn't want to know. haven't recieved anything back as yet.

Paulw · 18-09-2006 3:53pm

Damp can be a structural issue. It can cause the walls to fail. It depends on how bad the damp is.

Best thing, is to hassle as many organisations as you can - Health & Safety Authority, HomeBond, Builder/developer, even your local TD.

jubi lee · 18-09-2006 3:57pm

thanks paul. I've just sent a copy of the email i sent to the builders to homebond to ask their advice on what to do. I'll see what they say. all the paint is ruined! but no point in painting over it cos it'll only come thru again. more money :-(

irlirishkev · 19-09-2006 3:19pm

Building insurance might cover this. I'd be surprised if you get an email back from the builders tbh.
Have you a management company who look after the building? It'd be worth getting them involved aswell.

K.

Moonbeam · 19-09-2006 3:27pm

Ring the builders and keep donig so until they are helpfuil also inform the management company.

I do wonder what on earth we pay them for most of the time but they may have a purpose:)

jubi lee · 19-09-2006 3:32pm

I'm not sure who the managment company is to be honest. some of the other residents have been trying to find out whther the builders have handed over to manangment company or not but we've heard nothing.

i wasn't sure if managment company would be responsible for this kind of thing.

ircoha · 19-09-2006 7:31pm

whizzbang wrote:

dodgey roof?

I would agree, u need to get HOMEBOND on the job

Victor · 20-09-2006 1:59am

You could go to a damp specialist and get them to do a report for you to prove that its the builder's problem. They might do the inspection for free, but may charge 100-200 euro if the won't be getting the job.

I might suspect damp from plaster, etc. drying out, but after 8 months that shouldn't be a problem.

"he said it had been treated during the winter so it couldn't be damp" - was there an existing problem that needed treating?

dublinhead · 20-09-2006 2:10am

I had a very similar problem with dampness in the main bedroom of an apartment. The builders were still on site so got foreman to look at it. I was getting lot of condensation in the mornings on the window. Also the window sill was starting to warp. He put a hole in the plaster board and rain water could be seen dripping down the brick work. It turned out to water getting in behind the gutters and working its way down. The builders fixed the whole lot eventually.
I would keep chasing the foreman. It is nothing to do with management company.

Sponge Bob · 20-09-2006 2:36pm

hang a sign in (or out) your window

"These Apartments Have Serious Damp Problems"

and that builder will know all about it fairly soon afterwards

whizzbang · 20-09-2006 2:40pm

Sponge Bob wrote:

hang a sign in (or out) your window

"These Apartments Have Serious Damp Problems"

and that builder will know all about it fairly soon afterwards

or ask "the Damp Store" to call over with a few vans during prime viewing hours

Shanod · 26-10-2006 9:42pm

Lads does anyone have any more experiences/ advise/ successful outcomes/ unsuccessful outcomes on this?

Got a surveyor out to my place, and my solicitor will be sending out his report to the builder and cc'ing homebond. Just wondering what outcome I should expect or am i wasting my time?

Thanks in advance!!

crosbie · 03-12-2008 9:30pm

jdivision wrote: »

Sounds like it's mould caused by damp. Could be a leak in apartment above you. Builders are usually desperate not to have to cover stuff like this - might have to go with the Homebond scheme to get redress. You don't live in Adelaide Square do you? There was major problems with that in apartment I used to live in there.

Hey jdivision. sorry to just jump on this thread but I live in Adelaide Square and have exactly that problem, the apt above had a leak and caused damp in the bedroom wall and a light fitting in the bathroom to come away. Did you have any joy with the management company? They replaced our floors, yeah it was pretty bad, but now sent us a bill for part of the repairs saying they did not have to replace the entire floor but could have patched it!!!!
At the mo im fumin and am getting all the info i can before I fly off the handle.
Any help welcome!!

damp in my new apartment?

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