Getting an extension - should I inform home insurer?

We're thinking of getting an extension next year and will live in the house for the duration. It's a kitchen extension to the back of the house; relatively straightforward, although it involves taking down a supporting wall and putting in a steel beam.

Is the building contractor's insurance sufficient or should I inform our home insurer?

Gumbo

Deleted User wrote: »

We're thinking of getting an extension next year and will live in the house for the duration. It's a kitchen extension to the back of the house; relatively straightforward, although it involves taking down a supporting wall and putting in a steel beam.

Is the building contractor's insurance sufficient or should I inform our home insurer?

You need to inform your insurer as the floor area will increase, and thus your rebuild cost will increase.

kceire

kceire wrote: »

You need to inform your insurer as the floor area will increase, and thus your rebuild cost will increase.

Ah yes, true enough. But that's after the job is done. I'm wondering about liability for anything that goes wrong during the construction

Borzoi

[Deleted User] wrote: »

although it involves taking down a supporting wall and putting in a steel beam.

Is the building contractor's insurance sufficient or should I inform our home insurer?

For construction, the builders insurance will suffice. I'd be concerned about that steel beam, technically that's a design item and would require a structural engineer sign off, and you would need their PI insurance, the builders won't cover it.

You should let your house insurance know, as undoubtedly the security integrity of the house will be compromised during the build, so if you had a breakin while, say the alarm wasn't on, the insurers wouldn't pay out.

Thanks, very helpful.

There project is being designed by an architect who will sign off on some work but the big structural stuff will be signed off by an engineer (all of which is adding to the cost, naturally, but it's worth doing it right).

Your point about security is one I hadn't thought of. It's quite possible/probable that the alarm will not be on at certain times so that's something the insurer will want to know.

Now that you mention it, I wonder whether my car insurance would be affected. I suppose there is a slightly higher risk of someone breaking in and taking the keys while the work is ongoing.

But you reckon that if, for example, the construction leads to a leak which causes damage then that's covered by the builder's insurance?

the_syco

Is asking builders as proof of insurance a normal thing?

Also, as for valuables, maybe store anything in a friends house who you trust, as someone may just wander in wearing a hi-vis fest for anything lying around.

Yeah, that has occurred to me alright. We genuinely don't have much stuff worth stealing. Laptops and phones would be a worry, and car keys.

Borzoi

the_syco wrote: »

Is asking builders as proof of insurance a normal thing?
.

Absolutely, in commercial building. But small builders may not be used to the request.

@OP, yep, a leak in construction ( or within the defects and liability period) is the builders problem to fix

hytrogen

Borzoi wrote: »

Absolutely, in commercial building. But small builders may not be used to the request.

@OP, yep, a leak in construction ( or within the defects and liability period) is the builders problem to fix

+1 to this!
@OP I had some work done in my house, roof windows & kitchen open planning. I wasn't happy with the sub contracting electrician and tilers professionalism or finish on the work and after spending a couple of grand on tiles I refused to pay the tilers labour and wanted to kick him off site on day 2, well within my right as project manager but time was against me so he stayed to finish. The main contractor absorbed his cost and kept within my budget. I wasn't happy with this as it wasn't his fault other than selecting the dope but we compromised and came to an agreement in the end.