The Curse of Defective Concrete (Mica, Pyrrhotite, etc.) in Donegal homes - Read Mod warning Post 1

jj880

https://www.donegallive.ie/news/local-news/690972/calls-for-criminal-investigation-into-mica-homes-purchase.html

...

NIMAN

Shocking, but not surprising.

And like the entire Mica debacle, probably zero chance of anyone being held to account.

jj880

After reading that would you trust DCCs handling of anything? They are a law unto themselves. The role of DCC in this scandal over the last 20 years needs investigated.

The vendor is named in the article but I can tell you there are politicians involved with these houses. If this is looked at further that will all come out. I wouldn't be surprised if this is picked up by a national paper in the next few weeks.

RandomViewer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118140417#Comment_118140417

Think Mc Hugh has more pressing worries than a Dail seat at the moment,

malinheader

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118146449#Comment_118146449

Much like the findings of the planning scandal in Donegal which is being withheld.

Probably to let the guilty take retirement or early retirement. I wonder could these findings be made to be published using the freedom of information act.

These two examples are only the tip of a very corrupt iceberg.

NIMAN

Irish Times saying the cap might now be 400k.

CastorTroy

Was just reading the Highland Radio summary. Was wondering about some prices.

How many houses cost more than 350,000? When you take out land costs and would assume any taxes? Like my semi detached house cost 205 when I bought it 13 years ago and that includes whatever the land cost.

Then they say engineers and testing reports costing up to 15,000?

Also how long would a rebuild be expected to take with rent expected to be 18,000?

jj880

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118149985#Comment_118149985

We really need to see full details.

The old scheme had a lot of hidden costs: Planning, demolition, disposal, foundations not covered. VAT is another issue. It was already paid once. It should be waived for this scheme.

Material costs have shot up also. I dont agree with a cap but I think it needs to be tightly controlled. Like a per sq foot rate contract for builders that they cannot exceed. I dont know how you would do that but it's going to be a feeding frenzy otherwise. Ive seen people getting quotes for 100k for work that cost 20k a few years ago. (Available to view in the 100% redress facebook page if anyone wants to check)

As for the length of a rebuild. With the council ran scheme it was a nightmare with approvals and red tape. Hopefully the new scheme will run smoother and quicker. Again we need more information.

I'm quite sickened with all this stalling and leaking things to see how people react.

Edit: also something that I still cant get an answer to. How can you be sure of the blocks to be used for rebuilding? What testing is involved to make sure blocks have no deleterious materials, have proper levels of cement and sand? No-one seems to know and it isnt being mentioned anywhere.

SBourgaize

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118150147#Comment_118150147

“We tested blocks supplied in August of 2020 and the results came back with free muscovite mica content of 15% in the cement paste. "

Taken from donegalLive, can't post the link.

Some people scoff at timber construction, but I'd pick it now if I could.

jj880

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118152076#Comment_118152076

If I recall correctly those results came back in the last few months from a house already built. Im talking about when you are rebuilding your house. How will testing blocks (potentially from several quarries) work in that situation? It can take months to get your test results.

I would avoid concrete altogether if I could. The problem is there seems to be issues with other types of build lasting in the weather we get in the west / northwest of Ireland.

VillageIdiot71

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118152263#Comment_118152263

Judging from this story about someone who is having their house rebuilt and their problem solved under the current scheme, there seems to be some step in the process that involves validating the brick quality.

https://donegalnews.com/2021/08/buncrana-familys-heartbreak-as-mica-home-demolished/

According to that article "the engineer has got us samples from some block companies to make sure they are okay to be built with this time,"

What I can't quite fathom is how it's "heartbreaking" to have a problem solved with a State scheme covering 90% of the cost. Or why someone getting 90% of the cost would march in Dublin - presumably to get the other 10%.

Is the application process really so unexpectedly onerous? What's the expectation? That someone just phones the county council and says "Hi, I've a house in Donegal, so obviously it needs to be immediately rebuilt at your expense"?

If Joe McHugh just resigned in protest, is there any hope that Government will stop entertaining this campaign?

jj880

"the engineer has got us samples from some block companies to make sure they are okay to be built with this time,"

That is a step in the right direction but I dunno if that would be enough for me. A lab should be set up here with quick turn around. I would want a block from each lorry load tested. Put it this way if Cassidys say they were adhereing to the self regulation requirements then whatever sample was being tested was not what was going out of their gates to the site.

For the rest of your post you seem to have re-written the article yourself. I think it's quite clear this family are saying they are heartbroken from seeing their home demolished. The home they lived in and contained all their memories for the last 15 years.

Here is an updated article on Gary Breslin's house: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-58591286

Joe McHugh is threatening to leave Fine Geal which in reality probably means he gets suspended from the party for a while to make it look like he gives a sh!t which he hasnt for the last 10 years.

Penfailed

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118152913#Comment_118152913

It's heartbreaking to see your house slowly fall apart. It's heartbreaking have to move your family into a mobile home. It's heartbreaking to see your family home razed to the ground. It's heartbreaking that the alleged 90% scheme doesn't actually cover 90% of the costs...in fact, nowhere near it.

VillageIdiot71

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118153933#Comment_118153933

Language ceases its meaning when abused like this.

Penfailed

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118154106#Comment_118154106

Great input. Thanks for sharing.

muffler

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118154106#Comment_118154106

What does that mean exactly?

ahusband

Fantastic to see that internal reports place severe question over the quoted rebuild costs of the average house involved, bit of common sense to question the figures quoted.

I also look forward to the means investigations of the applicants to the scheme in due course, it'll be fascinating to see how the economics work, so the rest of us learn how to build a 500k house on a minimal taxable income by national standards.

Can't wait to pay for it all, its going to be great.

GreeBo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118153933#Comment_118153933

If its heartbreaking to see your house fall apart it cant also be heartbreaking to get it fixed.

muffler

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118155497#Comment_118155497

That wasnt stated so do not wrongly quote people in this forum.

muffler

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118154415#Comment_118154415

If you have come here to troll then you're in the wrong place.

givyjoe

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118155549#Comment_118155549

It's not just locals who take a dim view of some of the nonsense coming from people who've taken issue with the potential redress scheme.

Penfailed

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118155549#Comment_118155549

Erm...it's their username.

muffler

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118155549#Comment_118155549

Warning given.

Penfailed

Turns out, the reported €400k cap is only for the largest homes. When I heard the figure the other day I felt a sense of relief thinking that it looks like we'll get sorted. Not the case apparently.

Dr Turk Turkelton

No problem if the people of North Donegal show their vat receipts for their products bought and their contractors labour prices.

After that the government should pay 100% redress. I doubt that those receipts will be a problem to the good people looking for money from the rest of us.

jj880

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118158403#Comment_118158403

That sounds ridiculous - any more details?

muffler

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118158554#Comment_118158554

People in this county are suffering enough pain without having to put up with comments suggesting that they were engaged in some form of tax evasion. Im sick of this sh1te being spewed here and Im putting an end to it here and now.

Dr Turk Turkelton do not post in this thread again

Penfailed

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118158629#Comment_118158629

I've just looked into it since I posted and it seems it's not as bad as I thought. There's two caps apparently. One is related to the sqft of the property and the other is the upper cap. It will still leave 10-20% of affected homeowners having to find additional money but it's way better than the original scheme.

I'm still having great difficulty getting onto the scheme. The council have, for a fourth time, asked for further information and are trying to stymie me from going for Option 1. If someone from the council actually visited my house, they would see how bad it is, inside and out. The walls are so porous that there's damp everywhere and mould in places.

...but apparently I shouldn't care about any of this because taxpayers are going to sort it.

Freddie Mcinerney

Must be the mobile phone version. I thought I put up a post on the different constitution of blocks?

DrPhilG

Nothing wrong with people posting who aren't in agreement with 100%.

The problem is with accusations of tax dodging, profiteering, and mocking those who say they're heartbroken by the process.

Not sure why I'm engaging with you, you've been threadbanned.