Your Buildings Insurers example essay topic

Glossary: Subsidence - warning signs Subsidence depends on the soil on which a house is built and on the age of the property. Those built before 1960 are likely to be more vulnerable because foundations tend to be shallower. Trees can also add to the problem, taking moisture from the soil and stretching their roots into your foundations in their search for water. The most thirsty are oak, elm, ash, poplar and willow. A good-sized tree may drain a tanker-full of water a month from the soil in hot summer weather.

Selective pruning is the answer, especially for trees which predate the construction of your house. That way you can continue to enjoy the tree without it wrecking your home Where subsidence does require remedial work, you may face extra problems when you come to sell. A prospective buyer may have difficulty getting insurance for a house that has been underpinned. Subsidence - warning signs Surveyors look for six key signs to see whether subsidence is a problem: 1. Diagonal cracks appearing around windows and doors after long dry spells-especially if they are wider at one end than the other. 2.

Cracks wider than the thickness of a 10 p piece 3. Matching cracks on interior and exterior walls 4. Cracks that widen in summer and shrink in winter. 5. Broken or leaking drains. 6.

Damage to nearby walls or garages with shallow foundations. Your property is vulnerable from a diverse number of risks ranging from minor damage by vandals and Glass Breakage, through Flooding and Burst Pipes to a Fire, which could totally destroy the building. In addition, you need to ensure the safety of residents and visitors to the property This, of course, is why you have taken out Insurance. However protecting your property and yourselves against potential liabilities needs to be seen as a partnership of insurance and control of risk or Risk Management. RIS recognise reduced risk is of benefit to you and your insurers and are keen to promote Risk Management. This section is designed to bring to your attention many of the risks, which need to he considered and action that can be taken to control them.

A checklist is included at the end of this section to help you identify risks and take appropriate action. Should you require further advice on particular issues please contact us. Topics Covered by this Guide: - 1. Fire 2.

Water Damage 3. Subsidence / Heave 4. Security 5. Safety 6. Other Information Fire Means of Escape Means of Escape should be adequate for the building and in accordance with Approved Document B of the Building Regulations 1991. The local Fire Officer will be able to provide further advice.

Adequate emergency lighting that operates independently of the main electrical supply needs to he provided. Fire Exit signs including the approved pictograms need to be provided. Doors on to Fire Escape routes should normally provide at least 30 minutes fire resistance, be self-closing and maintained in good condition. We would recommend other doors within flats are closed at night, as this will help to contain any fires within a single room.

Fire Alarms and Extinguishers The Buildings Regulations make hard wired smoke alarms a requirement for all newly built and converted flats, although this does not apply to common parts. We would strongly recommend smoke alarms are provided in all flats built before the 1991 regulations. The Fire alarm system, including smoke detectors, must he maintained in full working order. The system should be tested weekly and a log of all tests kept. We would recommend that a mixture of Fire Extinguishers capable of dealing with both fires in furnishings and of an electrical nature are located at Fire Points within the flats. It is essential these are maintained by an LPC or BASE approved company.

We would suggest fire blankets are provided in kitchens. Electrical Installations Faulty wiring or misused electrical equipment is a major cause of fires. It is recommended an inspection of the main electrical installation is undertaken by an NICE IC approved contractor on changes of tenancy of leased flats and in any case at 5 yearly intervals. Occupiers should he encouraged to carry out visual inspections of their own appliances and have defects remedied. The use of multi-socket adapters, which are not individually fused should be discouraged. Arson Arson is the major cause of fires in the United Kingdom.

The risk of loss can be reduced by Keeping all household and other waste in a secure area away from the buildings. Ensuring the premises are secure, including Access Control for visitors. See separate security section. Ensure any communal waste chutes are secure and cannot be easily accessed by visitors. Heating Central Heating systems should be regularly serviced and maintained. It is a legal requirement where flats are leased to have an annual safety check on gas boilers and heaters.

Heaters and boilers should be kept clear of combustible materials. The use of portable heaters by tenants, particularly gas and paraffin heaters should be discouraged. Furnishings If you provide upholstered furniture as part of the letting agreement this must be fire resisting and meet the requirements of the Furnishings (Fire Safety) Regulations 1988. All new furniture sold must meet these regulations and be appropriately labelled. Garages Tenants should he made aware they should be not used for storage of flammable liquids, gases or other hazardous materials. Control of Contractors Many large fires are caused by contractors using a naked flame or heat in processes such as roofing, plumbing or cutting of steel etc.

Where contractors are employed for works please ensure the following Only employ bona fide contractors who are members of reputable trade associations. Check that they have current Public Liability Insurance cover, including for "Hot Work". This should give at least lb 5 M cover and ideally be sufficient to cover the full reinstatement value of the flats. Any major hot work should be subject to a permit, this should ensure Fire Extinguishers are available A Fire Watch is maintained by the contractor All combustible goods are removed from the immediate area or protected by fire resisting coverings. All gas cylinders etc are removed once the work is completed. Water Damage Control Ensure the condition of roofs and gutters are inspected on a regular basis (at least annually) and after storms.

Flat roofs are a particular problem and recovering should be considered if they are over 10 years old. Adequate lagging should be provided to water tanks and pipes in unheated areas. Be sure you and your tenants know the location of stopcocks and that these are kept accessible. Make tenants aware of the need to maintain heating at a low level (minimum 5 centigrade) if they leave the premises for holidays in the winter. Ensure minor leaks and dripping overflows are immediately repaired.

Subsidence / Heave The main cause of subsidence is shrinkage of clay soils (mainly in Southern England) as moisture dries out. Heave is the swelling of soils as they re-hydrate. Leaking drains can cause problems and these should be repaired as soon as problems are known. If the premises are in a clay soil area, trees and shrubs need to be kept a safe distance from the buildings.

Advice is available from The Building Research Establishment. Existing trees should be regularly pruned to avoid problems. Permission may be necessary from the local authority before this work is done. Do not allow water to collect near the buildings. How to make an initial assessment of your own house. If you suspect that your house has suffered or is suffering from ground movement then pay particular attention to the following points: 1.

Are any of the doors or windows in the house sticking or jamming? If you ease them by planing off part of their edge, do they jam again? 2. Is there an area of wallpaper in the house that is rucking or rippling where it was previously flat? 3. Are there signs of cracking to the internal plastering that are either fresh movements or enlargements of existing cracks?

4. Examine the external brickwork. Are there any signs of fresh cracking, or perhaps old cracks that may have opened recently? If there are any signs of clean brick in any part of the crack then the movement may be recent. 5. Have you any reason to believe that the drains are not working properly or a water main is leaking?

Does the external gulley take far longer to drain than previously? Have you undertaken a drain survey and found cracks or dislocations in them? If one or more of the above relates to your house then it may be suffering from movement in its foundations. It is a cause for concern, but not panic.

Most houses are insured against subsidence and most insurance companies are helpful and supportive in dealing with this type of claim. It is important to register your concerns with the insurance company as soon as possible. It is also important to enlist the help of a suitably qualified and experienced professional in both researching the problem and progressing any claim that might arise. You should ensure that you are being advised by either a chartered structural engineer or a qualified specialist in foundation movement, and whoever is advising you must be fully insured.

Subsidence Management Ltd is a specialist company that only deals with subsidence. We have a full range of qualified professionals who can deal with all aspects of your problem from initial assessment to certification of completed repairs, You will find our personnel helpful and friendly and happy to explain to you exactly what is involved in dealing with your particular problem. Our service includes 1. Inspections, assessments and the preparation of reports.

2. Monitoring of damage and assessment of possible long-term effects. 3. Commissioning and assessing drain surveys. 4. Geological surveys and interpretation of the results.

5. Design and procurement of remediation works in order to arrest continuing movement. 6. Design, specification and procurement of repairs to the superstructure. 7. Procurement of any necessary works and the administration of the contracts on site.

8. Certification of payments and certifying the work once complete. 9. Help with your insurance claim Causes A. The most common causes of subsidence are as follows: 1. Settlement of old mine workings, often at great depth, resulting in damage to structures on the surface. These may often be a long way from the cause of the damage.

Access shafts are notoriously difficult to identify as mine operators rarely kept good records of these points. 2. Damage to subsoil caused by water flowing through them. This may be from naturally occurring ground water or leaking drains and water mains. When a drain begins to leak it can soften or wash away the body of a soil and create weakness. This can result in the weight of any nearby structures causing the soil to crush, allowing the building to subside.

3. Long term consolidation of fill. 4. Decomposition and degradation of soils that contain a large organic content.

Peat soils are made up of vegetable matter laid down by historic forests. When these materials are below the water table in the ground they remain relatively stable for hundreds of years. If, for any reason, the water table should become lower then the soils will be prone to drying-out or biodegrading - either of which will result in a reduction in its volume. This will cause any buildings supported by the soils to settle and crack.

5. Instability of uneven ground. When soils rest at an angle to the horizontal they can sometimes become unstable and begin to slip. This is typical of coastal cliffs and most people are aware of the type of dramatic collapses that appear on the news from time to time. In a lesser way this can happen on naturally occurring slopes and in areas where a man-made excavation has created large differences in ground levels. This may be a large excavation for a tall building or open earthworks for a major road scheme.

This type of movement is both difficult and expensive to deal with. 6. Shrinkage of clay soils. Clay is a natural soil created in historic rivers by the deposition of tiny rock particles. In Great Britain and Northern Europe clays occur with an amount of water dispersed within their matrix... Being highly impermeable to the passage of water, clays will resist the tendency to dry out and will normally maintain a consistent moisture content over many decades.

If a clay dries out it can shrink. Upon re wetting it expands. This results in seasonal shrinkage and swelling which can cause cracking of nearby buildings. Tree roots spread out in search of water. Clay soils are a ready source of water that a tree can remove by suction. When trees grow in shrinkable clay soils they locally dry out the soils and can often cause subsidence if they affect the soils beneath the footings.

Alternatively, if a well established tree should die then the ground in which its roots are dispersed will no longer be subject to the long term drying-out effect and as a result will begin to take up moisture from surrounding soils and from the atmosphere. This in turn will result in swelling of the soil and this is known as heave. In many respects, heave is capable of producing greater damage to a building than its counterpart, subsidence. Ways of preventing further damage. In simple terms this means minimising the risk of the soil beneath the footing / foundation moving excessively. This can be achieved by addressing the cause of movement e.g. repairing drains, managing vegetation or, where movement is caused by unstable surface soils the tried and tested method is known as underpinning.

This involves creating large concrete supports (or 'pins') under the existing foundations that extend down into the more stable soils at a greater depth. It is an expensive and disruptive process but it is known to be very effective when correctly carried-out. A modern version of underpinning is piling, or sometimes mini-piling. This involves introducing long concrete or steel columns close by the building that extend downward several metres into the subsoil, where they take their support. These are then used to carry the full weight of the building, thereby insulating it from the effects of movements within the surface soils.

Alternatively, a "raft" of reinforced concrete can be used as the foundation. Any services, i.e. drains, water pipes etc., that feed into the building must be designed to accommodate such alterations in the foundation, but this is known technology. Where the ground movement is caused by shrinkage or swelling of clay soils then the initial approach is to ensure that the soils that carry the weight of the building cannot suffer changes in their moisture content. At the design stage for a new building, this is achieved by ensuring that the foundations extend downward below the zone that may be affected by seasonal variations in moisture content, i.e. deeper than about a metre.

In the case of building near to trees this will depend on the size and species of tree and their distance from the building. Where buildings are required to co-exist with trees it is prudent to maintain the trees in a way that will not allow significant changes in soil moisture content to occur. We can advise on this. Repairs to Structural Damage. Where the fabric of a building has been damaged by ground movement the first requirement is that the soundness of the structure must be reinstated. Where brickwork has cracked it is essential that the strength is restored.

Where damage is severe this can sometimes only be achieved by taking down the brickwork and rebuilding it again. In lesser cases the brickwork may be repaired by injecting resins into the cracks and effectively gluing the brickwork back together again. When carried out correctly it can produce joints that are stronger than the bricks themselves. Any part of a building may suffer damage due to ground movement.

To all outward appearances the damage is similar i.e. cracks in the brickwork and distortions in the general fabric. However, the function of the affected parts has a significant effect on the type of repair that may be required. Important load bearing elements require a structural repair whilst lesser elements might receive only cosmetic and weatherproof repairs. There are a number of proprietary repairs to brickwork and concrete that are presently available.

These usually involve the introduction of steel reinforcement to the masonry and locking it in place using either resins or cement-based materials. Many of these processes are more effective than the earlier types of repair, and some specialist installers are able to give a sound, insurance-backed guarantee to their work. Restoring the moisture content of soils by rehydration The great majority of damage caused to buildings in the southern half of Great Britain is as a result of clay shrinkage caused by desiccation. In cases where damage has already occurred the prevention of further damage and the correction of existing damage can be effected by addressing the moisture content of the soils directly. This is a patented process known as Soil Moisture Management and this company enjoys sole rights to the process throughout Great Britain. In broad terms it ensures that the moisture content of a body of soil is kept within acceptable limits regardless of external influences.

If the soil moisture content falls below a predetermined level then the process utilises rehydration of the soil by the introduction of water through a mechanism that will stop when the required moisture content has been achieved. If soil is re hydrated without regard for this equilibrium figure then enormous damage can be caused to any nearby buildings. It should not be attempted without a full understanding of the processes involved. In cases where the cause of the desiccation is tree root encroachment, the process must be used in conjunction with management of the offending tree. Removal of the tree is not always required, but control of its root arrangement is an essential part of the process.

In broad terms the rehydration process involves the introduction of water into the body of the soil. A network of probes is inserted into the soil and connected to a water supply. Rehydration takes place to a pre-arranged sequence and for a given period. As the various parts of the soil mass come up to their correct level, the uptake of moisture is reduced and when equilibrium has been achieved the system is switched off. In instances where the problem might occur again the system is left live, but in a state where the supply of water will only be restarted if the soil begins to suffer desiccation. At present the process is only used on particular types of problem, but where it is used the results can be spectacular.

In one case where the willow trees which had caused the subsidence were removed, closure of about 20 mm was achieved within 3 months. Our service includes 1. Help with your insurance claim Is my building suffering from subsidence? Your building may be suffering from subsidence if there are a series of cracks generally around one part of the building, e.g. bay window, corner, additional annex.

Similarly, if repaired cracks reappear or doors or windows begin to stick, then these are all signs that there is movement to the walls which may be due to subsidence, heave or landslip and requires further investigation. Does subsidence damage constitute a danger to my building? In structural terms, damage caused by subsidence rarely caused the building to become unstable overnight. As a general guide for more modern properties, the crack width / movement needs to be about 15 mm or more to warrant a severe damage classification. Even with such movement, the building may not be unstable. What are the causes of subsidence?

Most commonly, subsidence is due to shrinkage of clay soils beneath the foundations. Shrinkage is usually caused by roots from nearby vegetation drying out the soil. Other causes include softening of the foundation soil. Other causes include softening of the foundation soil due to water e.g. because of leaking drains and long-term consolidation of fill (any soil which has been moved / excavated by man). If I suspect my buildings have suffered subsidence damage, what do I do? You should seek advice from an experienced and qualified Chartered engineer who can arrange the necessary investigations and monitoring and who can suggest remedial measures and ultimately co-ordinate repairs.

You should also notify your buildings insurers as soon as possible, as they may wish to appoint a loss adjuster to help with the insurance issues. What investigations are needed for subsidence? Generally, it is necessary to dig trial pits so as to establish the foundation and subsoil characteristics. Boreholes for deeper soil samples may also need to be formed. Soil and root samples are then tested in the laboratory. Other tests include checking drains for leaks, which may require a CCTV survey.

Visible cracks need to be measured and monitored for changes. Establishing a history of the site / building can also be very useful. How long will it take to resolve my subsidence damage? Because of the need to monitor movement, it is common for subsidence damage to take 12-18 months to resolve. However, if there is significant damage or monitoring is not considered to be beneficial, then repairs can be carried out more quickly.

There are situations, e.g. where a tree identified as being the cause of damage belongs to someone else or where there are party wall issues to resolve, which can result in the process taking longer than 18 months. Who or what is a loss adjuster? A loss adjuster is an insurance specialist who is appointed by the buildings insurers to impartially advise on your claim and to liaise with all parties in order to bring the claim to a satisfactory conclusion at a reasonable cost within the constraints of your insurance policy. Does the loss adjuster work for the insurers?

Although the loss adjuster is paid by the insurance company, his / her brief is to be impartial. Can I have someone "on my side"? Your engineer can help with technical issues and can liaise with the loss adjuster in order to simplify communication if you so wish. My insurers have appointed their own engineers, is that reasonable? That depends very much on the engineer and some loss-adjusting firms have in-house engineers to advise them.

There should normally be no difficulty in your instructing your own engineer should you so wish or to ask for a second opinion, but check your policy first to ensure that reasonable fees incurred will be paid. We can assist or provide a second opinion if needed. Will my property need to be underpinned? Only about 20-30% of properties suffering from subsidence need some form of underpinning. In most instances, remedial measures (such as removal of trees or repairs to leaking drains) are sufficient for the building to regain stability. On these occasions only superstructure repairs are then required.

Will I need to move out of my home? That depends on your own personal circumstances and the nature and extent of repairs envisaged. In most instances, the repairs are not significantly more disruptive than normal redecoration of the house. How much will it cost and who will pay for the work? You as the homeowner are usually responsible for the costs incurred, but your buildings insurers would reimburse you the engineer's fees, investigative costs and repair cost if they are reasonable and if policy liability is confirmed. The loss adjuster / insurers would be able to advise you with regards to policy liability.

What is the policy excess? Many insurance policies include a policy excess. If policy liability is established, then you as the homeowner would be responsible to pay for costs up to that limit providing your insurance situation does not require you to pay any of the other costs. The amount of the policy excess should be specified in your insurance documents in relation to subsidence / heave /landslip and in most policies is lb 1,000 How will the fact that I have had subsidence affect my home in terms of value insurance and saleability? Most insurance companies take a reasonable view of the position and are prepared to continue to insure the buildings under normal rates and conditions if the cause of damage has been eliminated. Some may also continue to insure a future owner, but this is an aspect best addressed by your insurance / loss adjusters.

What if I don't agree with what my insurance company loss adjuster's say? Differences of opinion can usually be resolved by corresponding with your insurers / loss adjuster. Where significant disagreements occur, your insurance documents should detail how to resolve them, including the procedure for referring the matter to the insurance ombudsman. We can assist you in the discussions.

What is the party wall act? This is an act of parliament which requires you to notify any neighbours who may be adversely affected by investigations / repairs necessary to your property. It is to ensure that where damage does occur to an adjoining property, then it is recognised and can be addressed. Usually a party wall surveyor is appointed and party wall surveyor is appointed and party wall award issued. Maps of natural subsidence hazard are derived from 1: 50,000 and 1: 250,000 geological maps.

These are used in conjunction with geo hazard ratings at the postcode sector level to allow derivation of subsidence hazard for domestic properties. Natural hazards can cause ground movement, these include movement as a consequence of swelling clays, unstable slopes, ground dissolution and compression. Such hazards relate directly to the 'below ground geology' and are inherent in the rocks themselves. However, it is possible that they may be exaggerated or subdued by the interaction of other 'above ground' factors including vegetation, availability of water and human activities.

The impact of such hazards also depends on the type and age of the buildings. Subsidence Introduction Subsidence is the downward movement of foundations due to failing ground strata. Often this is noticeable in brick or stone built houses when cracks or bulges appear in the walls as a result of the subsidence. Reasons for subsidence There are many reasons for it to occur.

These include: - Failing drainage pipes. Leaking drainage pipes can cause foundations to drop by softening the ground under the foundations or by washing the ground away. This can particularly affect a 19th Century or older property where the drainage has reached, or is fast approaching, the end of its life. Trees. Trees absorb huge quantities of water from the ground surrounding them. In some clay soils this can dehydrate soils and cause them to shrink, resulting in subsidence.

However it is only highly shrinkable clay soils where this characteristic causes significant problems. Mining and swallow holes. Mining operations can cause surface subsidence when old workings collapse or long wall systems are used. Similarly swallow holes in limestone rocks can collapse, again causing surface subsidence. Cracks Not all cracks in brick or stone walls indicate subsidence. They often occur in masonry construction due to causes other than movement of the foundations.

Typical of this are cracks around or between the openings for windows and doors. These are often the result of temperature changes in the wall through the year. This creates thermal stresses in the masonry and results in cracks appearing around weak points such as windows and doors. Settlement Settlement is similar to subsidence in that it is the downward movement of the foundations, but it is a short term effect. Settlement can occur when an extension is constructed onto an existing building. As the ground under the foundations of the extension take the load from the extension, there is some compaction of the soil resulting in slight movement.

This can cause cracks to appear in the masonry walls, particularly where the extension abuts the original building. However the movement normally comes to a halt and other than repairing the cracks, no repairs are needed. What to do Generally if cracks appear in the walls of a building the first action is to monitor them to see if they change (either get bigger or smaller) or stay fairly constant. If they get bigger over the course of say a few weeks to a year, then contact your building insurer. If the building is suffering subsidence it is your insurers who you will want to pay for any repairs, and they will want to stop the subsidence as soon as possible to keep the costs of repairs to a minimum. The Insurers will usually send out a loss adjuster to investigate, but they are not structural experts and will probably ask you to obtain a structural engineers report.