Underpinning

I heard outrageously loud noises last week on Jan First week of Feb coming from my neighbors basement. Is it possible that he went under my side of the party wall and poured concrete? I spoke with engineer yesterday and this was his opinion. Please let me know what seriously think? Thanks.

Guest User | 7 years and 2 months ago

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bklyn658 | 7 years and 1 month ago

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Most likely your neighbor shaved down the brick wall so that he could install casters under it. That way he can gradually move the wall into your house, thinking you won’t notice an inch every few months. He doesn’t know who he is dealing with though – it’s a good thing you’re on top of this.

Guest User | 7 years and 1 month ago

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If I decided to sell the house – not to deal with the stress and something happens down the road – am I liable? Could I put an as is clause?

CarmenR | 7 years and 1 month ago

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Man, you need to sell this house.

Guest User | 7 years and 1 month ago

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The bricks were handled during the 20-30 minute blast and then he must have also cut down the walls into pieces and then shaves them down for 1 month.

CarmenR | 7 years and 1 month ago

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Again, I ask, how would anyone shave down bricks like that?

Guest User | 7 years and 1 month ago

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This is my thesis – the 20-30 minute blast was targeted at the party wall. Then with access to my walls, he spent 1 month drilling and vacuuming.

CarmenR | 7 years and 1 month ago

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How would someone shave down bricks like that? You realize that party walls are made of brick, right?

Guest User | 7 years and 1 month ago

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Answer the sell the house question.

Guest User | 7 years and 1 month ago

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lets say they were 10 inches thick on 12/4 now they might be 3-4 inches thick.

CarmenR | 7 years and 1 month ago

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What does “reducing them to very little” mean?

Guest User | 7 years and 1 month ago

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Answer the sell the house question. So on 12/5 there was a huge noise for 20-30 minutes coming from his apartment – adjacent to mine. That is when he talked the party wall. Then for roughly 1 month – drilled away at the walls reducing them to very little. That is my thesis.

CarmenR | 7 years and 1 month ago

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How do you think he could reduce your walls? I am deeply curious.

Guest User | 7 years and 1 month ago

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So your saying there is no way he could reduced my walls Carmen?

Guest User | 7 years and 1 month ago

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If I decided to sell the house – not to deal with the stress and something happens down the road – am I liable? Could I put an as is clause?

CarmenR | 7 years and 1 month ago

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Also, you must realize that most party walls are one-brick thick. So there’s no way for him to “reduce [it] to not much on his side” except to remove drywall or plaster or whatever, which should not effect the structural integrity of the wall.

Guest User | 7 years and 1 month ago

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Why are you confused?

randolph | 7 years and 1 month ago

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I am so confused. I give up.

CarmenR | 7 years and 1 month ago

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If he is doing work on your party wall (like repointing it) I can certainly see how it might cause cracks in your plaster. The contractor should take care of it but that does NOT mean they are underpinning necessarily. When they are done, it is likely that you will have a stronger wall then you did before- they have absolutely no reason to want to intentionally cause problems with your party wall, all that will do is give you a reason to sue them.

Guest User | 7 years and 1 month ago

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I really believe my walls are reduced to not much on his side of the wall. And the 2 weeks was to damage my property – I see cracks. I’m sorry I never reported the jobs and I’m sorry I didn’t sell the house in 2016.