Obligation of Builder to remove rubble from site, provide minimum topsoil?

gerrybbadd

I've had a quick look around on the internet, but can't find any answer relevant to Ireland.

I bought a house last year that was built in 2007. The garden has always been very wet, so I decided I would install some drainage pipes to help with the problem. When I dug down, I encountered a huge amount of rubble under the soil. This rubble was comprised of stones and general rocky fill & dust. It had set like concrete. Measuring this showed that it was 30 inches in parts. And it was like a humpback in the middle of the garden. Water had no where to go, and, as the fill was like an upside down bowl, water of course could not travel up hill to drain off.

Also, in parts, there was less than half an inch top soil. I've found massive amounts of rubbish under the soil too. Old plumbing and electrical pipe, full bricks, plastic and even a full wooden pallet. (Worth mentioning that the house is at the end of an Estate, so was likely the dumping ground.

Is there an obligation here in Ireland for builders to remove this rubble after the house has been built? And is there a min. depth of topsoil they must provide? I have found that there are regulations like this in the UK

My father in law and I are trying to take all the rubble out, just at the weekends, so it is a very long job. We need to hire a jackhammer to break up the fill (at a cost of €30 per day). I've also had to hire a skip to remove the crap at a cost of €250 (and I'll need to get the skip a 2nd time yet).

This builder lives in the estate, and, due to the downturn, is not really in operation anymore. So, he is running a management company for the estate (I reckon as a hobby more than anything) - he owns 31 of the houses in the Estate that he rents out. He is constantly looking for €100 off me per year for "management fees" for the upkeep of the estate. Needless to say, he won't be getting a penny.

hexosan

This is the standard landscaping "feature" of most housing estate gardens in Ireland.

gerrybbadd

hexosan wrote: »

This is the standard landscaping "feature" of most housing estate gardens in Ireland.

Ya I think you're right!

Dr_Bill

Well the builder probably self certified that all was in order and compliant with the regulations so everyone should be happy that the system works as intended and that is a fudge.

Strolling Bones

The new regs won't change that either. Developers will hire people to certify for them under the new system too.

Tefral

The law states that all construction waste is to be removed to a licenced landfill. The EPA enforce this.

Theres a chance that he may have got a licence from the local council to dump fill in certain areas, but no way would pallets and electrical and plumbing fall under this.