What kind of tradesman

amdud28

Our house has lots of cracks externally. We bought the house about 10 years ago. The cracks started developing about 2 years after. There are many other houses in our area that have the same problem.
We hired a structural engineer who has basically said this may possibly be a mica problem or poor workmanship when the house was being built. We also have severe efflorescence on the inside walls of the front rooms of the house. it is a two storey house, and initially only the lower rooms were involved, but we are beginning to see the same thing in upper rooms.
The engineer has said this is a seperate problem to the other issue, and that we need to remove our windows and replace the dpc as it has not been fitted correctly and this is allowing water penetration. Can someone please advise for the dpc and window problem what kind of tradesman would I need. Is it a job for a builder or a window company. We are in Donegal.

Calahonda52

Mica in houses in Donegal featured in a TV programme some time ago: about 7 months ago.
What are the other owners saying/doing about the mica problem?

This is a bigger problem than the DPC, IMO as if the blocks continue to crumble the the doc issue is largely moot

amdud28

Yes I totally agree with you. Some other owners have had their houses replastered (along with other works?). We have had quotes for this ranging between 16-20 thousand!!!! We are waiting for the government to publish a decision on this issue, but I'm fairly sure it will be of little help. However, whatever we decide to do with the cracks on exterior, we still have to do this work seperately.

Calahonda52

amdud28 wrote: »

Yes I totally agree with you. Some other owners have had their houses replastered (along with other works?). We have had quotes for this ranging between 16-20 thousand!!!! We are waiting for the government to publish a decision on this issue, but I'm fairly sure it will be of little help. However, whatever we decide to do with the cracks on exterior, we still have to do this work seperately.

Well if you went with EWI, external wall insulation, then the windows could be removed and replaced on the outside face of the wall, assuming its not all crumbly!!, and new dpcs would be added at this point....
Just a thought