Car got cement dots from roadwork - claim

Tanya Li

post

the_pen_turner

have you tried washing it.
there is a special car was stuff for cement spots. autosmart seel it and i presume others do as well

colm_mcm

Can’t see how they’d be able to break the windscreen but maybe they did.

LiamaDelta

Good luck proving that it was the 'roadworks' specifically that did it. Just wash the car.

Peregrinus

Tanya Li wrote: »

washed the car, cement dots are still there, went to a garage, and was told that it's impossible to remove the cement without damaging the paint.
cant think of any other way how a car could get hundreds of cement dots on itself , if not from a roadwork

Nevertheless, you may find that the people you are suing can think of a way, the most obvious one being that it the the result of a different set of roadworks. But there could be other possibilities.

Basically, if you sue, it's up to you to show that the problem results from the negligence of the people that you are suing; it's not up to them to show that it doesn't.

Were there any other cars parked on the road at the same time? Did they suffer similar damage? That would help your case considerably.

On the other hand, it may hinder your case if you parked the car there, knowing that roadworks were going to be conducted (or were being conducted) in the immediate vicinity. The roads have to be maintained and repaired, and roadwork is a dirty and disturbing business. There's a degree to which a choice to leave your car beside active roadworks is a choice to accept the risk of a degree of degradation.

Gravelly

Good luck with that. Sometimes building a bridge and moving on is the best thing.

stimpson

I’ve no idea about the legal side of things, but if you post on the Car Detailing forum, I’m sure someone will advise you on how best to fix it. I’m sure it’s nothing that a professional polish couldn’t fix.

https://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/forumdisplay.php?f=1602

Wildly Boaring

Have you made an official complaint to the council carrying out the works?
Have you notified the contractor of the damage?

A lot of public clients will push their contractors to remedy situations like this. (private ones - developers - not so much)

The council has employed a contractor to carry out works on their behalf. If the works damaged property then it's no skin off the councils nose to force them to rectify it.

You will need reasonable proof. eg Photos of works on-going near the car etc.

Similarly many Tier 1 main contractor want to keep a clean reputation and look good to clients. A decent detailer may get of the concrete for a couple of hundred euro. Nothing to main contractor.


Again if the works are subbed it's no skin off the main contractor's nose to get the sub contractor to rectify.


Either way in my experience without early notification you will have limited traction with your complaint


Repair of chipped window should be free under your insurance??

Gravelly

Any car detailer worth their salt could remove the cement dots and polish the paintwork back to new. Mountains and molehills come to mind.

Tanya Li

Gravelly wrote: »

Any car detailer worth their salt could remove the cement dots and polish the paintwork back to new. Mountains and molehills come to mind.

obviously it's fixable, the key is that it's not fair for me to take the damage or pay for it, or claim insurance & increased premium because I did not do anything wrong, thanks for your msg and attitude , which are quite supportive and helpful !!!

Tanya Li

hi scanlone, yeah took photos, videos, etc. just filed a complaint to dublin city council, hope it gets solved before years to come....

Cordell

It it's cement and not tar or asphalt you can try to soak the dots with vinegar for a couple of minutes and then gently wipe and rinse. Try on small less visible area first.

Wildly Boaring

Tanya Li wrote: »

hi scanlone, yeah took photos, videos, etc. just filed a complaint to dublin city council, hope it gets solved before years to come....

You'd be surprised; I've always found DCC proactive when on the contractor side.
As above once they pay a contractor to do works they'll be more than happy to push them to sort out problems.

If the works are ongoing I'd go down to the compound and ask if there is a client's representative on the project (Resident engineer / clerk of works). If not I'd ask for the contact details of DCC engineer

Cookie_Monster

Surely it's a risk you take parking on a public road when there were obviously long term road works taking place that toy clearly were aware of. Why not park your car on your own property out of harms way?

Wildly Boaring

Cookie_Monster wrote: »

Surely it's a risk you take parking on a public road when there were obviously long term road works taking place that toy clearly were aware of. Why not park your car on your own property out of harms way?

That's a bit harsh no?

I've often poured concrete near parked cars and always protected them if not able to get an owner to move / find the owner.

New bit of polythene and get the lads to hold protecting the car.

You can't go around damaging property just to get your work done

Tanya Li

Cookie_Monster wrote: »

Surely it's a risk you take parking on a public road when there were obviously long term road works taking place that toy clearly were aware of. Why not park your car on your own property out of harms way?

As said in the original post, my car was parked at home address, no parking space inside the yard, all cars park on the small road where the roadwork carried out.

Cookie_Monster

scanlone wrote: »

Cookie_Monster wrote: »

Surely it's a risk you take parking on a public road when there were obviously long term road works taking place that toy clearly were aware of. Why not park your car on your own property out of harms way?

That's a bit harsh no?

I've often poured concrete near parked cars and always protected them if not able to get an owner to move / find the owner.

New bit of polythene and get the lads to hold protecting the car.

You can't go around damaging property just to get your work done

But it's a fact of life when roadworks happen. Often see signs put up road here advising drivers to wash their cars after travelling though road work areas for this exact reason.

Tanya Li

hi scanlone, yeah the roadwork is still on going, thought about asking the workers for site manager's contact details too, maybe no harm contacting both dcc and the contractor.

Wildly Boaring

Tanya Li wrote: »

hi scanlone, yeah the roadwork is still on going, thought about asking the workers for site manager's contact details too, maybe no harm contacting both dcc and the contractor.

Your best contact is employers rep / clerk of works

Tanya Li

scanlone wrote: »

That's a bit harsh no?

I've often poured concrete near parked cars and always protected them if not able to get an owner to move / find the owner.

New bit of polythene and get the lads to hold protecting the car.

You can't go around damaging property just to get your work done

i was quite surprised too they just carried out right besides a car....
there is marks/prints (on the car body) clearly visible of a sponge/mop used to wipe off the cement....

Wildly Boaring

Can't just go home if there's a car in the way.
May have had a plan and messed up a bit.

jasper100

Tanya Li wrote: »

As said in the original post, my car was parked at home address, no parking space inside the yard, all cars park on the small road where the roadwork carried out.

Surely your car goes to different places and it could have happened elsewhere?