Connecting attic?!!

Buying house2020

Hi,

Just discovered that there is a gap in the wall in the attic between our house and next door. (Series of connected terraced houses). We're a bit shocked and surprised.

So essentially this is a fire and a security risk, so very concerned also.

The engineer's survey made no reference to this before we bought the house.

What are the solutions to fix this up? We are completely broke after buying and doing up and furnishing our house, we dont have the budget to fix this.

the_syco

Buying house2020 wrote: »

Just discovered that there is a gap in the wall in the attic between our house and next door.

Where abouts on the wall? Top, bottom, middle, near the rafters?

The chan chan man

Buying house2020 wrote: »

Hi,

Just discovered that there is a gap in the wall in the attic between our house and next door. (Series of connected terraced houses). We're a bit shocked and surprised.

So essentially this is a fire and a security risk, so very concerned also.

The engineer's survey made no reference to this before we bought the house.

What are the solutions to fix this up? We are completely broke after buying and doing up and furnishing our house, we dont have the budget to fix this.

A lot of older redbrick terraced houses are like this. In some you can run the length of the terrace.. There are stories of creepy neighbours watching things at night..which is enough for me to have blocklayers in there first thing tomorrow morning!!

In reality however fire spread would be of more concern. Even if your surveyor did pick it up, it is what it is. Its not “wrong” since that’s how it was built. It doesn’t meet current fire regs, but would you have bought the house anyway? Probably..

As for options - fire curtain or block. I’d go for block since the fire curtain won’t stop the pervy aul lad in Number 12..

Gumbo

This is very common but I’m surprised the survey didn’t pick up on it.
Best solution is to agree with neighbors to continue the party wall up to the underside of the roof with block work.

Finish with Diagram 13 from Technical Guidance Document Part B.

Buying house2020

the_syco wrote: »

Where abouts on the wall? Top, bottom, middle, near the rafters?

Top upper corner beside rafters

Borzoi

The chan chan man wrote: »

In reality however fire spread would be of more concern. Even if your surveyor did pick it up, it is what it is. Its not “wrong” since that’s how it was built. It doesn’t meet current fire regs,

My brothers house was like this - terrace of Dublin period cottages. Came home one day to find sooty boot prints through out the house, with no sign of entry. There'd been a fire in one of the other cottages and the fire brigade had gone through all the attics and dropped into the house to check there was no spread.

He built the block wall 2 weeks later