RESULTANT DAMAGE CLAIM

JN10360 | RESULTANT DAMAGE | WATER-BASED DAMAGE

ASSESSMENT

Black Bird Construction was contacted by the client’s insurance company to assess and conduct repair work. An assessment took place at the client’s property in Kenilworth, where various items were inspected and a quotation was then generated and accepted by the insurer and client. Below is a breakdown of what transpired during the claim and excerpts of the assessor’s findings have been included as a means to explain the various building work required to repair the damages. The scope of work has also been included along with photos of the damages before and after the repairs were completed. We hope you enjoy the post and if you would like to learn more about Black Bird Construction please feel free to contact us.

DAMAGE REPORT:

Black Bird Construction was appointed to assess the resultant damage affecting the above-mentioned property (Unit 505) due to a water point/supply that was left on by accident in the apartment above (Unit 605). Upon our inspection, it was abundantly clear that the affected apartment had been damaged. I spoke to the tenant/owner of Unit 605 and she explained that her apartment had suffered no damage. The owner of Unit 505 had however suffered damages to her kitchen and bathroom. To go into further detail, Unit 505 had been damaged by the water the bled downwards from the apartment above. The damaged property included the BICs, tiling and ceilings – refer to the attached photos as a reference. A full breakdown of the resultant damage to Unit 505 has been provided below:

BICs (Built-in cupboards):

Due to the moisture seeping down from the apartment, the water penetrated through the slab and into the kitchen via the stack pipe which runs through all of the apartments.
Due to this stack pipe being overwhelmed, the water emitted from the pipe and into the kitchen BICs. The BICs have subsequently been affected at multiple points, with many components having to be replaced. The main sections of the BICs that were damaged include the top hung BICs unit and the under-counter area under the stack pipe.
The damaged BICs components include the carcass, rear panels, side panels, doors and filler pieces. These components will need to be replaced to restore the BICs unit to its former condition.
The issue with the repair work is the access to the affected/damaged components. In order to access the damaged components and to swap them out, the stone countertops will need to be removed first. If we are to replace the rear panels and conduct a thorough repair this will be necessary. In other words, it is not a straightforward job.
NOTE: The BICs repairs will require the disconnecting and reconnecting of the plumbing work making up the sink. This has been included in the SOW provided below.

Tiling:

Due to the water seeping down into the kitchen, the tiling work/splashback grout has been stained.
The only way to rectify this issue would be to remove the existing grout and reapply the new grout in the area.
Some of the tiles may be damaged during the countertop removal process.
We have allowed for the refitment of tiles in the area.

Ceilings | Kitchen and bathroom:

The moisture that seeped down from the above apartment found its way into not only the kitchen area but the bathroom area as well. This ceiling will need to be sanded down, prepped thoroughly and painted thereafter.
Due to the removal process of the damaged wall-hung BICs unit carcass, the ceiling is most certainly going to be affected.
The only way to rectify this issue would be to recoat the ceiling once the repairs to the BICs have been completed.

An SOW detailing the required repairs has been provided below:

SCOPE OF WORKS

BELOW IS A BREAKDOWN OF THE REPAIR WORK CONDUCTED TO THE RESULTANT DAMAGES AT THE AFFECTED PROPERTY:

Built-in Cupboards (BIC’s) | Plumbing work included:

Dismantle and remove all damaged/waterlogged BICs components.
Remove all fitted plumbing work.
Dry the area thoroughly using dehumidifiers.
Supply and fit all required BICs components.
Refit plumbing work.
NOTE: Higher rate used due to BIC’s being of a ‘sprayed’ type. All components are airbrushed with matching paint.
NOTE: We have cost to replace the damaged components making up the BICs, however, due to the nature of the damage we are only able to identify what is visible. We may encounter or discover further damage as we proceed with the repairs.
NOTE: In cases such as this claim, the granite top may have suffered a hairline crack to occur along the top. This is due to individuals using the BICs while the damage has set in. Pressure applied from above causes the countertop to sag subsequently causing a hairline crack to develop. At that point, it is best to just replace the material making up the countertop (granite, engineered stone, etc.).

Granite top:

Call-out 1: Removal of granite top.
Call-out 2: Re-fitment of granite top.
Sealing of granite countertop.

Dehumidifier | All areas:

Supply and place a dehumidifier in the affected area. –
Allowance of 3 days to dry is recommended.

Tiling to stack pipe enclosure:

Remove existing tiles.
Supply and fit new tiles.
Supply and apply matching grout.
Supply and apply sealer.

Paintwork to ceilings & cornices | All affected areas:

Prep ceilings & cornices thoroughly before paint application.
Supply and apply PVA paint to all affected ceilings in the affected areas.
NOTE: End-to-end application to be conducted to ensure a high-quality finish.

Rubble removal | Site clearance:

Clean and clear all rubble from the site.
Ensure that the client’s property is left in a clean and orderly manner before vacating entirely from the site.