BURST GEYSER AND RESULTANT DAMAGES CLAIM

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 Royal Ascot, 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.

REPORT

Damage Report:

Leak detection: Our leak detection team was sent out to test for any burst pipes and affected plumbing inside the property. A report, compiled by our plumbing/leak-detection team, has been provided below: Leak detection team’s report: Our leak detection technician attended to the above-mentioned property on the 9th of March in order to conduct a leak detection tests. After correlation tests were conducted, technician traced and located a leak / potential burst on the water supply pipes in the shower floor. Technician also found the shower floor to have the following defects:

A gap around the trap.
Gap in the grout.

We recommend the shower floor be lifted and all the pipes be exposed in order to conduct the necessary repairs. Various resultant damages have occurred due to the geyser and the potential burst in the bathroom. All of which have been detailed below.

Resultant Damages:

Upon arriving at the affected property, it was clear that the ceiling had been damaged due to a plumbing team needing to create an access point for the new geyser to be installed. The plumbing team who worked at the property have damaged the ceiling, as well as the trapdoor. This was done in order to remove the old geyser and fit the new cylinder inside the roof cavity. Other resultant damages include the vanity in the bathroom that was damaged due to sitting in water that bled from the geyser. The common walls between the passageway and the bathroom have also been badly affected due to the potential leak/burst in the bathroom shower base. Only once the burst has been repaired, can the balance of the repairs to the resulting damages be completed. A breakdown of what work required to repair the affected ceilings and resulting damages has been described below. Ceilings:

The affected section of ceiling will need to be removed and replaced with new rhino boards.
The batons above will need to be repaired and re-instated.
The insulation will also need to be replaced.
Skimming plasterwork to be applied to the ceilings.
Once all the above-mentioned repair work to the ceilings have been completed, priming and painting of the ceilings can commence.
The electrical fitting will need to be removed and refitted by a qualified electrician.

Vanity:

Due to the immense amount of moisture that bled from the geyser onto the floors, this has subsequently caused the timber making up the vanity to swell, split and warp.
The vanity will need to be replaced with a new unit as the existing materials are not salvageable.

Walls:

The common wall between the bathroom and the passageway has been affected by the water related damages stemming from the burst pipe in the property.
The walls will need to be sanded down, prepped, and primed before being painted.

Shower base & tiling:

The shower will need to be, recast, waterproofed, and prepped for tiling.
Once the tiling work has been repaired, the tiles can then be sealed.

A thorough breakdown of the required repairs needed to the ceilings has been provided in the below SOW.

SCOPE OF WORKS

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

Repairs to ceiling (Brandering/repairs):

Remove existing ceilings boards.
Rework ceiling substructure and brandering.
Ensure that the ceiling is level before skimming.

Repairs to ceiling (Rhinoboard replacement):

Supply and fit new ceiling boards.

Repairs to ceiling (Skim plaster):

Apply skimplaster to newly installed ceilings.
Prep for paint application.

Repairs to trapdoor:

Supply all required materials.
Fabricate new trapdoor on site.

Insulation:

Supply all required materials.
Fit insulation to roofing cavity.
Place the balance of the insulation where necessary.

Paintwork to ceilings & cornices (Incl. trapdoor):

Fill, sand and prep ceilings thoroughly before paint application.
Supply and apply priming coat to newly skim-plastered ceilings.

Paintwork to ceilings & cornices (Incl. trapdoor):

Fill, sand and prep ceilings thoroughly before paint application.
Apply white PVA paint to the ceiling and cornices.
NOTE: Ceiling to be painted from end to end to ensure a uniform application.

Electrician:

Call out to remove electrical fitting in bathroom.
Test all existing electrical work in the affected area.
Re-connect all existing electrical fittings as per the existing layout.

Paintwork to interior walls:

Fill, sand and prep ceilings thoroughly before paint application.
Supply and apply matching colour paint to all affected walls in the bathroom.
NOTE: End-to-end application to be conducted to ensure a high-quality finish.

Vanity:

Disconnect mixer and basin from supply and allow for the vanity to be replaced.
Remove existing, old vanity and fit new vanity.
Once the new vanity has been fitted, allow for the plumbing team to return and re-connect all plumbing work.
Seal the vanity with silicone sealer.

Plumbing:

2 call out sessions will be required in order to complete the work needed at the client’s home.
A call out for the disconnecting of the existing plumbing work and a second for the reconnecting of all the plumbing work, as well as the sanitary ware.
The initial call out will be conducted at the same time as the repairs to the above-mentioned pipework repairs.
NOTE: This price also includes any labour and materials that are required to complete the plumbing aspect of the job.

Rubble removal | Site clearance: