Cracks on condado apartment

Hi Roy,

I dont think the blocks are joined together and infact there is a small gap between the blocks which the mastic covers.

The point I am trying to make is. If you could push the blocks apart and run a path between them how would the end walls be constructed any differently?

One more thing Roy, if the walls are moving apart the whole block is also moving would that be correct?

Thanks for you`r help Roy

Pad

 

First of all the cracking is between 10cm and 18cm away from the mastic seal which demonstrates the degree of the movement and the cracks are multiple, not just splitting of the mastic

The problem is that the inside coverings of the 2 walls, even if there is a gap between them will not be sealed or rendered so as the cracks open up the water penetrates the gap and the walls were very wet when tested by a damp meter and the floor tiles were lifting plus the paint and render flaking off

The actual width of the cracking varied between .5cm and 3cm 

 

Roy

Thanks for that, (I dont know where I got the gap being 10cm wide??).

Paul

I think that the biggest problem here is the way that they are asking buyers to purchase these properties, bought as seen, no snagging opportunity and no guarantee as such form the builders either 1 year or 3 years so you are relying on the goodwill of an insurance company under a 10 year guarantee

If we had been snagging this property as a normal purchase, on the basis of what we had found, we would have advised the client not complete until the defect was resolved

This would be defined as a patent defect, a physical problem in the building whether in the fabric, structure or services, especially one that impairs correct function.  To those who commission building work or occupy and use buildings, a defect is a feature of the building that is regarded as inadequate

I always work on the basis that if it was my money what would I do, the answer here simple, not complete while this defect is present, by one of the other apartments that is not this design and doesn't have this problem as it could just be a design problem, but it is a problem

Hi Roy,

thanks for your input but the last post you made should really have been your first as the previous posts made a fair few assumptions.

As without first hand knowledge of the build on Condado you have no idea whether these blocks are meant to be joined with steel straps or not.

But you are correct in saying that if you are buying one of these properties get it investigated further.

Thanks Roy

and good luck with your business

Pad I am not sure what your agenda is here but I am sure that most people know me on this forum and my experience, having checked and reported on thousands of properties in Span and having seen this SAME PROBLEM on other Polaris developments/

Perhaps you are an agent selling properties on Condado and I will be the first person to say that the resort is really coming to life and the prices are brilliant, great value

I hope that you would agree that this is a design fault that actually needs fixing rather than covering up

At no time have I said, in any post, that these properties should nave been   joined by steel straps and what I actually said was that this is normally how this problem is resolved in standard construction techniques, regardless of the build methods on Condado

If the ground was not moving, possible typical settlement, then the walls would not crack in this way and you would not get the water damage

I also could not see any of this type of damage on any of the other apartments in 3 different phases that were not of this design

As I have tried to explain I am not an amateur at this and 2 years ago had to testify at a legal case for a development in Benimar where EXACTLY the same defect was evident and it was a very expensive repair

I also cannot believe the comments made earlier in the post that a husband of an agent would be able to repair this for around €100

It may be helpful if perhaps you have a more detailed understanding of the issue, and how to repair this, based on your knowledge of the construction, that you give details on this forum

Hi Roy,

you need to calm down a bit, I was only asking!

Pad

Pad these were your comments not mine and I asked for qualification

thanks for your input but the last post you made should really have been your first as the previous posts made a fair few assumptions.

As without first hand knowledge of the build on Condado you have no idea whether these blocks are meant to be joined with steel straps or not.

 

Hi Roy,

I asked you 2 queestions you did not answer.

1, how are the 2 end walls of the block constructed? are they some how different?

I don`t understand what differance it makes if they are 4ins apart or 6ft apart why would the walls move from each other?

2, If the walls are moving away from each other is the whole block moving? I don`t understand how the walls can move away from each other with the rest of the building surporting it?

No agenda Roy simply trying to understand the mechanics of it all.

Thanks

Pad

If the property is telling down on its foundations there will be movement in the joint between the 2 properties which is where the problem is, which is exposing I=the space between the properties and letting in water.

The gaps must have moved or increased as otherwise you would not have got the extent of cracking that can be seen on these properties so you have to stop the movement as otherwise filling the gaps will solve nothing

 

Roy

How would you even begin to correct this issue properly?

Assume some form of partial or full rebuild of adjoining walls with steel ties this time.

Thanks

Actually until it is stripped back it is impossible to tell as you could find all sorts of things down between the two adjoining walls, again I have photographs where they have used this space as a dumping ground

 

 

Hi Roy,

What makes the ends of these apartments any different to the ends of any other apartment on Condado.

If the buildings were 20ft apart would they still have cracking to each building?
If not I'm assuming they have a common shared part of the structure that is being forced either way by the two buildings moving.

I think this is also the point that Pad is making..

Alan

What makes them different is that unlike all of the other properties on these there are 2 separate properties that meet and if you look they are at slightly different heights.

It is difficult to explain without a photograph but there are east to spot as there are 2 ventilation stacks on the top, 2 sets of adjoining front walls on the gardens and then down the centre they have run a approx. 12cm mastic strip and then rendered either side and I believe that there is possibly nothing behind some of the render

I was able to put a probe through the cracks and there was no resistance, no wall behind the render skin

Is it possible that the community can make a case against the developer on the 10 year warranty to get this repaired around the resort? Would Mileniun assist?

So far we have never made a claim against the 10 year policy. We spend three months trying to get ML to submit a test claim for a problem in P16 and in the end they told us the claim was rejected. We wasn't shown the report so can't really confirm that a claim was actually filed. As a ( current ) president I am concerned about the status of this policy.

Roy is entirely correct about the state of the seismic expansion joints, these are a problem. I could post many horrific pictures. In the end it is up to the buyer, ensure you visit the properties and inspect them yourselves, if any show problems walk away. Personally I would steer clear of those properties either side of these joints.

Hooray some sanity thank you for the last post and that's all I have advised the potential buyer to do, walk away

As far as claims are concerned there are 3 different routes

• Claim against the 10 year NHBC cover which is an insurance backed policy, nothing to do with the builders and the details should be with your deeds
• Find out if your community fees cover any aspect of buildings insurance, this is included at Corvera and they are covering the recent damages from the heavy rain
• Make a claim against the developer under the terms that are under Spanish Law that covers defects that make the property non-habitable for the first 3 years

Finally if you have any doubt you can of course get the property professionally checked, as the person on this site did as after all we have been providing these services in Spain now for almost 8 years

 

By your opening remark you make it sound like the rest of us are idiots!

Sorry wasn't meant in that way but in the way I was being quizzed about this is was almost as if people thought I didn't know what I was talking about and it is great to see comments form somebody on the development this is actually experiencing this problem

I have also had 2 PM's from owners onsite with this problem one where the water has already penetrated the walls where the properties join

Again this is a real problem and all I am doing is trying to give advice, I do not post anonymously, and I am happy to stick by the opinion on this style of property with this problem

Also we deal with these type of problems on a regular basis in Spain and as I said in a previous mail I sometimes have to question peoples motived for not recognising this defect as a big problem

I am not an agent, I do not sell properties on Condado and probably saved the person that had me check the property tine and money and passed on the comments via the forum which I didn't have to do

No problem I am looking to buy next week and was genuinely trying to understand the issue, didn't mean to question your advice.
Thanks for all your advice.

Alan