My building is really old and a cast iron pipe in the foundation has broken. My neighbours place flooded, but mine didn't. Turns out that the pipe that is broken needs to be accessed through my closet floor. I live in a basement bachelor suite, so my place is really small and the closet is the only one I have, so coats, shoes, bags, all of my clothing. I have nowhere else to put those things.
It sounds like the plan is to pull up my closet floor boards, cut through the drywall into the neighbours apartment and then jackhammer through the cement to the pipe.
Directly adjacent to the closet is my bed. Across the little hallway is the kitchen, so any drywall or cement debris will land in those areas (drop cloths, here I come!). About 10 feet away is my chair, little sofa and tv. These will be covered with everything from the closet (and more drop cloths).
We aren't sure how long it will take, what sort of hitches will occur ... etc etc.
So, the building manager is saying that between work days (when there is debris and jackhammer crap and equipment lying everywhere) I can sleep in my bed and shouldn't have to stay anywhere else. I'm not sure how that will work - unless I am also sleeping under the drop cloth.
I am leaning towards the 'living space uninhabitable' piece of the landlord/tenant act, as I don't think that it will be quite as easy as she thinks it will be (she tries to make everything sound okay). I also have a dog could not be here during jackhammering.
Question is ...
1. At what point does the space become 'unihabitable' due to construction debris and inability to access during daytime hours?
2. If I (as I) will need a motel for one night and likely more (how long does it take to lay concrete and flooring and they drywall after jackhammering the crap out of someones closet?) so whose insurance pays? Mine or theirs?
3. Who pays for cleaning of concrete/floor/drywall debris and dust in the apartment after the work?
After getting, and fixing the leak, it will all have to be put back together, and concrete has to cure.
I'm thinking at least a week.
Your landlord should be paying for your inconvenience.
But, talk to someone who knows the law in your area.
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A flock of flirting flamingos is pure, passionate, pink pandemonium-a frenetic flamingle-mangle-a discordant discotheque of delirious dancing, flamboyant feathers, and flamingo lingo.
Do I 'make' (not sure how to figure that word out) the building do this in advance or do I pay myself and then get reimbursed?
If your things are in danger of being destroyed, send a letter/email to the owner and let them know the details of the items that need storing and let them know it is urgent and want a commitment on their paying for the storage fees and of course the cost to move the items to storage and back. You must tell them before you incur costs.
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Sometimes you're the windshield, and sometimes you're the bug.
Do I 'make' (not sure how to figure that word out) the building do this in advance or do I pay myself and then get reimbursed?
If your things are in danger of being destroyed, send a letter/email to the owner and let them know the details of the items that need storing and let them know it is urgent and want a commitment on their paying for the storage fees and of course the cost to move the items to storage and back. You must tell them before you incur costs.
Thank you; I will do that. With photographs, likely.
Do I 'make' (not sure how to figure that word out) the building do this in advance or do I pay myself and then get reimbursed?
If your things are in danger of being destroyed, send a letter/email to the owner and let them know the details of the items that need storing and let them know it is urgent and want a commitment on their paying for the storage fees and of course the cost to move the items to storage and back. You must tell them before you incur costs.
Thank you; I will do that. With photographs, likely.
Pictures DATED on the photo are perfect.
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Sometimes you're the windshield, and sometimes you're the bug.
Tig ~
No matter whether you stay or not, you
need to be cautious about two situations:
(1) asbestos, and (2) lead paint.
During repairs, both of these contaminants
will be released into the atmosphere, and
will land on all surfaces, including the walls.
Since the building is old enough to have
lead pipes, both asbestos and lead paint
are likely.
Dammit. Apparently I raised too many questions and started pushing for not being in the apartment while construction was going on, so they've moved the construction team to the apartment next door!!
Still the jackhammering and they still have to saw out the drywall, but now they're going to do it on the other side of the wall. Crap. Now I get the noise and the construction as well as the cost of managing my side of it. I still think I have to be out because the dog will have a jack-hammer-related heart attack no matter where the construction guy is standing.
And I have to clean out the closet. I'm going to close the door and seal it with garbage bags.
