Hey guys!
I purchased a basement garage in July 2022 and after a few months of having it water started seeping from the bottom of the garage floor, (a quick summary of the sequence of events that followed;
– thought it was leaking through the skylight, fixed the skylight, water still seeping
– thought there was a drain pipe leaking, got it checked, no drain pipes leaking
– thought it was just humidity seeping through, but after it rains a ridiculous amount of water seeps in a few hours after the rain fall
We’re (myself and the developer who constructed the block) are thinking that the probable cause is an approximate 10cm gap behind the block which runs down from ground floor level to the basement, so it’s as deep as the height of the garage) in between the block & the property behind the block (how come this was not filled in while the block was being built is beyond me).
The developer has started filling in this gap, but when the workers came to fill it they did not bring enough material to fill in the entire hole. The developer then somehow found out who this property belongs to – and allegedly according to him, he agreed with him that if water continues seeping though in the garage, this other guy would fill it in.
Low & behold – water indeed entered through the half-filled 10cm gap, so I spoke to the developer who then tried to get in touch with this other guy who mysteriously never answered the phone. Since I live next to him, the developer asked me to speak to him myself and ask him to fill in the hole – which I am under the impression he will not be keen on.
My question in all of this is – Is there any legal obligation from the developer’s (or the seller of the property)’s end to take care of this situation – especially considering that this problem wasn’t there when I first purchased the garage, and if this problem doesn’t resolve – am I entitled to any compensation?
Picture for reference – this is getting quite annoying because 1. I can’t get stuff out of my car because to get to the backseat/boot I have to squish in mud & make a mess, and 2. I don’t think this seeping water is exactly healthy for the concrete of the entire block
Thanks for any insight! Really appreciate any experiences/insight here 🙏
by NoSeries5603
2 comments
Concrete is fine with water, even stone. What is not fine with water is rebar, and more when it is sea water or if the water manages to freeze or in general expand or cause rust.
The big issue is for you, if it is just a parking space I guess it is not so bad but still you deserve better. I doubt you can get compensation, what I would do if I was you is look at above your spot, water goes downwards. Raising damp does not pool water like that. Check the ceiling corners from dampness or water ingress. I would do if I was you would be get a leak detection person and have the developer pay for him. Btw water can enter from one floor and appear very far away as it will take the path of least resistance ….
What exactly are they filling the hole with? If it’s regular fill it won’t make a difference. In an ideal world either the hole is left empty and the wall is waterproofed (which seems hard in 10cm) or else the opening on top is covered to avoid water getting in in the first place, but I think you’re supposed to leave a little air pass to avoid damp.