Adjoining Property Protection

Adjoining Property Protection.

As everyone is becoming more risk adverse, building surveyors are requiring owner builders to provide an insurance policy verifying protection of neighbour’s property.

If building work is close to, or adjacent to adjoining property boundaries, then an owner may be required to carry out protection work in respect of that adjoining property. This is to ensure that the adjoining property is not affected or damaged by the proposed building work.

Adjoining property means land, including any street, highway, lane, footway, square, alley and right of way, situated in relation to the site on which building work is to occur as to be at risk of significant damage from the building work.

What is protection work?

Protection work provides protection to adjoining property from damage due to building work. It includes but is not limited to:

• * Underpinning of adjoining property footings, including vertical support, lateral support, protection against variation in earth pressures, ground anchors, and other means of support for the adjoining property.
• * Shoring up of the adjoining property.
• * Overhead protection for adjoining property.
• * Other work designed to maintain the stability of adjoining property from damage from building work.

When making application for a Building Permit, the Building Surveyor will determine if protection work and insurance is required.

The Owner Builder of the property where the building work is to be carried out must ensure that a contract of insurance is in force against potential damage caused by the proposed protection work to the adjoining property.

The insurance policy must protect the adjoining property, occupiers and the general public during the works and in Victoria for a period of 12 months following completion of the work.

NOTE:

A standard construction and Public liability policy will not normally provide the minimum cover required.

A Survey will be required of the adjoining property by it’s owner, signed and acknowledged as an agreed record of it’s condition.

* N.B. Our Construction & Public Liability Policy will cover you if you are required to provide protection insurance.

Vibration removal and weakening of support. BONUS – You are also covered by our policy if the above was to happen to your neighbour’s home, caused by your actions.

Eg. Excavation on your property could cause your neighbours home to be structurally weakened.

This cover is vitally important if the structure is weakened, that provides support or stability to your neighbours home.

As most policies exclude this, you on the other hand, have full coverage! [PDS. Page 3, excess Section 2]

For the best and most complete Owner builder specific Construction and public liability Insurance policy, get a quote now

To protect you, your family and your neighbours.