Cutting to the chase before explaination - does anyone here know of=20 normal/reasonable levels of liability insurance that a builder would be=20 expected to have for private residential building work in the s/w London=20 area (Richmond/Twickenham/Kingston)?
Background... about to have builder starting extending kitchen to fill=20 in the "side return" of a typical late Victorian terrace.
Neighbour, originally perfectly fine with the plans, decided she didnt=20 want it all halfway through the design process so there was=20 unfortunately no chance of amicable agreement and shaking of hands over=20 party wall act stuff (excavation > foundation depth within 3 metres,=20 building to boundary wall, etc). Served with notices, she appoints a=20 party wall surveyor who later and with much persuasion reluctantly=20 agreed that he could be appointed as independent mutually agreed=20 surveyor (else I have to pay for two surveyors).
Well, he has dragged on the drawing up of a party wall award for about 7=20 weeks now - impossible to get hold of, never returns calls, etc - and=20 now at the 11th hour decides that he wasn't going to release the award=20 (agreement) until builder deposited with him a copy of his insurance and=20 also a detailed method statement. He's sat on the insurance certificate=20 for a couple of days and now come back with a demand that he double it=20 as it is insufficient.
Builder is covered for =A31m liability for building works and =A31m public= =20 liability. It's enough to rebuild next door from the ground three times=20 over.
Builders insurance brokers are somewhat puzzled - they reckon that this=20 is the norm for their other building companies carrying out similar=20 work. My father (FRICS building surveyor for 40+ years) is=20 incandescent, but his experience is all in the North.
So, if anyone does similar work, or has any direct experience of this=20 then I'd be very interested to hear of what reasonable level of=20 insurance is.
tia
--=20 Richard Sampson