Can you get insurance to cover DIY building work ? I am doing some demolishing and rebuilding against a party wall. If I pay a builder it will cost me double, but the work will be covered by the builder's insurance. What happens if I do no damage, but then something make unstable in the demolition collapeses later on. How long am I liable for. Any one out there who's built extensions - did you consider this ? Simon.
===================== I've just renewed my household insurance ('Buildings & contents') and the policy contains a clause covering public liability for £2,000,000. I don't think this clause is primarily intended to cover DIY work BUT it might do so. You could check your insurance to see if it has a similar clause and if so ask if it will cover your proposed work.
In any case your insurance company will probably be able to dream up some way of covering you and taking an extra premium.
Cic.
Mine does, I made sure of it, so ask them. They wanted to know if I'd be underpinning, I daresay diy underpinning would increase the risk.
NT
I've got a self-build mortgage - and "special perils" insurance. Double premium but covers serious stuff going wrong.
The owners could sue for upto 3 years from discovering the damage caused by your work - NOT from when you actually did the work. Successive owners would aquire this right too.
Your household policy would typically cover non-specialist DIY - including general extension work. Underpinning may be considered specialist and beyond the scope of normal DIY, so you could be uninsured.
dg
I just got a quote from selfbuildzone.com for 30 grand rebuild on my extension and 100 grand rebuild on existing properties, covers for 24 months, cost 666 quid. But I will check the buildings insurance to see what is/ can be covered. Simon.
Update: my house insurers (L&G) offer no public liability, I will have to get a self-build insurance. Simon.
==================== It might be worth changing your insurer to one which does offer public liability. An odd roofing tile (from your roof) blowing in the wind could break you unless you're a millionaire.
Cic.
I don't know if they offer none in that circumstance. I only asked them about building works. May be worth checking up though. Simon.
==================== It might be worth changing your insurer to one which does offer public liability. An odd roofing tile (from your roof) blowing in the wind could break you unless you're a millionaire.
Cic.
Are 30K and 100K the amounts of cover? It might cover the cost of physical damage to property but it's way too low for public liability.
MBQ
No, thats just rebuild. Full details:
HomeOwnersHub website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.