My neighbours never seem to be at home and I frequently have to take in packages for them. It’s not too bad for most of the year but at Christmas it’s ridiculous the amount of stuff they have delivered – to my house. I have to keep checking to see if they are in to pass on the items. I don’t want to be their mail man. What can I do?
With online shopping becoming ever more popular the situation you describe is becoming more common, particularly in the build-up to Christmas.
While everyone is happy to help their neighbours out from time to time, no one wants to be taken advantage of.
To ensure neighbourly relations continue perhaps you might let them down gently by saying you expect to be out of the house quite a bit over the next few weeks and may not be there to accept deliveries. This might be a way of encouraging them to explore possible alternatives.
For example they might consider getting items delivered to their workplace or, if that isn’t feasible perhaps another friend or family member might be willing to accept them.
An Post also offer facilities such as MailMinder which might be of interest. This suspends delivery of mail to an address for a set period and then all items are sent out at a date of your choosing. While traditionally used by people going on holiday, it would enable your neighbours to receive all their items on a set date that suits them.
There are also private facilities such as Parcel Motel, which allows a person to have parcels delivered to an address of their choice and to collect them in their own time. Alternatively Parcel Connect can deliver items to a local store, from which they can be picked up.
Both of these services are available for a fee of less than €5 per package. Hopefully your neighbour will avail of one or a mix of the options outlined above and you’ll have a parcel-free and stress-free Christmas.
James Rogers is site and communications editor of MyHome.ie
Crack in wall
I own a three-bedroom bungalow in the country with a lovely garden. However, I have recently noticed that the rear garden wall is in need of some repair. There is a vertical crack which currently extends across the whole height of the wall. It has penetrated the bricks in some places and the mortar in others. I am concerned that the crack is a symptom of subsidence. There are no such cracks within the house and there is nothing to suggest that there is any subsidence within the house. Am I exaggerating the potential dangers? Any help would be greatly appreciated.
When subsidence occurs to a structure it is normally abrupt and sudden as a result of a change in ground conditions. If the cracking that you describe has occurred over a period of time it is unlikely to be a subsidence issue. There may be a number of possibilities that require examination in order to confirm the cause of the cracking, however, initially it should be determined if the cracking is affecting the structural stability of the wall which would give safety concerns. Light cracks (0-2mm wide) are common in boundary walls and may not indicate a serious problem. Cracks up to 5mm are described as “slight” and can be easily repaired. For wider cracks it is advisable to seek professional advice.
Vertical cracking in a number of locations to the wall could be as a result of an inadequate foundation or a foundation taken to an inadequate depth. A small trial hole will confirm this. If there is a tree near the wall there is a risk of damage by the roots and/or wind-blown branches.
Alternatively, if there were any large trees removed from within the boundaries of the property or within the curtilage of the adjoining lands adjacent to the wall, this could change the ground water table locally, causing heave to occur, resulting in cracking. This will be dependent on the species of the tree as some have a higher rate of water absorption than others.
A wall that is longer than nine meters in length should be provided with a vertical movement/expansion joints. Omission of these joints can result in cracking.
It should also be established if there are any piped drains or a water supply running adjacent to or below the wall which may have been damaged or burst, causing soil erosion beneath the foundation, causing it to fracture. Garden walls are predominantly of a single leaf/one brick thick (225mm/9”). Confirmation is required that the wall thickness to height ratio is correct or that support piers were constructed (if required).
Some climbing plants, such as ivy, can damage walls if growth is not controlled. Check also the rear face of the wall. Incomplete or poorly capped walls can lead to water penetration resulting in cracking due to frost damage.
Is the wall constructed in close proximity to a main road, which may have resulted in impact from traffic – is there an active farm to the rear using heavy machinery?
There may be issues within the adjoining lands which are contributing to the cracking; for example, is the ground behind higher or lower than the ground on your side? The original wall may not be adequately designed as a retaining wall.
If you are concerned that there is a risk of collapse, I would recommend that you obtain the services of a building surveyor. They will be able to advise if the cracking to the wall can be repaired or if more extensive work is required.
Andrew Ramsey is a Chartered Building Surveyor and Chartered Project Management Surveyor scsi.ie
New build plans
Q We are in the process of completing the purchase of a new house in a development. The house is almost complete and is due to be signed off by the builder's architect in the next couple of weeks. The house has planning permission for a garage on the eastward side of the house, however, we did not proceed with the construction of this as we believed it would interfere with light entry to the house. We changed the internal configuration of the house with the agreement of the builder and his architect, however, there are a number of additional changes that we want to make after the builder has completed the house and his architect has signed off on the existing building: 1. To add two new windows in the gable end of the house – there is already one window in this wall; 2. Build the garage on the west side of the house – the proposed garage is behind and to the side of the house and will be visible from the road.
Can you please advise if planning permission is required for either or both of these modifications?
A Natural lighting is critical within buildings and it is understandable that one would want to improve on an existing design in order to maximise it. The installation of two new windows in the gable end of a house however, is not an exempt development, and therefore would require planning permission, irrespective of the fact that there is already a window in the same gable.
It should be noted that local authorities will normally have specific requirements when it comes to the installation of windows close to neighbouring boundaries. For example, at ground level, they generally need to be a distance of at least one metre from the boundary, whereas on upper floor levels, they may need to be 11m away.
The proposed garage is a little more complicated. In general, the construction of a new garage within the curtilage of a house is an exempt development, subject to several conditions. In summary, they should not exceed 25m2 floor area; they should not reduce the amount of private open space at the rear of the house to less than 25m2 and the height of the garage should not exceed 4m if it has a tiled or slated roof, or 3m for any other roof type. If the garage is constructed to the side of the house, rather than to the rear, further restrictions apply. The new garage should not be placed forward of the front wall of the house and the roof and wall finishes should match that of the house.
However, planning permissions are normally granted with a condition that the development be constructed in accordance with the plans and particulars submitted. Therefore, it is possible that the proposed relocation of the garage to the west side of the house would be deemed as non-compliant with the original planning permission granted, depending on the details of the permission and its conditions. Hence, planning permission may need to be sought for this change. It might be helpful to seek advice from the original architect involved in the project, as he or she should be familiar with the details of the case.
Andrew O’Gorman is a Chartered Planning and Development Surveyor and a Chartered Building Surveyor and a member of the Society of Chartered Surveyors of Ireland
