A house which was allegedly damaged by building works next door could be repaired for €153,334 or less, the High Court was told yesterday. It was also unnecessary to demolish the house.
Mr Declan Moylan, an engineer called by the defence, was giving evidence yesterday in the continuing action brought by solicitor Denis Murnaghan over the alleged damage to his home at Pembroke Place, Dublin, caused by the development of an apartment complex next door.
Mr Murnaghan is suing Markland Holdings Ltd (MHL) of Upper Fitzwilliam Street, Dublin, a development company involving developer Mr Seán Mulryan, and Cantier Construction Ltd, a building firm with registered office at Dominic Street, Limerick, which went into voluntary liquidation last year.
Earlier in the hearing, Mr Murnaghan rejected a claim by the defence that his former home was worth €1.1 million and not the €1.75 million valuation put on it by Mr Murnaghan's experts.
Yesterday, Mr Moylan said that he had looked at various options as regards repair work to the house. He believed the remedy was a huge way away from demolishing the house.
Mr Moylan said he had visited the house at Pembroke Place (which has since been sold by Mr Murnaghan) on two occasions and the new owner had been very helpful. Since the sale, no structural repairs had been carried out to the house, he said.
Mr Brian O'Moore SC, for MHL, said the building was sold as a site.
Mr Moylan said he could not say that any of the cracks in the house had anything to do with foundation movement. Many of the cracks he saw were in no way indicative of any movement having taken place, he said. The only possible cause of the cracking he saw was possibly from vibration. Most of the cracks were of a minor hairline nature.
He found two or three significant cracks which could be injected with a solution and reinforced and strengthened.
The hearing continues today before Ms Justice Laffoy.