rubble disposal

[redcrx]

Can anyone help here.

Ive just had a wall demolished. It was of brick construction. approx 15 ft long, 5ft high and 2ft deep.

The builder has invoiced for the disposal of the wall and is claiming it weighed 28 tonnes. I doubt that very much indeed for a start. He has then charged for its disposal at �22.50 per tonne, does this seem right at all? where do builders dispose of it?

Im also being charged �300 for the haulage of it but cannot query that until i get the weight issue sorted.

[dave2297]

I've just done a rough calculation

180" x 60" x 24" = 249200 cubic inches - vol of wall
8" x4 "x 2.5" = 80 cubic inches - vol of average size brick
249200/80 = 3240 bricks approximately

Average weight of brick = 4kg
3240 x 4 = 12960kg = 12.96 tonnes

Even allowing for mortar, footings etc it seems you've been charged a lot.......I know nowt about building and hopefully my calculations stand up to scrutiny

[redcrx]

thank you Dave, thats pretty much as i had calculated but with a weight of 3kg a brick. Still nowhere near 28 tonnes

I have spoken to a local waste disposal company and they have kindly offered to help me work it out too and call me back.

I wonder if the threat of weights and measures will get my bill down to a truer level.

It apparently also took 4 men 2 days to knock it down (i wasnt there to check) and theyve caused damage to the wall to side of property.

The owner of the freehold (flat is leasehold) is the one who is demanding we pay and, of course, as he hasnt got to he has just passed it to us to pay or face the courts grrrrr

[dave2297]

4 men 2 days!!!!

Limp wristed wimps!!!!

[dave2297]

Sounds like they were worried about scratching their Rolex's or getting dust on their Gucci's!!

[redcrx]

i think it was probably a job involving extra work for freeholder or some cash back if you know what i mean.

He didnt even get our permission to do it and we'd already had a quote to knock down and build whole thing for less than hes charged for just knocking down (we threw the builder off job when we found what he'd done)

[Lil O'lady]

Wouldn't it be cheaper to hire a skip? Plus you get to see all your neighbours sneaking out at night to put things in it.

[redcrx]

lol Ive left a nice message on builder ansaphone asking for the weighbridge proof of weight so that i can check invoice correct. Told him that by my calculations it was incorrect and that i would like his paperwork before i go to trading standards

[redcrx]

bit late now lil'o'lady. I wonder if i could get the freeholder in a skip before the neighbours chuck in their rubbish,

[4getmenot]

dave even worse it was falling down by itself yet still took 4 men :-)

[dave2297]

I can't believe it took 4 men 2 days ..... sheeesh

I've seen my 3yr old grandson in action, I reckon he could have demolished it quicker with his bare hands!!

[4getmenot]

I could have just kicked it over the state it was in

[redcrx]

curiouser and curiouser,

cant find builders listed in any phone book, companies house or any register. Answerphone didnt state any company name and Ive got a feeling that i recognise the handwriting on the invoice.

hmmmmmmm

oh and useless district council cant give me any information on what they sent to the freeholder even though i own a flat there. WTF?

[dave2297]

Hi red

Sounds like someone's trying to do you up like a kipper!!

ps....are you and 4getmenot friends?

You could have each used one of my size 11's to boot the d4mned wall over!! I'd have given you a hand....or a foot, rather!

[4getmenot]

sisters :-) And I live in flat and sis owns next door

[dave2297]

aaaaah, that explains thing then, thanks :-)

[4getmenot]

it was flint wall too

[dave2297]

wall - flint

red - skint

:(

[4getmenot]

bits of flint mostly bricks and then rendering

[Buenchico]

Earlier this year, I did a temporary job for a skip hire company (which involved providing quotes to customers). A skip to take that lot (including delivery, collection, disposal of rubble, hire of lights & cones if the skip's going on the street, local authority permit for putting the skip on the street, and VAT) should cost no more than about �150 in total. That suggests that the builder is charging double the required rate for haulage.

Chris

[redcrx]

thank you chris.

We live in roughly same area (well this is Norfolk) so doubt prices would differ that much.

No answer from builder as yet. Next step, taking photos and measurements.

Really peed off as council letters to landlord only stated wall needed repair, just a bit of render