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Next door is building new house - how much distance needed between our property line to the huge hole they dugged ?

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  • Apr 20th, 2018 1:43 pm
Sr. Member
Nov 18, 2010
617 posts
265 upvotes
Vancouver

Next door is building new house - how much distance needed between our property line to the huge hole they dugged ?

Our next door neighbor is building a new house. A big hole has been dugged up (approx. 30 feet x 70 feet).
The hole is about 2 feet away from our property line. I am worried they might compromise our house structure.
It has been raining lots lately and the rain has been eating away more of the hole.

I have been googling Vancovuer city bylaw and it is hard to fine the answer.
Does anyone know how much distance needed before it's deemed unsafe ?

Our property line to the hole is about 2 feet.
From our house to the big hole is about 4 feet.
Their cheap safety fence is leaning on our house due to the wind last night.
During demolition, their wall already smashed onto our side of the house.
Really getting mad.
48 replies
Deal Addict
Jan 12, 2017
1741 posts
1040 upvotes
It really depends site by site, how deep their hole is, etc..

Take photos to document. What is definite is that any damage cause by their construction is their responsibility to fix.
Sr. Member
Nov 18, 2010
617 posts
265 upvotes
Vancouver
The big hole is approx. 15 feet deep.
Deal Guru
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Mar 23, 2008
13006 posts
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Edmonton
You should contact your city Building Department. And as mentioned above, document EVERYTHING.

Here in Edmonton, there were a number of news stories about in fill builders damaging neighboring houses.
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/ ... -1.4138807
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/ ... -1.4176302

I'd be very protective of my property. You should be taking pictures now of the inside of your house, as well. So if cracks start showing up this summer, you can show before and after pics.

C
Deal Guru
Feb 4, 2015
10329 posts
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Canada, Eh!!
Pictures and video of interior and exterior.

Record a news station or weather station to document date and time.
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Deal Fanatic
Feb 4, 2010
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Oh wow that seems awfully close. You got some good advise here. Keep us posted with what info get from the city.
Deal Addict
Dec 25, 2012
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Toronto
Set up a camera outside...live stream it and post the link here
JS
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Jul 2, 2001
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GTA
iPhoneSTER wrote: I am worried they might compromise our house structure.
Is your house slab-on-grade or do you have a basement?
.
Deal Expert
May 30, 2005
49008 posts
10301 upvotes
Richmond Hill
iPhoneSTER wrote: Our next door neighbor is building a new house. A big hole has been dugged up (approx. 30 feet x 70 feet).
The hole is about 2 feet away from our property line. I am worried they might compromise our house structure.
It has been raining lots lately and the rain has been eating away more of the hole.

I have been googling Vancovuer city bylaw and it is hard to fine the answer.
Does anyone know how much distance needed before it's deemed unsafe ?

Our property line to the hole is about 2 feet.
From our house to the big hole is about 4 feet.
Their cheap safety fence is leaning on our house due to the wind last night.
During demolition, their wall already smashed onto our side of the house.
Really getting mad.
I would have complained about that already...
Tons of things for sale!
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Feb 11, 2007
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A man's home is his castle.... so break out the boiling oil and fry those mofo's.

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Deal Addict
Jul 3, 2017
3859 posts
2814 upvotes
A couple of years ago a new monster home was built on the lot next door to us in Richmond. To comply with an idiotic new federal regulation, they were required to landfill the entire property 3' higher so that ground level would be above the crown of the nearest road. That means they basically have to build a wood retaining wall around the property on 3 sides like a big tray, and then pour in 3' of fill.

The zoning bylaw says that the house foundation can be within 1.2m of the property line on each side, but the building code says that the foundation must not be closer than 1.5m on the upper side of such a 3' high wood retaining wall. Otherwise there is a danger of collapse affecting the integrity of the building foundation. Naturally the monster home builder chose to put the foundation 1.2m from the property line. I called up the city department in charge of building permits and pointed out the building code violation. Their response "Hmmm, we're not really familiar with that part of the building code. I guess it does say that. Oh well, I'm sure the inspector will look at that when they inspect the property." Needless to say, the foundations were already laid, and nothing was done. Parts of the retaining wall are already starting to degrade and leak earth on our side, and I can see that the ground is subsiding on their side. I hope the debris from their house collapse doesn't hit ours on the way down.

So the likely response to your issue is: nothing. Pray it doesn't collapse during construction.
Banned
Mar 13, 2018
1385 posts
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Exp315 wrote: A couple of years ago a new monster home was built on the lot next door to us in Richmond. To comply with an idiotic new federal regulation, they were required to landfill the entire property 3' higher so that ground level would be above the crown of the nearest road. That means they basically have to build a wood retaining wall around the property on 3 sides like a big tray, and then pour in 3' of fill.

The zoning bylaw says that the house foundation can be within 1.2m of the property line on each side, but the building code says that the foundation must not be closer than 1.5m on the upper side of such a 3' high wood retaining wall. Otherwise there is a danger of collapse affecting the integrity of the building foundation. Naturally the monster home builder chose to put the foundation 1.2m from the property line. I called up the city department in charge of building permits and pointed out the building code violation. Their response "Hmmm, we're not really familiar with that part of the building code. I guess it does say that. Oh well, I'm sure the inspector will look at that when they inspect the property." Needless to say, the foundations were already laid, and nothing was done. Parts of the retaining wall are already starting to degrade and leak earth on our side, and I can see that the ground is subsiding on their side. I hope the debris from their house collapse doesn't hit ours on the way down.

So the likely response to your issue is: nothing. Pray it doesn't collapse during construction.
What federal regulation would impact building of a at home in a municipality in relation to elevation with a municipal road?
Deal Addict
Jul 3, 2017
3859 posts
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Gboard2 wrote: What federal regulation would impact building of a at home in a municipality in relation to elevation with a municipal road?
Flood plain: lowest living floor of home must be above the crown of the nearest road to ensure proper drainage.

Sounds like it makes sense, but it's a case of unintended consequences of sweeping national regulations applied to a local area.

In Richmond many of the main roads were originally built 3' above the surrounding land, meaning that vast areas of residential properties now have to raised by the same to comply with the regulation, even though the storm sewers were placed for the original level of the land. Neighbourhoods are becoming an interspersed patchwork of raised and unraised properties, depending on date of construction. Needless to say, rainwater drains off the raised properties onto the unraised properties, flooding them in every heavy rain. The city says they didn't agree with the regulation, but what can they do?
Sr. Member
Nov 18, 2010
617 posts
265 upvotes
Vancouver
shabby wrote: Is your house slab-on-grade or do you have a basement?
Thanks for all the info.
I do have a basement.
Walls of the hole is completely vertical.
I submitted a complaint to the city today.... we'll see how that goes.
Deal Guru
Jan 25, 2007
12695 posts
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Paris
Around here it switched to foundation 4’ from the lot line. To build foundation 4’ off the lot line, 2’ away seems appropriate.
Deal Addict
Sep 20, 2008
1187 posts
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Toronto
I'm sure your neighbors have done a soils test. If the earth on your properties is loose sand rather than clay, shoring would be required. Your house will not collapse into their hole. They should actually be more concerned that your backyard ends up in their hole.
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Mar 13, 2018
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Exp315 wrote: Flood plain: lowest living floor of home must be above the crown of the nearest road to ensure proper drainage.

Sounds like it makes sense, but it's a case of unintended consequences of sweeping national regulations applied to a local area.

In Richmond many of the main roads were originally built 3' above the surrounding land, meaning that vast areas of residential properties now have to raised by the same to comply with the regulation, even though the storm sewers were placed for the original level of the land. Neighbourhoods are becoming an interspersed patchwork of raised and unraised properties, depending on date of construction. Needless to say, rainwater drains off the raised properties onto the unraised properties, flooding them in every heavy rain. The city says they didn't agree with the regulation, but what can they do?
Do you have a link? Feds don't regulate flood plains
Sr. Member
Nov 18, 2010
617 posts
265 upvotes
Vancouver
Here are some pics of the wall hitting our house during demo and the big hole.

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