Altering The Structure of a Condo Building Permitted?

[swm59nj]

        I recently moved into a high rise condo building in Asoke. I rent with one year contract. For about the past three weeks during the weekdays I have been hearing extremely loud banging and drilling.  The noise can be heard outside and its going through the interior walls. The Juristic has been posting notices in the elevators apologizing for the noise. The notices state where the noise is coming from. And at the end of each week according to the notices, this should stop. The noise is still going on. I thought this noise was due to repairs being made to the building itself. I went upstairs yesterday to actually see what was going on. It turns out someone has two units next to each other. They are modifying the structure of the building to combine the units to make one big one. There is a notice saying this modification will last eight months.

       The noise is terrible. The walls actually vibrate in my unit and Im a few floors below. I can imagine what its like in the units that are next or above and below. The walls are solid concrete and the building is old. They must be using a jack hammer or something to break through the walls.

       I contacted the owner of my unit. He said it is fine for someone to do something like this as long as its not at night and on weekends. The agent that found me my unit told me its not uncommon to do things like this. I also made a video of the noise in my unit.

       I cannot believe the Juristic and condo association would permit a project like this. And not consider the residents in the building having to deal with this. And why someone would spend the money to connect two condo units in an old building. The units in this particular building are very large to begin with. Mine for example is 80 sq. ft. And paying contractors for eight months for this sort  of thing.. Maybe they are making a villa.

       Im guessing my only alternative is to move, and lose my deposit. Or be here Monday to Friday during the day hearing the noise with my walls vibrating. Im retired so Im home a lot during the day.

Edited August 26, 2020 by swm59nj
add more information

[worgeordie]

You just have to put up with it or move, it will end,

you are lucky you don't have a Karaoke place next door,

quiet at the moment, but they will be back in full song !

regards Worgeordie

 

[Oldie]

They are allowed to do this. And if you live in a high rise building expect a lot of construction noise all the time especially if it is older. The only option is to move. In my many years here I had to live with endless construction projects. In the meantime I got used to them. But what still gets on my nerves is extreme bar noise. Impossible for me to get used to it. And in this case there seems to be no end in sight. 

[thaibeachlovers]

43 minutes ago, swm59nj said:

They must be using a jack hammer or something to break through the walls.

So long as it's not something structural, it should be permitted. Those older buildings are great as they are ( usually ) pretty solid, and keep noise transfer down.

 

The OP IMO has no case. If the OP can't stand the noise needs to move. If it's not jackhammers it'll be the all night karaoke, or perhaps a rock grinding plant next door.

[thaibeachlovers]

48 minutes ago, swm59nj said:

Im guessing my only alternative is to move, and lose my deposit. Or be here Monday to Friday during the day hearing the noise with my walls vibrating. Im retired so Im home a lot during the day.

Depending on the amount of deposit, it might be cheaper to rent a cheap room for the duration of the construction- just for daytime while the noise is going on.

[Surelynot]

Exact same problem soi 11 condo.....juristic just say.... "owner is allowed to do this Monday to Friday...0900 t0 1700......"

 

The work is not even on my floor......good knows what they are doing. Apart from the noise it sounds like the fabric of the building is at risk.....but TIT.

Edited August 26, 2020 by Surelynot

[swm59nj]

It is structural just to clarify. They are taking down concrete walls and combining two separate condo units next to each other into one. And the majority of the noise is coming through the interior walls. But i do understand the responses. There is really not much I can do except move.

[Oldie]

1 hour ago, swm59nj said:

It is structural just to clarify. They are taking down concrete walls and combining two separate condo units next to each other into one. And the majority of the noise is coming through the interior walls. But i do understand the responses. There is really not much I can do except move.

I loved it when they removed the tiles upstairs and next door. Great noise. Pretty soon I will renovate my condo. They will have to accept it too. There is no other option. 

[smutcakes]

20 hours ago, swm59nj said:

It is structural just to clarify. They are taking down concrete walls and combining two separate condo units next to each other into one. And the majority of the noise is coming through the interior walls. But i do understand the responses. There is really not much I can do except move.

They are not permitted to touch the structure of the building without getting approval of not less than half of all Co-owners of a General Meeting. In instances i have seen they would also require engineering sign off/license to present to the Owners to get approval. It is not easy for a private individual to do given that other Co-owners are instantly cautious about it and getting approval through a GM would be very difficult.

 

You would of thought with such a renovation that they have the perquisite approval, which should be minuted in the General meeting minutes.

Of course in some buildings some walls may look like they are structural but are not.

[paddyfield7]

My main concern would be whether the static stability of the whole building construction is still guaranteed, or in danger. I would never remove load-bearing walls in such a house unless it was on the top floor.

[bert bloggs]

A relative of my wifes put a whole extra  floor of personal condos on two of his blocks in Bangkok ,over 8 years ago ,nothing was done ,mind you its great when we are up in BKK always a nice condo to stay in free of charge and parking for the car as its right by a bts station ,so nice and easy to get around. ????

[khunPer]

On 8/26/2020 at 6:11 AM, worgeordie said:

You just have to put up with it or move, it will end,

you are lucky you don't have a Karaoke place next door,

quiet at the moment, but they will be back in full song !

regards Worgeordie

Totally agree...????

[natway09]

There are strict rules in place to protect the integrity of the building.

An approval is gained first, which states clearly that no structural columns or beams are allowed to be touched. A division wall between apartments is not structural, added after structure built usually brick & plaster only & non load bearing .

Noisy, yes, dangerous, NO

[CaptainCarrot]

59 minutes ago, natway09 said:

There are strict rules in place to protect the integrity of the building.

An approval is gained first, which states clearly that no structural columns or beams are allowed to be touched. A division wall between apartments is not structural, added after structure built usually brick & plaster only & non load bearing .

Noisy, yes, dangerous, NO

Knocking out a brick infill wall would be accomplished in a couple of days at most, and should not require jackhammers. Sounds to me like they may be removing concrete beams or columns which are structural. Or (unlikely) concrete walls which would be designed as shear walls.

 

[mwbrown]

2 hours ago, CaptainCarrot said:

Knocking out a brick infill wall would be accomplished in a couple of days at most, and should not require jackhammers. Sounds to me like they may be removing concrete beams or columns which are structural. Or (unlikely) concrete walls which would be designed as shear walls.

 

With all of this speculation, why don't you go there and look inside while they're working?  Then you'll be able to see exactly what's going on.  They could be pulling up tiles, chipping up the floor to run new plumbing, chipping into the wall to run new electric, knocking down walls for new kitchen or bathroom, etc.  If you can CONFIRM they're removing structural concrete piers or beams or load bearing walls, then take pictures and show the Juristic Person.  They're in charge of enforcing the rules.

 

I just combined my two condo units together and the adjoining wall was made of brick and plaster, it took 3 days as they chipped everything down to atomic level rather than cutting and removing in sections.  Dusty as hell!

[Iron Tongue]

Concrete buildings have most of their structural load borne by the outside walls so the interior can be reconfigured with little danger to overall structural integrity.  

 

I once stayed in a great condo in Taipei where the owners had bought two adjoining and one unit below and combined everything into a huge residence.  They even installed a large circular staircase to go between levels.

[scubascuba3]

8 months is long, check they should have to pay daily\monthly so an incentive to finish as quick as possible. The problem is another renovation job could start anytime, one of the downsides to older condo blocks

[scorecard]

On 8/27/2020 at 11:54 AM, smutcakes said:

They are not permitted to touch the structure of the building without getting approval of not less than half of all Co-owners of a General Meeting. In instances i have seen they would also require engineering sign off/license to present to the Owners to get approval. It is not easy for a private individual to do given that other Co-owners are instantly cautious about it and getting approval through a GM would be very difficult.

 

You would of thought with such a renovation that they have the perquisite approval, which should be minuted in the General meeting minutes.

Of course in some buildings some walls may look like they are structural but are not.

Many years back in my buddies' old condo in Suk., Rd., the owner of a very large condo one floor under the top floor bought all the 7 condos on the top Floor. (One owner had bought all 7 units when the building was constructed, all completed as separate condos and rented for years as 7 separate condos).

 

Then massive work started to remove all the interior walls to have one very large open floor. Then machinery moved in to manufacture shoes. Owners asked if this was allowed, committee said YES.

 

Then it was realized that raw materials and completed shoes were being moved in about 2.00 am - 3.00 am most mornings.

 

The committee waited early morning then discovered that large amounts of flammable shoe materials, glues etc., were being moved in and stored on the 'factory' floor.

 

Owners conducted a protest, police were called, factory closed and everything removed.