Typical damage resulting from pyritic heave can consist of:.

• Cracking of the concrete floor slab;
• Lifting / hogging of concrete floor slabs;
• Differences in levels across floor slabs;
• Cracking, buckling and/or lifting of elements resting on the concrete floor slabs e.g. floor tiles, partitions, doors, stairs, fixtures;
• Cracking and /or bulging of internal or external walls;
• Lateral movement of external walls.

An Irish Standard IS 398 Part 1: 2017 has been established to assess if damage to a building has been caused by pyritic heave.

The first stage (pre application) is to undertake a ‘Building Condition Assessment’ in accordance with this standard. In order for an application to be progressed under the Pyrite Remediation Scheme, a Damage Condition Rating of 2 must be recorded.

The second stage (post application) - the Assessment, Verification and Recommendation Process is undertaken by the Housing Agency. Confirmation that the damage recorded in the Building Condition Assessment is attributable to pyritic heave will be confirmed at this stage. This may involve inspection of the dwelling and the testing of the hardcore material. This will require the cooperation of the applicant and will involve some degree of disturbance to the householder.

The person employed by the homeowner to carry out the Building Condition Assessment must be a competent person as per IS 398 Part 1: 2013, e.g. a registered engineer, architect or building surveyor who has sufficient theoretical and practical training, experience and knowledge appropriate to the nature of the work undertaken.

Please note that Engineers Ireland http://www.engineersireland.ie keep a register of professionals who have undertaken training and are certified competent to carryout Building Condition Assessments.  Other professional bodies e.g. Architects and Surveyors may be consulted with regard to competent persons in their profession.

Each apartment owner may submit an application accompanied by their own Building Condition Assessment (BCA). Typically, applications are submitted from the owners of all the ground floor apartments.

If a decision is made to include an apartment block in the Scheme, the Housing Agency will liaise with the management company, using the contact details provided in the application form, with regards to inclusion of the common areas.

Normally, the PRB would expect to have an apartment building remediated in a single process.

The Scheme may apply to an area common to any two or more dwellings (referred to as a “common area”) in a building comprising of apartments, duplexes or maisonettes (or any combination of such dwellings).

If a decision is made to include an apartment block in the Scheme, the Housing Agency will liaise with the management company, using the contact details provided in the application form, with regards to inclusion of the common areas.