Neighbor hit my garage

[JasonK]

What would you guys do? I've got this old (but mine!!) Garage. My neighbor had his truck in neutral rolled about 10 feet and wacked the edge of my garage. The entire thing is catty-wompus now. The garage door will not open, real tight on the bottom and about 3" of room at the top. Rollers on top are almost out of the guide. Plus the regular door on the side was hard to open. How would you handle this? I joked wit him that I'm sure he had good insurance. He replied that he hoped it didn't go that far. I said it probably wouldn't. But now I'm thinking I don't want to sledge hammer it back in place. Then in a year or so, the thing fall down. It's a shitty one car garage, with a dirt floor. But it's my sanctuary, my get-a-way..... I just am not sure how to handle this, maybe you guys could give me some advice. I'd really appriciate it. The guy owns is own buisness. I'm sure paying isn't a problem for him. I just want to handle is nicely and keep our friendship. What do you all think??

[hankcash]

Get an estimate from a contractor.....
Take it from there....
If your neighbor will write you a check for the estimated amount, get the contractor to repair it and I am sure that if it falls down, it will be covered somehow...

or....

Get the money from your neighbor, fix it yourself, save on labor costs and poor a concrete floor while you are at it....

HC

[AHotRod]

Yup...what Hank said, that way everthing is above board.

[Pist-n-Broke]

Just in the name of good neighbor relations, after getting at least 2 bidds I'd give him the option of finding a contractor himself to give a bid. I'd also tell him your feelings about doing it together with a Box of Beer and the sledge hammer. These can be touchy issues.
The Wizzard

[junk runner jr]

Do not call to ask your insurance company anything unless you acctualy plan on having them handle it. If you mearly call them for advice it will be put in your file and may cause headaches later on down the road. Take your situation for example. You call your home owners insurance to ask what you should do. They give you some options and make a note in your file. You decide to do as Hank said and evrything is fine. Garage is fixed better than new. Ten years from now you have a contract to sell the homestead and during the title search something is found that the garage was damaged but no records of a repair. Can be a real PITA especialy if you loose the contract over it. I have seen instances when the buyer was unable to get insurance on the property therefore stoping the sale.

So just do like Hank said.

[JasonK]

I sure appriciate it guys. Like I mentioned the garage is not worth much, but I do a lot in there. I think I'll talk with him tell him that I'm going to get a couple estimates, he can decide if he want his insurance to pay it or just pay it himself. Ya, it's too bad it didn't fall down. I wouldn't know what to do after he built me a replacement with a concrete floor! I'll let you all know how things turn out. Thanks again. JasonK.

[Upchuck]

if its just an old dirt floor garage it may not have any foundation or footings, and likely no permit was had to build it? a contractor might not want to touch it unless its under the table work so maybe approach it informally with them before actually asking for a bid

[JasonK]

Right, there is a foundation, not much of one. Its concrete block, not sure if there is any in the front. The garage was built in 1930. I'm starting to think I wish it would have fell down.......

[Flexicoker]

I think the proper thing to do is go and hit his garage, its only fair.

[slazzen]

lucky you now you get a fat check to buy hot rod parts with

[JasonK]

1pic

[JasonK]

2pic

[JasonK]

3pic

[Upchuck]

pull that bottom corner back out with a comealong and have him buy the materials and get him to help with the repairs, if he's a good neighbour otherwise put the screws to him

maybe put some sort of footing in while your at it? just something for the bottom sill to sit on off the ground

[JasonK]

Do you think the comealong with pull it back square or just pull that corner back out? It hit hard enough that 1/2 the stuff on the shelves fell to the ground. It's a mess in there,... even worse than normal!

[willowbilly3]

First and foremost be honest and upfront with the guy. Try to get together with him and come up with something mutually agreeable. He should have insurance, no reason yours should have to pay. And if he blows you off then I guess it is time to get serious.

[Petejoe]

My brother had a neighbor who was around 75 yrs old hit the gas instead of the brake and , in reverse mind you, traveled 100 yds through everyones back yard and missed my brothers house by 3 inches and wacked the house directly beside him. This knock the whole house off the foundation. He has to pay for totally rebuilding the house.
I still think anyone over 75 should have to retest for their drivers license.
I agree, get an estimate and tell the guy to get his pocketbook ready.

[Upchuck]

you'll have to get a piece of 4x4 or something to span the damaged area so you pull it all at once and not just the stud next to the door or you'll get a wow in it I'd think, put a square on some strategic points and see how bad it is, how square was it to start with?, cause it wasn't on solid footings the whole place shook with the collision and it might not be to bad seeings it had some give to it

I ain't no carpenter just "fixed" the odd thing I smashed at one time or other and patching up delapitated old buildings I've had http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

[BELLM]

I would approach him, tell him you need to get it repaired, ask what he wants to do. If he is a decent guy, good neighbor, would let him get someone to fix it for you. There is probably going to be more damage than you initially see.

[Deuce Rails]

If you get one of them TV lawyers, you can get yerself a garage like this:

[JasonK]

Deuce, that one would work for me!!! http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif I could lay on that floor and not get anything on me! Those pics really don't do it justice. It knock all kinds of stuff off the wall. I had my cell phone clipped on a shelf and it threw it to the floor knocking the clip off the back. So it was more than a 5mph hit like he said it was. This accident sure has me thinking "new" garage now. Anyone got one for sale real cheap? With a concrete floor? and a strong foundation? Thanks again guys. I'm sure things will work out.

[CURIOUS RASH]

[ QUOTE ]
If you get one of them TV lawyers, you can get yerself a garage like this:


[/ QUOTE ] <font color="green">That's not a garage!!!!


It's a SHRINE! http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif </font>

[MrHavard]

Is that thing anchored to the ground?

[57wagon]

[ QUOTE ]
If you get one of them TV lawyers, you can get yerself a garage like this:


[/ QUOTE ]

Hey that's my house http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif at least is would be if my neighbor hit my garage ...

Actually I had a similar thing happen to me. I had a house that was on a pretty busy street, we just finished digging around the whole foundation, smeared on some water proofing tar, and insulation.. Backfilled the whole thing and two days later my 70ish old neighbor was backing out of his driveway, got hit and spun around up the curb and smack dab into to the middle of the house.

It knocked the concrete block foundation out about an inch and cracked the mortor all the way to the footings. He obviously had to call the insurance company, got a structural engineer and the whole 9 yards....

Alls well now, I moved anyway, but the house is still standing http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

If you spend as much time in the garage as I do, I would have it checked out, wouldn't want that thing falling on your head late one night in the middle of a good wind storm!!

[Cword]

It could be worse

I'm still trying to find the pictures that go with this story, it was submitted as part of an article in my newsletter in December 2003

Talk about bad luck! Gord Otto (of 41 Ford 2-door fame), had put the favorite ride away for the winter in the neighbors garage right next door to his, in the quiet north Edmonton neighborhood of Calder, when------across the alley, this 87 year old neighbour starts his little K-car stationwagon, puts it in the notch labelled “R”, and changes feet! Somewhere about here in the story, the elderly gent comes down with some serious right leg “lurch and lock” and launches his little K-car across the alley, through the garage door where Gord’s car was resting quietly, and pushing the 41 into the 50’s style workbench in front of it ,catching the front fenders and hood about midship, peeling the whole works back about a foot! The rear end suffered the same fate----with the result being Gord’s 41 is now about 2 feet shorter sheetmetalwise, and has this new non-paint matching garage door as a rear gravel deflector. Word on the street is they’re going to write the little 41 off! Brings a whole new meaning to “no fault” insurance claims doesn’t it?

[oldchevyseller]

HAD THE SAME THING HAPPEN TO ME get your!!!insurance guy and get them to look at it , and then go from there, they will bring a 3rd party to look at it!!!then they will get ahold of the other guys homeowners ins, very important ,or your living in peace will be gone!!!,i was gonna {fix} it myself also, but turned out the trusses nails were pulled out from the twisting, the neighbor said well just pound em back in!!,,got it fixed and left it at that,do the same!!, just be honest and say that it is not gonna be right in your mind or the neighbors if you guys try to work it out!! it won't happen!! i know,

[burger]

Jason,

Don't feel bad or guilty about making your neighbor fix it the way you want it fixed. Call some contractors, your insurance, his insurance, and even the cops if you have to. Your neighbor messed up and if he is a decent man he will make things right. He should be worried about maintaining good relations with you, not vice-versa. To expect this from him, you must also be honest and not try to get unfair compensation out of the deal, unless you get a check from an insurance company (then it's yours to spend).


Ed

PS- This is why people have insurance -- for accidents.

[shoebox72]

Go out there tonight &amp; knock it the rest of the way down.

Billy

[disastron13]

A city of Minneapolis garbage truck hit my wife's poor little garage and knocked it all crooked. My daughter saw it happen and called 911, then called my wife
Two very agressive and heavily armed city cops showed up and told her, "That's GETO livin for ya, lady"
And "advised" her not to pursue it.
After visiting the city attorney and hearing that her house was not up to code and would be visited by every inspector possible, she gave up.
My extra tuff biker pal and I used crossed come-a-longs and a jeep winch to make it right.
Then she sold the house.

[jerry]

rom the pics it looks like it moved it backabout 6 or 8 inches! that oin't no 5 mph hit! i'd surely getthe ins co and a contractor involved in this one.


jerry

[JasonK]

Okay I hung outside until he got home. First thing out of his mouth was he thinks it's best for us if his insurance to take care of it. I told him that I was glad to hear that, since there was more damage than I thought. The north side is buckled pretty bad. The south side has a pretty good curve in it. I'm going to call my insurance guy so he can protect me. I'm thinking pretty selfish, but I'd sure like to envision a "new" garage. Even if it doesn't have a concrete floor (yet). As long as there was provisions, I'd do that myself..... Heck Sutherlands web site has 20x24 garage kit for 3 grand. Even a single car 14x24 is 2,600. That is do-able.

[BELLM]

Jason don't short-change yourself, don't settle for less than what is fair. Remember those prices are for kits, no labor, remember labor is the biggest expense.

[34 GAZ]

Looks like you,ve got a decent neighbour there.Hope you get
what your legally entiteled too. Just don,t give him the
chance to start bitchin' to the neighbours if the situation
gets sour.

[burndup]

Having the Insurance co handle shit like this is always best... less stress for you, heck, for him too.... THAT is what you pay for...

Any time I hear "I'd rather my Insurance co not find out about this", I am not happy.

[JasonK]

Ya, I don't what the insurance company to give me the short end. I'll leave it to my insurance guy to hash it out with his. As long as I still have a place to get a way. I'll be happy.

[JimC]

I think that reporting the damage to the insurance carrier(yours and your neighbor's) is the best way to go.
It takes the haggling and hurt feelings out of the picture.

Also, do not understimate the value of the garage. It may not be as glamorous as the one in this post, but it is far better than a lot of folks have.

your garage is far better than some Ihave had to work or store in.
Far better than working in a gravel drive or the street.

While the garage is being rebuilt, this may be a good time to think about a floor and maybe lights.
While rates on real estate loans are low, this would be a good time to get the floor and any other additions you want.
Good luck and best wishes.

[JasonK]

Well got my first Estimate. It's looking like I'm going to have a "new" garage! Two car at that!!!

[RocketDaemon]

sounds good,

u know things like this could make u and your neighbour good friends aswell (or bitter enimies http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif )

[Morrisman]

[ QUOTE ]
If you get one of them TV lawyers, you can get yerself a garage like this:



[/ QUOTE ]

Hah. That's not a garage! I'd slide my sofa and tv in there, then put the dirty greasy car and tools in my house http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

[JasonK]

I think we will still be friends. If not he can flip me off while I'm in my new garage! http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif Naa, I think everything will remain the same. The real fight will be with the City. I'm in a historic area. I hope I'm wrong....

[Smokin Joe]

How many years does it take to change from run down poor neighborhood to "Historic District"???

Someone smacked my garage like that. We whacked it back into place with a 2X4 and sledge hammer.

[JasonK]

I'm not sure, I think when they have a web page like "Historic Warde Meade Park"? We initally thought about using a sledge. Until we started looking at the buckled wall and the busted up sill. Plus I'm too fat to run fast if it falls!!

[ESnacky6]

Good luck with the new garage..!!

Let us know what happens along the way..!!


Later, Snacks...