This winter, Hawkins would like to share some of our forensic investigators’ experiences with what truly defines and characterises a frozen pipe incident. In various cases Hawkins has seen, there are key steps that can be taken to help prevent a pipe from freezing.
The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) sets out the Government’s planning policies for England. It states that development in areas at risk of flooding should be avoided by directing development away from areas at highest risk.
Richard is a Principal Associate based in our London office. He is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Water and Environmental Management, a Chartered Water and Environmental Manager and Chartered Environmentalist. Richard has investigated over 150 cases since he joined Hawkins in 2017, primarily in relation to flooding, drainage and water ingress issues. Examples include: flooding from rivers, sea, surface
Prior to joining Hawkins, Alastair gained more more than 20 years experience as an architect in London, specialising in the detail design and construction of complex residential projects. In 1999 Alastair graduated with his second degree in Architecture from Dundee University. He commenced work as an Architectural Assistant for Paul Davis + Partners in Chelsea, and qualified as an Architect
Given the number of white goods typically found in the domestic environment, it is little wonder that many domestic fires are attributed to white goods.
Fires occurring within buildings will often result in significant damage to both the structure and contents. Even a small fire within a building can result in a significant claim, partly due to the increasing cost materials and labour to repair or rebuild.
Hawkins investigators can investigate a range of incidents relating to fraud, from major losses such as a deliberately set fire in a large factory or contamination of bulk cargo, through to minor losses involving accidental damage or a staged disappearance of insured items from a house.
The frequency of escape of water, oil and gas cases are increasing, along with the average cost of reinstating the resulting damage. With pipework routed through the fabric of our homes, businesses and infrastructure, small leaks can quickly become big problems.
Fires, explosions, floods, water and chemical leaks, building collapses and other calamities can give rise to issues of contamination. It is not uncommon for machinery, building structures, stock etc. to become contaminated outside of the obvious areas where items are burnt, submerged, crushed or otherwise directly damaged during the incident.
In an effort to mitigate the effects of climate change, the government published Approved Document Part O, which provides guidance for complying with the new Part O of the Building Regulations.
