QUOTE(klaw @ Apr 17 2018, 06:38 PM)
Thank you everyone for your kind responses so far. I understand the need to be cautious about what the contractor says, because my family will be living there as well, and the loss of life if it's my fault would be unimaginable.
I'm trying to do it the proper channel way, but I'm still stuck with the requirements.
Here is what I have encountered so far today:
- Management Office tells me "The building is so old, we don't have the building plan or structural plan" (FYI building is built in the mid 90s). They are asking me to hire an architect/structural engineer on my own money to certify that the wall removal work that I want to do is safe.
- I tried calling MBPJ COB (Commission of Building) to clarify this situation, but no one picked up.
- I talked to a few structural engineers, they don't even want to certify anything if they are not provided with the building's structural plan (due to liability)
What it seems like I need to do next is to go to the developer (Glomac) and get those plans, but because the building is so old, I hope they haven't thrown away all the information. Also, it kind of feels like I'm doing the work that should be done by the Management Office, don't you think?
For a more than 20 years building, it is more complex as the plans and drawings are mostly in cold storage and archived, perhaps thrown away also. The Authority (MBPJ) should have the plan but they won't be in the position to tell you whether you can hack off the wall or not, and also as you have found out they will not entertain request from the public on these things since the drawings may have been cold storage somewhere and cannot be found easily since it is more than 20 years. They are not obligated to do this for the public unless you have some special connection with them or something.
Not trying to be long-winded, the best way forward for you now is only to approach the developer as you are intending to do. If they have already lost all the plans/drawings, you can try asking for the contact of the original consultant (C&S engineer) of this particular building. The "original" engineer of the building. They would likely have the plans in cold storage.
In summary, actually your case is very simple, as you want to find whether you can hack a particular wall or not. It is the procedure that is complicated. In reality, it is actually a process of determining whether the wall can be removed or not, a matter of whether it's a load bearing or non-load bearing wall. Even if it is non-load bearing wall(brick) which can be hacked off, you will still need to go through the procedure, to obtain approval from the JMB/developer which will be in contact with the engineer. Even if your Contractor knows it's a brickwall and can be hacked, it's not that easy as you need to go through the proper process and procedure, to obtain approval from the relevant parties to proceed with the removal of the wall. In your case it will be difficult since it's more than 20 years and the link of communication between the developer and engineer would have been lost since it's already a long time gone. Things such as the Engineering company may have ceased operation or closed down and no longer available, the Engineer is no longer in the country and cannot be found etc., these things may happen. Having said that, you can try to contact the engineer directly if you are able to if the developer cannot help you.