A poorly constructed building: RBQ raises their nightmare

Tiles keep falling on the heads of 16 condo owners in a poorly constructed building in Saint-Jerome 30 years ago. After each invested $40,000 for the emergency work, the Régie du bâtiment du Québec (RBQ) is now pushing them to extend $8,000 per unit.

• Also Read: 48 condo owners will be forced to vacate their poorly constructed buildings

• Also Read: The 48 owners in trouble have no help from the city of Saint-Jerome

“People have run out of money. No one can pay for it,” lamented Claude Beauvais, president of the syndicate that co-owns 640 rue Castongue.

The building has 16 four-bedroom units priced around $200,000. The total cost of the work is estimated at $4.2 million, or $262,000 per residence.

News magazine The situation was brought to light last month.

Following our story, RBQ inspectors went to assess the condition of the building, two identical ones next door on the same street at 600 and 620.

The results? In a correction notice sent on October 24, the public body asked the 16 co-owners of 640 Castonguay Street to correct the listed non-compliant.

The work, estimated at $120,000 or $8,000 per unit, must be completed within 30 days or the owners risk fines ranging from $1,000 to $6,000.

“I don’t understand the mission of the RBQ. They don’t inspect it while it’s under construction, but they come and inspect it later, and we have to pay for what they didn’t inspect,” Mr Beauvais said.

A bus driver in his fifties had already relocated in early October, fearing the roof would literally fall on his head.

Of the 16 owners of 640, only 7 remain to live in the building.

All of them must have left the premises before November 23 to avoid fines. “Because we’re going to vote ‘no’ to spend $8,000 each, that’s pretty clear. We’ve already paid enough, we’re not rich,” he said.

A meeting with the MNA for Saint-Jérôme, Yuri Chassin, was scheduled for November 8, but hopes of his help are fading.

Explained to Mr. Chassin Log Last month it was “a private matter”.

As for the city, it is of one mind and offers no help to the 48 co-owners of the three buildings, who are left to their own devices.