Proof of weed killer used under block and beam floor

[MattPope]

Our builder has recently been laying a block and beam floor but cannot show the building control officer that weed killer was applied to the over site before laying the floor. The builder says it is the first time he has been asked for this.

Any idea how we can best get the floor approved? At present the site is very wet following recent rain and the inspector wants to see it dried out before we can spray weed killer. I cannot see why it is necessary to spray weed killer if there are no weeds in the first place....

Anyway, any advice is much appreciated. Thanks.

Matt

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

Ask the BCO where it says in the Regs that a weedkiller must be applied.

 

[^woody^]

I suppose it would depend how the builder has prepared and left the ground below the floor. If he has done it properly and covered it with oversite, or put down a membrane and stone, then no further treatment is required. If he has left it as bare ground or just stone, then maybe

 

[Static]

Ask if the building inspector will accept written confirmation from the builder that this was done, then get your builder to write a letter..

 

[MattPope]

Thanks for the posts.

The ground (wet clay) was not prepared in any special way - it was just built over. There are certainly no plants growing nor the chance of any growing with the soil type there.

Having checked out various block and beam websites many do seem to mention using an 'approved' weedkiller. I'm not sure what one of these is - it surely needs to be persistent as it must stop any weeds growing rather than kill off existing weeds.

If it is as simple as writing in to say that a certain weedkiller was used then that's one option. As it is the floor is down and I would obviously prefer it to stay that way!

Cheers,

Matt

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

Ask the BCO where it says in the Regs that a weedkiller must be applied.

 

[maltaron]

Assuming that there is no daylight under the floor, weeds will not grow. In fact, nothing will grow in total darkness.

 

[^woody^]

Mushrooms?

 

[MattPope]

I'll open a mushroom farm. Genius!

FreddieMercurysTwin seems confident that weedkiller is not a requirement. That sounds promising. All I've seen is that the beam and block floor manufacturers recommend it. Not stated as a requirement though. The extension is going up fast and basically having to rip up the floor to satisfy a request that is unnecessary would not be very popular.

Cheers again.

Matt

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

Well I've never seen it in Part C so why is he asking for it. Maybe he has reason to but tis not in the regs tis all.

 

[theoldun]

Freddy is about right. We have never seen it in building Regs, how ever a lot of block and beam manufactures do recommend it, but to do it properly, you need to spray of with Roundup or similar 3 months before you start and then when founds and footings are complete spray of with a pre emergent herbicide such as Pro Shield or similar.
Google pre emergent weed killers. It is easy to lift half dozen blocks, spray of with pre emergent and show him the empty keg, or as we often do tell him to p*ss of
We always lay a 1200g polythene sheet with 40mm pea shingle as weed suppression, due to about 4 years ago we did have a lot of fungi grow under a house and it was hell of job to rectify
Regards oldun..

 

[^woody^]

You should have kept the funguy on ... lighten the mood on site a little

 

[brek01]

Is the bco the one on weed? How very strange, I'd be tempted to give him an empty bottle of weedall.