i cant see where the area size is listed to quote that it will cost 2 grand for concrete or £100 for plywood. And i also want to know what is underneath as this must be a floating floor, which would mean that there may be concrete underneath that needs just 2" of screed over it or maybe insulation boards underneath!
A hole in my damp kitchen floor (With photos!)
- Thread starter katie86
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all the tradesmen care.
a cheap fix may turn out more expensive in the long run joe.
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Would you like to explain how?
...erm if i were a tradesman, that had just been informed of this, the FIRST thing i would do is remove the polythene and have a look at the sub-floor.
only a complete idiot would go ahead and lay a floor on top of this, particularly if the finished floor was going to be ceramics.
Hi katie, I will just chuck my bit in as well.
I bought a groundfloor flat a few years ago that had a terrible damp problem, it had been caused by a leak from the hot water cylinder which had been allowed to drip for years I guess. Stud walls were sodden to the point that the wallpaper was hanging off the walls and the marley tiles that were on the floor had become detached the nearer you got to the water cylinder.
The surveyor who came round for the mortgage company refused to pass it and put in a £40,000 retention on the mortgage because in his opinion the DPM had been breached and a new slab floor would be required. He hadn't noticed that the damp was from an internal water source. I asked him to come back for a second look which he refused. I went to another mortgage provider and explained my problem and made sure I didn't get the same surveyor, I met the next surveyor on site and he passed it with no problem.
It took many weeks to dry the property out as the slab was damp right down to the DPM but after that no problems with damp. We used 2 dehumidifiers (about £70 each from B&Q) and a couple of electric heaters,
Watch out for "damp specialists" who will come and try to sell you expensive remedies.
Ask yourself this question, if the DPM has been down for a good many years what has happened to the bulding either inside or out to affect it or damage it.
I would remove all the rotten chipboard, check all the plumbing and start to dry it out. It would be the cheapest first option.
I am not saying that this is your problem and you might well need a new floor but make sure that you get good impartial advice.
Good Luck
I bought a groundfloor flat a few years ago that had a terrible damp problem, it had been caused by a leak from the hot water cylinder which had been allowed to drip for years I guess. Stud walls were sodden to the point that the wallpaper was hanging off the walls and the marley tiles that were on the floor had become detached the nearer you got to the water cylinder.
The surveyor who came round for the mortgage company refused to pass it and put in a £40,000 retention on the mortgage because in his opinion the DPM had been breached and a new slab floor would be required. He hadn't noticed that the damp was from an internal water source. I asked him to come back for a second look which he refused. I went to another mortgage provider and explained my problem and made sure I didn't get the same surveyor, I met the next surveyor on site and he passed it with no problem.
It took many weeks to dry the property out as the slab was damp right down to the DPM but after that no problems with damp. We used 2 dehumidifiers (about £70 each from B&Q) and a couple of electric heaters,
Watch out for "damp specialists" who will come and try to sell you expensive remedies.
Ask yourself this question, if the DPM has been down for a good many years what has happened to the bulding either inside or out to affect it or damage it.
I would remove all the rotten chipboard, check all the plumbing and start to dry it out. It would be the cheapest first option.
I am not saying that this is your problem and you might well need a new floor but make sure that you get good impartial advice.
Good Luck
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Or someone that was financially stretched that wanted a quick fix.
Had it not been for the washer leaking no-one would ever know it was a chipboard floor.
It all depends on her status regarding usage. She might be looking to rent it out asap, she might just want a quick fix to get her through christmas (plywood and cheap vinyl IMO) she might be developing the place to sell on etc etc
Hi guys, thanks so much for all the responses!
The hole is now completely dry, I think it must have aired out after removing the vinyl tiles, so I really don't think it's an ongoing damp problem, just a hole caused by an old leak.
The area's about 1m by 2m.
The soft stuff underneath the dmp is polystyrene!
I've love to rip the whole floor up and start again but this would involve taking up my kitchen cabinets, along with newly fitted worktops/hob/tiles etc so would reeally love to avoid doing this if poss!
But, I do plan on keeping the flat for the next couple of years at least so of course i'd like it to hold up for the forseeable future.
I'm no builder, but would it not be ok to just re-damp proof the hole, with liquid dpm, then fill it in with concrete, then put some thin ply wood or something on top and then tile?
Spending £2000 is absolutely not an option for me at the moment! I'd rather have a hole in my floor...
Thanks so much again for your help.
Katie
The hole is now completely dry, I think it must have aired out after removing the vinyl tiles, so I really don't think it's an ongoing damp problem, just a hole caused by an old leak.
The area's about 1m by 2m.
The soft stuff underneath the dmp is polystyrene!
I've love to rip the whole floor up and start again but this would involve taking up my kitchen cabinets, along with newly fitted worktops/hob/tiles etc so would reeally love to avoid doing this if poss!
But, I do plan on keeping the flat for the next couple of years at least so of course i'd like it to hold up for the forseeable future.
I'm no builder, but would it not be ok to just re-damp proof the hole, with liquid dpm, then fill it in with concrete, then put some thin ply wood or something on top and then tile?
Spending £2000 is absolutely not an option for me at the moment! I'd rather have a hole in my floor...
Thanks so much again for your help.
Katie
a proper and full repair flooring wise with what you have got is
remove all soft flooring check timbers are sound
screw battons along exposed edges renew with green flooring the same thickness gluing and battoning joints screw to joists and joining battons fill in gaps sand smooth
remove all soft flooring check timbers are sound
screw battons along exposed edges renew with green flooring the same thickness gluing and battoning joints screw to joists and joining battons fill in gaps sand smooth
or ot might be an insulating polystyrene slab laid on concrete, with the chipboard on top "floating" not nailed to timbers.
If you watched Blue Peter, you could probably cut a square section of the polystyrene out, and let in a replacement piece from a new slab (you can get it in builders merchants and DIY sheds in various thicknesses. the slabs are big but very light. you can cut it with a breadknife.
Then you just need to cut out a piece of the rotten chipboard and put down a new piece of the same size. That needs a saw. Chipboard is terrible stuff but you can buy 18mm WBP ply (which is water resistant) for not much more.
If you watched Blue Peter, you could probably cut a square section of the polystyrene out, and let in a replacement piece from a new slab (you can get it in builders merchants and DIY sheds in various thicknesses. the slabs are big but very light. you can cut it with a breadknife.
Then you just need to cut out a piece of the rotten chipboard and put down a new piece of the same size. That needs a saw. Chipboard is terrible stuff but you can buy 18mm WBP ply (which is water resistant) for not much more.
That sounds like a really good idea, can you recommend a way that I could cut the chipboard out? Is it definately necessary to replace the polystyrene? It's not actually damaged at all and i'd worry about making it less damp proof.
Thank you,
Katie
Thank you,
Katie
as it is a floating floor you will need to remove the skirting on 3 walls and then pull up the boards untill the damaged one is removed. ( They will come up as big boards ) Then re-lay the old boards and replace the damaged board with a new one. You will need to take a bit with the tongue/groove present to local builders yard so they can match it up. ( guess they will be about 8 x 2 feet boards ) Should cost 15-20 quid a board.
You will need to repair the damage to the dpm. Get some dpm self adhesive tape or something similar ( must be water proof tape ) and put some over the holes in the plastic. Next get another sheet of dpm plastic and put this also over the damaged section. Try and get a good overlap and tape this also.
You will need to repair the damage to the dpm. Get some dpm self adhesive tape or something similar ( must be water proof tape ) and put some over the holes in the plastic. Next get another sheet of dpm plastic and put this also over the damaged section. Try and get a good overlap and tape this also.
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