Concrete floor resting on timber joists??

[Jon c]

Hi all,

Bought a circa 1920s downstairs flat recently as a renovation project, we've ended up having to take all the ceilings down as they were crumbling lath and plaster as well as going back to brick on most of the walls. Most of the construction is more or less as expected for that era but I've come across something interesting above the kitchen ceilings, its what appears to be some sort of concrete floor resting on the original timber joists, which as you'll see in the pic are in a pretty bad way! There's a flat above me so this would be their floor.

So just wondering really if anyone's come across this as I've certainly never seen anything like it and can't find any info on Google either! The concrete, if that's what it is, is quite crumbly.

Cheers!

 

[johnny2007]

Your main concern has to be the woodworm damage which is substantial and possibly still active.
Being a flat and being this a structural problem, if your property is leasehold, this might be the responsibility of all the leaseholders.
Speak to the management company.

 

[Jon c]

Your main concern has to be the woodworm damage which is substantial and possibly still active.

Definitely agree we've actually got acrows up already, and are going to replace the joists that are knackered.

 

[noseall]

Hi all,

Bought a circa 1920s downstairs flat recently as a renovation project, we've ended up having to take all the ceilings down as they were crumbling lath and plaster as well as going back to brick on most of the walls. Most of the construction is more or less as expected for that era but I've come across something interesting above the kitchen ceilings, its what appears to be some sort of concrete floor resting on the original timber joists, which as you'll see in the pic are in a pretty bad way! There's a flat above me so this would be their floor.
View attachment 405142
View attachment 405143

So just wondering really if anyone's come across this as I've certainly never seen anything like it and can't find any info on Google either! The concrete, if that's what it is, is quite crumbly.

Cheers!

Yes, I have seen it, on a very old building. We actually found some original old newspapers and documents inside dating from the late 1700's.

 

[ree]

OP,
As advised above, contact any lease holders immediately tomorrow morning.
Dont do any joist work until you have a legal go-ahead in writing.
The lead waste pipe(?) & its boxing, & the "concrete" are also causes for concern.
Building Regs & Planning forum on here has people with helpful legal knowledge.

 

[Jon c]

OP,
As advised above, contact any lease holders immediately tomorrow morning.
Dont do any joist work until you have a legal go-ahead in writing.
The lead waste pipe(?) & its boxing, & the "concrete" are also causes for concern.
Building Regs & Planning forum on here has people with helpful legal knowledge.

Hiya, we are the leaseholders its only up and down flats not a block or anything. But yes point taken need to speak to the landlord of the flat above, wasn't planning on doing the job imminently just got acrows in place when we seen the state of the joists going into the wall! Its a lead main water supply pipe by the way which we're planning on getting changed.

 

[ree]

OP,
Great news that you have your own lease.
Maybe you should still get a legal heads up? The area in question could be a snake pit?
Avoid Shyster, Flywheel & Loop Hole they have a very bad previous.

 

[Tigercubrider]

Is it a conversion? Or was it built as two dwellings?

 

[Jon c]

Is it a conversion? Or was it built as two dwellings?

I believe it was originally built as one house but converted to two flats very early on - the dividing stud wall between our the downstairs flat and the entrance & staircase for the upstairs flat is lath and plaster so that gives some idea of how long ago it would have been converted.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

Hiya, we are the leaseholders its only up and down flats not a block or anything. But yes point taken need to speak to the landlord of the flat above, wasn't planning on doing the job imminently just got acrows in place when we seen the state of the joists going into the wall! Its a lead main water supply pipe by the way which we're planning on getting changed.

Best tell them upstairs, to not have a parties, plus maybe tiptoe around carefully.