Damp, Condensation or something else...you decide.

[shivering]

Hey All!

I have read a number of posts on here damp floors etc but thought Id post a few pictures to see what you thought based on being to actually see it rather than description.

Basic survey on purchase picked up a 'possible damp' issue but being basic nothing else mentioned.

When we bought the house it wasn't tooo bad but could feel a certain coldness to the floor. The cracks seem to have got worse as the house is actually warm (elderly female prior to us never had the heating on).

House is 1950's and as you can see there are rather large cracks in the concrete floor and as per the first pic a white staining to the concrete. More recently, maybe with all the wet weather we've had I have noticed surface water/condensation (as per last picture) and it feeling a little colder than normal.

What are the possible problems here? Any help would be appreciated.

 

[^woody^]

If the floor is uneven, then read up on sulphate attack

 

[shivering]

If the floor is uneven, then read up on sulphate attack

Hey Woody! Cheers for the reply. Yep where the cracks are it is uneven as the concrete has risen. I'll have a read if you have any links you thin may be useful please throw em at me.
Thanks again for your time

 

[shivering]

Well have now had a few people around with different views.

Both have concluded that the floor needs to be dug up and relaid. One said they would use a membrane and reconcrete and the othe said they would MOT, Sand, Inuslate with kingspan (didn't realise it was that structurally sound) and then membrane and relay with concrete.

Does this sound about right?

Working on a 16m2 floor what sort of costs should I be expecting to pay. Waiting for quotes to come back...

Thanks again for your help

 

[joe-90]

Get loads of people round, they've got nothing better to do than look at your floor.

 

[shivering]

Get loads of people round, they've got nothing better to do than look at your floor.

Do I detect a hint of friendly sarcasm Joe? Im quite conscious of the fact of getting loads of people around with the little knowledge I do possess. I'd be happy when I've found someone I feel confident in to take the job if it's around the price I should be paying hence my post. People on here have been really helpful which I appreciate.

 

[^woody^]

The floor needs to be replaced, insulated to current standards, and you need to put a building notice in to the council.

Depending on the sulphate content of the fill, you may be able to leave it in, if it's too high, then all of it has to come out

 

[shivering]

The floor needs to be replaced, insulated to current standards, and you need to put a building notice in to the council.

Depending on the sulphate content of the fill, you may be able to leave it in, if it's too high, then all of it has to come out

Thanks again Woody. The plan will be to remove it rather than put it back in. How does this look - layers borrowed from elsewhere on the forum...

Also our house is on a raft foundation...any complications there?

Posted: Tue Nov 02, 2010 5:48 pm
100mm compacted hard core.

25mm blinding

80mm celotex.

100mm trowelled slab.

Tot 305mm.

 

[shivering]

Hi all,

Thanks so much for the replies so far, have finally got around to chipping away the screed.

As you can see from the pictures this is what I found. Is the best idea to remove all the hollow sounding parts and if dry, refill and then have a new top layer relaid?

Untitled

• shivering
• 12 Dec 2012
• 1

This is a long shot, when chipping the screed away the, what I think is concrete underneath sounded a little hollow. From a slight tap I could dig a little deeper as you can see from the close up...

Untitled

• shivering
• 12 Dec 2012
• 1

This is the close up, what do you think I am digging down into? I know our house sits on a raft foundation.

Untitled

• shivering
• 12 Dec 2012
• 1

To the left on this shot the lighter of the concrete/flooring is alot firmer and not hollow sounding at all.

Untitled

• shivering
• 12 Dec 2012
• 1

This is what the hollow bit that I dug away in the close up was made of, looks like stones, any ideas?

 

[dann09]

I'm sure that you are doing your best, but back in July woody did tell you what to do:
dig it out and see whats what, half measures will waste your time and money.

 

[joe-90]

I reckon it's dinosaur poo.

 

[Deluks]

Are these pics taken from the Mars Curiosity rover?

 

[shivering]

I'm sure that you are doing your best, but back in July woody did tell you what to do:
dig it out and see whats what, half measures will waste your time and money.

I did seek further advice and was told that digging up the floor and replacing it wasn't really an option due to sitting on a raft foundation.
I thought that the newer pictures now I'd started to take away the screed may lead to a different prognosis.

I now suspect the screed to be magnesite hence the reason it is now failing potentially due to age - this doesn't appear to be the greatest problem it is more advice around the sub floor which is hollow sounding, would this be normally found? There appears to be no dampness in the material under the magnesite at all.

 

[shivering]

I reckon it's dinosaur poo.

 

[shivering]

Are these pics taken from the Mars Curiosity rover?

Not quite however feels like it... Just a tad cooler