Damp floor - who to call?

[oskar]

On lifting bedroom carpet have found an area of the chipboard flooring is wet.
Live in victorian one level house where the garden level is higher than the house and we believe water is running into the foundations of the building.

Any suggestions as to how we go about fixing this?

Wondered if building an inspection hatch in the bedroom floor to access underneath would be of any use, to pump water out? should we be calling a builder?

advice most welcome, many thanks.

 

[Nige F]

you could drill a hole and use a borescope ( hired ) to have a look under the floor - be prepared for a shock

 

[oskar]

thanks chaps. Appreciated

 

[JohnD]

A victorian house may still have the original square-edged floorboards in some of the rooms, which you can lift if you pull back a corner of the carpet. You will be able to see the ones that plumbers and electricians have taken up before. When refitting, use countersunk screws so you can lift without causing damage next time.

Chipboard is an awful material but you can cut a trap through it fairly easily if you have a circular saw and TCT blade. Set depth of cut to 18mm only.

 

[Nige F]

Well , I`ve sucessfully cut and replaced acces holes in c**p board with a cheap jigsaw set to 45 degrees - so you get a panel out that won`t drop right through when replaced . Then glue it back with gripfill . You can even screw a temporary straightedge across it until the glue sets - so it remains level with the floor

 

[oskar]

thanks for those replies- its a victorian building turned into a house so theres no original features inc floors, sadly....

we are getting a joiner in at some point to do the job and looking at getting some drainage outside organised as any water is running into the vents set at the base of the building... who's idea was that??!

we dried out the floor area with the dehumidfier, a temporary measure but will do for now.

cheers!