Is This Dry Rot

[rule55]

Hi folks,

Just registered with the forum after discovering a large fungal growth on the joists in a Victorian brick-built out building. I fear from doing some googling that it may be a dry rot fruiting body. The building is damp (ground level at back of building is probably 10ft higher than internal floor level) We only bought the house with the affected detached out building last year.

Pictures attached below. Any advice/confirmation of the infestation welcomed.

TIA for any help.

Untitled

• rule55
• 27 Apr 2014
• 1

Untitled

• rule55
• 27 Apr 2014
• 1

 

[ree]

Yes its dry rot.

Indications of past treatment are the sistered joist and the joist tail capping.

What do you intend to do with your out building? How much do you want to spend?

 

[rule55]

Yeah, I thought the joists looked suspicious too.

I'm not sure what to do to be honest. Everything I've read says that the cause of the damp needs to be sorted before treatment can be effective and that's going to be the issue here. The most effective solution I guess would be to tear the whole outbuilding down and replace it with something new but we can't afford to do that. I guess it might be possible to reduce the ground level outside but it would be a huge amount of work and I'm a bit worried that doing that might affect the stability of the building. We also have a damp issue in the house too - I think I'll get someone in to take a look at the house as I want to make sure there's no dry rot in the house. We only bought the place back last July and I do wonder whether the sellers had any knowledge of this.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

We only bought the place back last July and I do wonder whether the sellers had any knowledge of this.

The light in the 2nd photo would indicate that those are not floor joists, so how could they not have known about it?

 

[Johnmelad]

Where in Cumbria are you?

Yes the cause needs to be established and if you go down the route of getting someone in, make sure they are independent and not from or associated with a damp rectification company.

Dry rot is not the cancer people feared years ago and it can be stopped and remedied without lots of nasty chemicals.

http://www.askjeff.co.uk/dry-rot-or-not-that-is-the-question/

 

[rule55]

We only bought the place back last July and I do wonder whether the sellers had any knowledge of this.

The light in the 2nd photo would indicate that those are not floor joists, so how could they not have known about it?

It's the ceiling joists in the two storey outbuilding - and visible from the ground floor area. There were no visible signs at the time of purchase (not seen by myself or the surveyor anyway) and we've just been through the legal paperwork and although one of the standard questions asked by our solicitor seemed to cover japanese knotweed it appears that there was nothing asked about previous dry rot infestation!! I suspect that we have no legal comeback.

Where in Cumbria are you?

Yes the cause needs to be established and if you go down the route of getting someone in, make sure they are independent and not from or associated with a damp rectification company.

Dry rot is not the cancer people feared years ago and it can be stopped and remedied without lots of nasty chemicals.

http://www.askjeff.co.uk/dry-rot-or-not-that-is-the-question/[/QUOTE]

We're in Northern Cumbria, not too far from Carlisle. Thanks for the advice about avoiding the national companies. Our surveyor seemed pretty switched on regarding traditional buildings and their care - I'll give him a ring this morning and ask his advice on where to go from here. I'm guessing though, if I involve my insurance company they may have differing views.

 

[TheVictorian]

Good example of dry rot, thank you for sending clear pictures in.

A local company should be able to sort this out for you, you have done the best thing by wanting to deal with it rather than ignoring it (as we see too often).

 

[joe-90]

Clean it off, find the leak, spray it, ventilate and forget about it. Do it yourself for £20. Legal recourse? FFS?

 

[maltaron]

That is not dry rot, but some other fungal growth. Dry rot would be more like a fried egg shape with tentacles spreading out from it to all timber and brickwork.

 

[Johnmelad]

That is not dry rot, but some other fungal growth. Dry rot would be more like a fried egg shape with tentacles spreading out from it to all timber and brickwork.

What you describe is just one form of dry-rot. What you see in the picture is another type possibly Mycelium.

 

[ree]

Dont involve your insurance company until you've taken more expert advice on cost consequences. Maybe contact them later.

The vendors, presumably, were obliged to fill in the general legal form from your solicitor, that requires disclosure of all defects, remedial repairs and alterations?

The vendors presumably had a company in to carry out the obvious remedial work? That company would typically issue a guarantee that is transferable to the next owner(s)?

Your "switched on surveyor", has missed something thats rather obvious. The stuff that you can see is pretty old - hence, it doesn't, at first glance, appear to be traditional dry rot. Plus an experienced nose should instantly smell it.

Get your own Independent Damp & Timber surveyor - do not employ a D&T Company "surveyor".

One of your responders advises to: "Clean it off ... ... and forget about it". What dangerous nonsense to give out on an advisory forum - what ignorant smugness, its worse than trolling.

What if some children were playing on that floor and it collapsed?

 

[Deluks]

Looks more like someone's been over zealous with a can of expanding foam.

 

[gregers]

this is just 1 example if you 'google' it,
http://timberanddamp.co.uk/damp-proofing-repair-timber-treatments/timber-treatments/dry-rot/


have you checked your paper work for any kind of past works carried out,i:e any guarantee's??you may have recourse if its within the time limit?

bear in mind any hidden timbers,like wall plates will no doubt be totally rotten.
ony you can decide on what/how much you want to spend.

 

[KenGMac]

rule55, hi

Hate to burst one bubble, but your Insurer will decline any claim for what the insurer calls "Wood rot" this is a general exclusion in all policies

As for insurer input, bluntly no chance, sorry about that.

Ken.

 

[rule55]

rule55, hi

Hate to burst one bubble, but your Insurer will decline any claim for what the insurer calls "Wood rot" this is a general exclusion in all policies

As for insurer input, bluntly no chance, sorry about that.

Ken.

Ah, ok. Guess that makes sense as my wife was speaking to someone today who had to take out a loan for £12k to sort out some nasty dry rot in their property. I'm getting someone in for a bit of advice on Wednesday. I will update further. Thanks to all for their comments.