material under ground floor subfloor

[yorkney]

Hello,

There is a lot of soil and rubble on the sub floor, does this serve any purpose. Can i remove some of it so more air can circulate? Does it support any brickwork? I have taken some pictures and it seems some material was packed under brickwork, would removing this material cause issues? Thanks in advance for any advice.

Untitled

• yorkney
• 30 Aug 2014
• 1

Untitled

• yorkney
• 30 Aug 2014
• 1

Untitled

• yorkney
• 30 Aug 2014
• 1

The house was built in 1907, the brickwork shown is the internal of the front of the house adjacent to the pavement.

 

[ree]

Your joist tails are sitting on what looks like bricks - they should also be on DPC's but they look dry. The dark stains are possibly past anti-fungal chemical treatment.

They are not firmly fixed down, or wedged, so you risk a bit of floor bounce.

There should be at least three plastic air bricks along the front elevation - size 10" x 6". And as many as possible - of the same size - at the rear elevation.
In the meantime, clear out dirt and spiders webs from the in-place air bricks.

There's no need to remove any soil but remove any wood debris.

However, your lower brick coursing appears to have been undermined, do you have a foundation of stepped bricks? This should be investigated.

While the floor is up why not clip-up all cables and pipes and secure the pipe insulation?

Why have you lifted that part of the floor? Do you have damp problems?

If the oversite is damp then it can be covered by a membrane - say 1200 poly.

 

[yorkney]

Thanks for replying.

I am going to replace the floorboards due to draughts and also slugs finding their way in. Found the slug issue, iron vents at ground level as these photos show

Untitled

• yorkney
• 20 Aug 2014
• 1

Untitled

• yorkney
• 20 Aug 2014
• 2

Untitled

• yorkney
• 20 Aug 2014
• 2

This side of the room has 4 joists with slight rotten ends, this was , I believe, caused by debris bridging gap between joist and wall.

What does undermining brickwork mean? Are you referring to the third pic in my first post? Whilst removing material , the soil and rubble just toppled out from under that course of bricks.

how can I find out if I have a foundation of stepped bricka? What would I be looking for?

Thanks again

 

[ree]

stepped bricks.

 

[yorkney]

I don't think they're stepped, would that be an issue?

 

[ree]

Post pics of whatever is there.

 

[yorkney]

Ree, would I have to remove more of the soil and stones to find out?

 

[ree]

yes

 

[yorkney]

Thankyou

 

[yorkney]

Here are some pics I've taken

Untitled

• yorkney
• 31 Aug 2014
• 1

Untitled

• yorkney
• 31 Aug 2014
• 1

Untitled

• yorkney
• 31 Aug 2014
• 1

should I pack some hardcore back under these bricks? What would be the point of having these bricks overhanging by two thirds of tgeir width, although they seem solid enough in place.

 

[ree]

None of this seems to make sense - no way, even back in the day, did they build on soil, and whatever that debris consists of, without some kind of foundation?

However, i can just see brickwork below where you've exposed things. I dont think that anything has been undermined but what is going on ... ?

AAMOI: a bitumen felt DPC can be clearly seen in the new pics.

 

[yorkney]

I just want to do things right before putting in some new joist ends and finishing off the room.Could I just leave this as it is?

 

[ree]

Yes. With more and better venting.

But what do you know about this area - why the "rock" chippings and concrete rubble?
How come no actual compacted soil oversite?

 

[honda]

Obviously the house has some age to it and my thoughts are that someone at sometime has used the underfloor space to get rid of a load of old rubble. Possible?
Edit. I would be tempted to dig further down in one corner and see what's what.

 

[yorkney]

I have no idea about the rock etc. The house is an end terrace with double front, the two front rooms are separated by the staircase. There is a cellar under the other room, half of it anyway and the other half is like this room under floor.

There are 4 large vents under floor and also a large clay pipe joining the two rooms.


So, there should be compacted soil, what function does this soil serve?