What is this Strange part of ceiling in house, no idea what it is

[lazer1235]

Hi guys So i recently viewed a house im interested in. One of the bedrooms needs a lot of work doing. Polystyrene tiles all over the ceiling.

There is a chimney breast with a place for a gas fire that is boarded up and there is foil around the borders

there are what look like some holes in the wall that have been plastered up and painted over.


Then there is this part of the ceiling where again there is foil and looks like a polystyrene tile has fallen off.

Not too sure why its there or if it just fel of. Is it me overthinking or does this seem suspicious.

And do you think it's a big job to sort out or justa simple case of taking tiles off and skimming with plasterboard? Thanks

 

[JP_]

Might come off easy. I had 1 room with polystyrene tiles on the ceiling, they came off very easy with a wallpaper scraper, and I boarded over and skimmed (well, a plasterer did that bit).

 

[blup]

Looks like bodged infill to support the poly tiles and somebody has already had a poke around.

Maybe the agent can shed some light.

Blup

 

[JohnD]

The foil was probably an attempt to hide damp. Might be roof leak or from the chimney.

Polystyrene tiles are to hide a cracked/sagging ceiling. They are a horrible fire risk.

After repairing the source of damp you may have to hack off the degraded plaster, and replaster. If it was me I would probably take the whole ceiling down and do it properly.

 

[dontbelieveawordofit]

overboard and skim. your overthinking it

 

[lazer1235]

Thanks guys, really useful stuff for a newbie like myself. Only reason i asked was because someone said it could have potentially been a "grow room" for illicit substances, hence the holes in the wall and foil everywhere!