wood/laminate flooring & retaining access under floorboa

[carl0s]

Hi. I have moved into my first house and it really needs the front room carpet sprucing up. I was thinking about wood or laminate flooring though.

It's a 1920s semi though and there's a ~0.5meter cavity below the floorboards, through which central heating pipes, TV, satellite and mains cables run.
At the moment there are a few floorboards that are easy to lift up on each end of the room, and this is how I was able to find & attach to the old TV aerial wire (previous owner used Virgin Cable).
I'm worried that if I just get someone in to do flooring, I'll lose access to this cavity.
I could just have the floorboards improved/replaced/sanded, but I'm concerned about draft and noise from/to next door (this is another problem.. I can hear everything my neighbour does! I'll probably get the party wall double-dry-lined/green-glued at the same time).

Is there a simple/common solution? Or do I have to pretty much risk damaging the flooring if I need to get underneath it, or have to call a flooring person out every time?

Thanks,
Carl

 

[mointainwalker]

Is there a simple/common solution

Not that I an aware of.

Or do I have to pretty much risk damaging the flooring if I need to get underneath it, or have to call a flooring person out every time?

Yes and even if you have a floating floor, you are likely to need to glue the tongues which will probably defeat your "flooring-person" as well.

 

[HERTS P&D]

You could have a trap door under your sofa, or if you have a dinning table at one end, you could have a rug under the table with a trap door under that

I have also seen a trap door with a flush handle for access to an internal manhole in someone's lounge.

Andy

 

[carl0s]

OK thanks guys. So basically, I should probably just, erm, make sure I've got the wires that I need before I do the flooring?
I'm thinking of doing it myself, with tongue & groove veneered/"engineered" oak flooring.

 

[carl0s]

Hmm maybe not. I have a curved bay window. Nightmare.

 

[JohnD]

take the skirting board off before you start, then when you refix it can conceal the cut ends.

BTW it would be a bit of extra work to make a couple of trapdoors while you are doing all the rest, but far less trouble than having to do it in an emergency.

Last time I had a new floor, I had a hatch for a floor safe. One of my neighbours once left access for wine storage.

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

Rather than going for a hinged trap door set-up I think you would better off going for just a lift out panel, provided there was a noggin or 2 to support it which could be easily removed I think this would be much easier. A bit like this: http://www.avforums.com/forums/home-cinema-building-diy/1307255-laminate-floor-access-hatch.html

 

[JohnD]

you're right, it was just a lift-out I've got. Hinges and chamfered edges are too much work.