Leaking bathroom floor -> kitchen ceiling

Pounds

Hi

My kitchen ceiling has lots of damp patches and leaks everytime I use the bath. ....I think it's about time I fixed it. I'm assuming that as the water is leaking from the bathroom, the bathroom floor will be damaged too.
Can someone please tell me how much this will cost to fix? Will I need to "take out" the bath/sink/toilet? Will I be charged for the bathroom floor and the kitchen ceiling as separate items? Do I need to involve a plumber and a builder? ....Am I asking too many daft questions? : )
I'm from Merseyside if that helps with any price estimates.

Thanks.

googler

You need to establish where the leak is coming from; i.e. from the taps when yo open them up - from the base of the bath when it's full - from water spilling over the edge of the bath - or from the waste pipe as you empty it.

Can you take the side panel off the bath? If so, then go through the whole bathing cycle without getting into the bath, and observe all the pipes and the underside of the bath itself whilst you do so. A strong torch may help in this regard.

It's best to do this yoursel' because any plumber will charge you his/her hourly rate for making the same observations. You can figure this stuff out on your own.

Pounds

Thank you. Once the leak's established will it mean new floor and ceiling? Common sense tells me it will but I'm hoping not!!

wallbash

My guess is no .:D

You wont know until you take a look, but floor boards are very robust, only if the leak has been there for months/years will there be a major problem. And then replacing a couple of boards a few pounds. The ceiling likewise will dry out, only if it has sagged ??? would I panic.

phill99

This is an insured loss under your buildings insurance. Why not give them a call. They will pay for a builder to make good thye damahed floor and replace the ceiling and redecorate as necessary. It will cost you your excess but that is a lot cheaper than you paying for it.

wallbash

It will cost you your excess

And if it turns out that its only a leaking waste. and a ceiling that only needs a coat of paint??
No wonder our insurance bills are high.

phill99

wallbash wrote: »

And if it turns out that its only a leaking waste. and a ceiling that only needs a coat of paint??
No wonder our insurance bills are high.

But how do you know that? I get called out to many jobs where people say 'Oh it just needs a lick of paint' where upon further inspection, the plasterboard has ruptured and needs replacing, the leak has come down the walls and they need redecorating and floor boards need replacing which requires the bath taking out.

And how is insurance expensive? I pay less than £300 a year to have my house rebuilt and all the contents in in replaced. How can that be expensive?

wallbash

But how do you know that?

WE dont. until the OP removes the bath panel .

geri1965_2

I'm not sure it would be covered under the insurance - well it would, but if it's been leaking every time the OP has used the bath then they may treat each incident as a separate claim and apply the excess to each one.

It would be different if one incident (say the bath overflowing) had caused all the damage.

LillythePink

We have had this problem - bought a house in May and a week later the leaks started - the kitchen ceiling is ruined and we just can't stop the leaks!

No, we haven't had a plumber in, but my hub is a builder so it's not like we are novices at DIY! Our tiles have only been dotted and dabbed with glue, we found that the bath hadn't been sealed at all, the overflow was only hand tight, the plug again was only hand tight - we have sealed the bath, had to replace tiles and grout, tightened the plugs and still it leaks! We are now going to replace the bathroom totally - have ordered one online and will have it tiled properly.

As regards the kitchen ceiling, we are making a claoim with our insurance, who will pay up for the damage so it is worth a try

Pounds

Thank you all for this! I called the insurance out who are now going to pay for replacing the entire kitchen ceiling. I had a couple of contractors out to give me an estimate for the insurance and both agreed that the kitchen walls were damaged and need replastering. Loss adjuster didn't agree though and I understand his word is final so I'm not pushing it. Will replastering myself and add a new kitchen in whilst I'm there.
I wouldn't have even thought of my insurance if it hadn't have been mentioned here - thanks again!