Pre-fab concrete house survey

DREKLY

Well, try again ! Cornish Units and Woolaway bungalows are not dissimilar, the Woolaway has one vertical concrete slab adjoining the next, with an imperceptible joint, whereas Cornish Units use a variety of overlapping slabs, that slot into a reinforced upright post, in my case, the slabs are 3ft wide, 2ft high, and overlap. the posts stand proud of each layer of slabs, which slot into grooves each side of the posts.

DREKLY

There are MANY companies that will "upgrade" these to become mortgageable, but it is NOT a cheap exercise. My property was built in 1955, and despite looking hard, I find no evidence of spalling in the concrete uprights, but maybe time will tell....
There is also a 3" cavity, filled with blown rockwool im my property, then an unusual double inner wall made from "PARAMOUNT" board.
This is one & a half inches thick, consisting of two sheets of plasterboard joined together, sandwich-style, by a honeycomb of vertical and horizontal waxed cardboard box sections, with vertical breather holes, and the outer layer that faces the concrete slabs has a metallised foil membrane as a damp proof barrier.
It took a long time to discover what this material was, I am told Barratt used it inside their properties at some stage; it does not fit on wooden stud uprights either, I believe it is slid into position on upper and lower "tracks", but to date, have found no evidence of this ! I may find out when I knock out a section to install patio doors - watch this space.
Hope that helps the OP or anyone else who struggles to find info on these unusual properties.

DREKLY

There IS a company in Truro, who specializes in "upgrading " these buildings, no doubt they would be able to point you toward a suitable surveyor... but not sure if I am allowed to post their name; just google J.C.Mitchell.


here's a copy/paste of the type of interior walling I have just found...






eggbox wall construction
Have been in a 1950s school today, the wall construction - even those protecting the staircases of a 4 storey block- were of eggbox construction. A sheet of 12.5mm plasterboard each side of an inner core comprising a cardboard matrix about 40mm square matrix. The panels appear to be butted up to each other without any framing material and all board edges are visible- ie not taped or filled.