Subsidence or something else?

louisea64

I have a semi that was built circa 1952. Only found out by accident (having new electrics) that I have a basement that covers the whole of the ground floor. There is no access apart from taking up floorboards.

The house is quite cold which I'm assuming is from the basement below so will probably think about some kind of insulation between floorboards/joists (dependent on cost), however I've recently noticed that my kitchen work surface seems to be dropping from the upstand attached to the kitchen wall - there is a gap now between the bottom of the upstand and where the work surface starts. It definitely wasn't there when I had the new kitchen intalled.

Is this something that a structural engineer is needed for - to let me know if there's some kind of subsidence. Haven't seen any cracks anywhere and apart from ripping up the carpet and floorboards myself to have a look what's going on (which worries me as what else could be lurking:() - I really don't know the best course of action.

Thank you

wallbash

that I have a basement that covers the whole of the ground floor.

Is it ? or just a void ? Basement you would be looking at over 6ft .
And a void up to that depth, and as you say no access, its VERY unlikely to be a 'basement'

So you have thought about some insulation , should be cheap and easy to install as you have wriggle room!

Haven't seen any cracks anywhere

Thats good, would be looking for another explanation of the

here is a gap now between the bottom of the

Dont Panic.

louisea64

I can stand up in the space - so over 5 foot 7 at least.

I'll sort out the insulation then and not worry about the work surface.

Thank you

:T

Gloomendoom

Sound like the walls are rising, not subsiding.

What state are the floor joists in?