Concrete or wooden floor?

Skag

We are buying a new flat which is in a 1930s mansion block (2 floors). How can I tell whether it's got timber or concrerte floor? Should it be written in the lease? Do I ask my solicitor?

couriervanman

Jump up and down when you view it:j

AdrianC

It's probably concrete. Is there a corner of flooring somewhere that you can subtly lift?

What does it sound/feel like when you have a good stamp on the floor?

davidmcn

Your solicitor isn't (I presume) even going to view the flat, so is hardly likely to have a better idea than you. [STRIKE]Your surveyor will tell you. [/STRIKE]I would expect it to be timber though. Why are you concerned?


According to your other post you've already got your survey. So what does it say about the floor?

Skag

davidmcn wrote: »

According to your other post you've already got your survey. So what does it say about the floor?

The survey states:

We have not opened up the structure nor inspected the foundations.


So I don't know.

Skag

AdrianC wrote: »

It's probably concrete. Is there a corner of flooring somewhere that you can subtly lift?

What does it sound/feel like when you have a good stamp on the floor?

We're not there at the moment, as we haven't exchanged yet, so I don't know.
I suppose I could ask the solicitor to ask the vendor?

bouicca21

Why do you need to know?

Skag

I want to entertain the idea of replacing the carpet with wooden floor so I want to know where I should move in terms of sound insulation.

AlexMac

Doing this...

Skag wrote: »

...we haven't exchanged yet, so I don't know. I suppose I could ask the solicitor to ask the vendor?

... could probably be a waste of time; if I was the vendor, I'd probably say "make your own enquiries" or they'd qualify any opinion by saying "to the best of my knowledge" to cover their 4r5e.

And even if you did ask and they deliberately mislead you, all you could subsequently sue for would be the fianancial loss; which they's argue is zero as there's probably no perceived value differential?

You could probably work it out as a guess from the age of the block (newer purpose built=solid... older conversion probably suspended - ie hollow) but if your real question is about noise transmission, why not ask THAT question instead?

AlexMac

Just seen your follow-up post #8

Every lease of every flat I've owned says carpeting is obligatory. So look (or ask your lawyer to look) at the lease about your obligations

bouicca21

I’m ground floor, with a wooden floor over a concrete base. I don’t need sound insulation to protect others as walking on my floor creates no more noise than if it were carpeted. TBH I don’t think it would be any different if it weren’t concrete. The potential problem would be if upstairs laid a wood floor.

And PS after seeing AlexM’s comment, the leases in my block do not insist on carpeting. A friend lives in a block that was built with parquet flooring.