Concrete floor in late-Victorian house - unusual?

retsinelg

I'm mid-buying a late-Victorian property. My research suggests it was built in the 1880s - typical back-to-back mill workers' terrace in Yorkshire, very common in that era and that area.
My research also suggested that terraces at this time had suspended timber floors, using perhaps just a small amount of concrete around the lobby/door. I grew up in a terrace of a similar age and that's what our old house was like.
But the seller has now confirmed the whole ground floor is concrete and it's just striking me as a bit unusual. I'm wondering if it could be a problem for me later on if this was laid in the 20th century and isn't the original floor.
I'm asking my surveyor to check the floors - the vendor has agreed to take up a bit of the carpet so he can have a look. If all is ok I'll be having laminate floors fitted over the concrete.
Does anyone here know anything about flooring and can you tell me whether this could be a cause for concern or I'm just over-worrying over nothing?

macman

Almost certainly not original. But then most houses of that age will have had a fair amount of work done to them over the last 140 years. Unless you are needing to run CH pipes or other plumbing around and under the ground floor, and assuming that the solid floor has been properly installed and maintained, why would it be a problem? The surveyor will presumably check for any signs of damp, which is the only possible issue. 
The original damp proof course would have amounted to little more than a thin course of slates in that era.

Hasbeen

retsinelg said:

I'm mid-buying a late-Victorian property. My research suggests it was built in the 1880s - typical back-to-back mill workers' terrace in Yorkshire, very common in that era and that area.
My research also suggested that terraces at this time had suspended timber floors, using perhaps just a small amount of concrete around the lobby/door. I grew up in a terrace of a similar age and that's what our old house was like.
But the seller has now confirmed the whole ground floor is concrete and it's just striking me as a bit unusual. I'm wondering if it could be a problem for me later on if this was laid in the 20th century and isn't the original floor.
I'm asking my surveyor to check the floors - the vendor has agreed to take up a bit of the carpet so he can have a look. If all is ok I'll be having laminate floors fitted over the concrete.
Does anyone here know anything about flooring and can you tell me whether this could be a cause for concern or I'm just over-worrying over nothing?

Yes they usually had flagsone floors on ashes/earth.

Concrete came later for downstairs floors.

I would definitaly check the damp aspect though ?

Some dig all out and put in suspended wooden floors?

Concrete was if I remember invented by the Roman's?

retsinelg

Thanks both - I was concerned because I've only heard bad things about concrete floors laid after-the-fact in Victorian houses - damp problems etc. 

But then no one ever tells good news stories do they? I've let my surveyor know, anyway, so I'm sure he could reassure me. Perhaps it's not unusual after all if it's common that people would replace wood with concrete. 

GHolmesAdmin

Yep, the Romans had concrete.

Timbosaurus

Most likely had dry rot at some point.  I live in a Victorian seaside town and this is very common, the air brick perforations were often tiny and would get clogged.  You can tell if it has been properly damp-proofed by using a damp meter from B&Q or Amazon.  If it hasn't, run a mile as you will be fighting a very expensive gas-powered battle all winter to feel properly warm forevermore.

retsinelg

GHolmesAdmin said:

Yep, the Romans had concrete.

I know you're all joking, but just to clarify the level of my ignorance - I was not suggesting the Victorians did not have concrete, only that they didn't tend to lay concrete floors in their houses

retsinelg

Timbosaurus said:

Most likely had dry rot at some point.  I live in a Victorian seaside town and this is very common, the air brick perforations were often tiny and would get clogged.  You can tell if it has been properly damp-proofed by using a damp meter from B&Q or Amazon.  If it hasn't, run a mile as you will be fighting a very expensive gas-powered battle all winter to feel properly warm forevermore.

Thanks! Very useful. The surveyor will check all of this and knows I'm particularly worried about the possibility of moisture from the floor so I guess I wait and see. I'm also installing a log burner so hopefully an open fire would fight the cold? Eeeek....fingers crossed.

blue_max_3

He could have meant it has been screeded. This is often laid over a membrane to isolate damp. 

retsinelg

blue_max_3 said:

He could have meant it has been screeded. This is often laid over a membrane to isolate damp. 

I don't think I understand the difference, sorry? First time buyer with absolutely no knowledge of property and DIY...all I did was prepare myself by reading as much as I could but I probably have a lot of useless knowledge and not enough relevant stuff in my head

What is the difference between screeded and concrete and which is more common? Is screeded generally better than concrete?

theartfullodger

Romans, back to 150bc, did have concrete;

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_concrete

e.g.- the Pantheon, from probably 120AD-ish,  still standing (I saw it in the 1970s, impressive..)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pantheon,_Rome