Just found out floorboards in inner bay window of bungalow are rotten

youth_leader

Thanks JohnB47, I haven't checked the bay roof but do remember reading in the file the vendor left me that she did have them refelted a few years ago.  

Jaybee_16

Regarding the ripped off comment, I always look around locally at who is having building work done so if there's a time when I need work done I have knocked on the door and asked the owners about their builder and contact details.

JohnB47

youth_leader said:

Thanks JohnB47, I haven't checked the bay roof but do remember reading in the file the vendor left me that she did have them refelted a few years ago.  

Fair enough. Whoever you get to have a look should check the roof over, including the flashing to the wall above the tile line.

youth_leader

Feeling a bit better after my dental surgery and thought I'd move everything today to investigate the bedroom floorboards after the bay window reveal.

The vendor rang me a few times before completion, and told me on the telephone that she had 'overwatered' a plant in this area.  When I moved in she'd put a piece of spare carpet over it and I've been so busy I didn't investigate.   A few months ago my cat's basket and blanket became mouldy in this area but I felt the carpet and it was dry, and forgot about it.

Here are the photos of the area at the end of my bed, a horrible soaking wet black mouldy mess, it's not floorboards. 

I haven't heard back from my surveyor yet but hope he can help me, this is the party wall where I'm attached to next door. 

canaldumidi

Replacing floorboards and carpet is no big deal. The issue is identifying and sorting the source of the damp. Also identifying whether joists/other woodwork is also rotted - lift floorboards and look.

As suggested it could be

* lack of airflow beneath the floor. Check external airbricks. Lift floorboards and look! Check airbricks the other side too- the air needs to flow right through.

* external ground higher than damp proof course eg a patio or flowerbed laid too high. Identify dpc outside and compare ground level

* leaking pipe. Any radiators thereabouts? Any supply pipes under the floor there? Lift floorboads and look.

* leaking or blocked guttering and/or downpipes. Check the dormer guttering.

* leaking roof on dormer

* cracks in render on external wall. Rain gets in behind the render, then trapped & cannot evaporate, so penetrates the wall

* blocked external drain. Is there a drain outside nearby?

* I doubt this is over-watering a plant!

For finding reputable contractors, try

Trading Standards 'Buy With Confidence', or

Consumer Association 'Which? Trusted Trader' (don't confuse with similarly named commercial website!)

Photos of the external wall, ground level, dormer roof might help.

youth_leader

Thank you for your detailed comment canaldumidi, I've finally found my hammer and will take the boards in the bay up tomorrow.  I've been here for eight months now, there isn't any storage at all and I've still got a lot packed while I choose furniture.  I am still waiting for so many trades - the decorator, a joiner to board the loft, the gutter cleaning company.  Lockdown here has made everyone so busy, I'm just going to relax tonight and  open my cheap Tesco Baileys, and raise a glass to all of you  

twopenny

That's no overwatering and it's something that should have been specified on sale. The surveyor should have picked this up easily enough with a damp meter. It would register even with the wall. Naughty guy/gal.

However the problem first. That's not new. But it does look like a problem from damp being caused by the outside in and festering inside. Keeping it warm and dry should stop it getting worse which will give you time to sort the problem and it's origin.

Dental surgery? I've had that straight after lockdown. What a joy!

youth_leader

Delighted I've heard from my surveyor, he is coming on Thursday.

I've finally managed to find places for all the stuff stacked in the bedroom, and have now managed to pull the carpet back about five feet - it's all black and mouldy as far as I can see.   The other half of the bedroom is an extension, and it is concrete.  No wonder my cat's basket/blanket was covered in mould..  Glad I've found out in time as I had my favourite carpet folded up under the bed ready for when the room was decorated.  

Phil4432

Any chance of a picture of the external wall, outside of the bay window at ground level?

youth_leader

I will photograph the bay window in the front of the house in the light tomorrow Phil4432   I'm pleased to say my roofer has just texted, he does do gutters.  I've been trying to get the gutters cleaned since April without any luck and now get 'baptised' every time I go out of the front door, the joins are leaking badly where they've been bent to go round the porch.  Gutters at the back on the flat roofed extension aren't effective either, I might as well get a quote to replace the whole lot.

My last description is of the back bedroom.  I've been sleeping in there since I moved in and wonder if it's why I wake up with a sniffly nose every morning - so much mould. 

What can I use to pull up the carpet?  I wanted to get the carpet up in the other front bay window, and have just bent the fork