Water under my bungalow

GDB2222

Can anyone get under the floors? 

plumb1_2

Check your drains, you could have a cracked pipe? You can buy drain tracing dye, go for green colour shows up better 

youth_leader

@GDB2222 it's only about 18 inches unfortunately to the solum.  

I'm on a water meter plumb1_2, it has been suggested I switch off the water and check if it is a leaking pipe.

plumb1_2

youth_leader said:

@GDB2222 it's only about 18 inches unfortunately to the solum.  

I'm on a water meter plumb1_2, it has been suggested I switch off the water and check if it is a leaking pipe.

It could be from the drain that takes away your rainwater

youth_leader

Thank you.  I don't really know anything about drains, I need to google it to find out where they are.

youth_leader

I've just remembered the Drainage and Water search I received from my solicitor - just need to get a magnifier, I can't see the small print on the map.

Bendy_House

At the end of the day, I don't think the presence of water is the problem, but the lack of ventilation.
To put it another way, even if you prevent the ground under there being sodamp, your joists and boards are still going to suffer as the air down there will still be very moist. There will always be moisture coming up from the ground. Vent it away, and you should be fine.

Bendy_House

If ducts haven't been laid through the concrete floors, then I guess your options will be either mechanical ventilation (yuck), cutting up the concrete floors to add the missing ducts (yuck), or to also concrete the other bedroom floors. That's surely the best option as it'll be guaranteed to sort it, and also give you the chance to add proper insulation.

IE, it would not only sort the problem, but be a 'good thing' in its own right.

youth_leader

My surveyor said concreting the floors could be triple the price, and very messy and disruptive.  The timber quote was £9K plus VAT, so he thinks it could be £30K.  I haven't had anyone in to quote for concrete but he is very experienced and I respect his advice. I was concerned about concrete because I wouldn't have the funds for underfloor heating to be installed at the same time.

I was going to sleep on a camp bed in the lounge/kitchen when it was happening, and get the builders a chemical toilet which I could also use.  I live in a popular tourist area and won't be able to get accommodation easily with my dog - plus my cat is 16, and no catteries within a driving distance she could tolerate.  I am so fed up about it, but it is what it is.

GDB2222

With due respect to your very experienced surveyor, you really ought to find out exactly what the problem is before starting work, or even formulating your plan. 

If you can’t get under the floor, you can still make several decent sized holes in the wooden floors. If you are planning to remove the floors anyway you have nothing to lose. 

I suggest holes about the size of a loft hatch, so someone can get lights in and stick their head and shoulders in. They can easily be screwed down again afterwards. You need to be able to check the whole of the void space for water ingress. As well as checking the ventilation. 

 You may also need to put dehumidifiers down to dry everything. I can’t see what replacement of the flooring will achieve unless you solve the cause of the problem. 

I  am unclear why forced ventilation is such a bad idea?