Bathroom leak, damaged ceiling and planned replacement

Sister_Sister

Hi

Any ideas or suggestions would be very welcome, I knew this house would have surprises I just hadn’t anticipated this.

The house is a little unloved, the bathroom is very dated and so we had planned to replace it. The plumbers start tomorrow with the down stairs toilet before moving on to the bathroom next week.

However last night whilst I was in the bath my husband asked how full it was as some of the ceiling in the room below had come through and water was also coming through the ceiling.

It wasn’t that full although it was above the bottom hole on the overflow but I don’t think that should cause water to come through into the room below.

We have emergency home cover through our home insurance and I called them yesterday but they aren’t sending someone until tomorrow.

I’m just a little worried about how it will look to the insurance as we had planned to change the bathroom and haven’t been in the house long. Maybe I’m worried about nothing but I’d welcome any thoughts.

sheenas

The overflow should prevent leaks. I would be surprised if this caused substantial damage. Are you sure that it’s needs insurance claim?

Sister_Sister

sheenas said:

The overflow should prevent leaks. I would be surprised if this caused substantial damage. Are you sure that it’s needs insurance claim?

I’m not really sure as well as a bit of the ceiling coming through there is also an odd bulge in the ceiling.
I hope it isn’t too bad but I don’t know what’s underneath the bath or how bad the ceiling or support is damaged.
Hopefully the emergency plumber tomorrow will be able to tell me more I’m just a little worried about if there is more of an issue then I can see

Green_hopeful

Can you take the bath panel off and have a look underneath. Might put your mind at rest?

gwynlas

Can you put your planned work off?

It would be reasonable to want to take out bath if you discovered problems underneath caused by leakage. Repair would be needed and time taken to dry area out.

Regarding insurance claim you need to ask  yourself if potential rise in premium worth it?

DullGreyGuy

Sister_Sister said:

Any ideas or suggestions would be very welcome, I knew this house would have surprises I just hadn’t anticipated this.

The house is a little unloved, the bathroom is very dated and so we had planned to replace it. The plumbers start tomorrow with the down stairs toilet before moving on to the bathroom next week.

However last night whilst I was in the bath my husband asked how full it was as some of the ceiling in the room below had come through and water was also coming through the ceiling.

It wasn’t that full although it was above the bottom hole on the overflow but I don’t think that should cause water to come through into the room below.

We have emergency home cover through our home insurance and I called them yesterday but they aren’t sending someone until tomorrow.

I’m just a little worried about how it will look to the insurance as we had planned to change the bathroom and haven’t been in the house long. Maybe I’m worried about nothing but I’d welcome any thoughts.

A claim on the Home Emergency cover doesnt typically count as a claim on the main policy however, as the name suggests, it's there to deal with emergencies not to offer a permanent solution. 

Presumably having emptied the bath there have been no further problems? Have you taken the bath panel off?

If its coming to the overflow then it is that full, most obviously the overflow may not be connected, Personally would be making basic checks myself before incurring the excess on the Home Emergency who may simply state that the emergency fix is not to have a bath assuming you have other washing facilities. 

Sister_Sister

Hello
I’ve previously lived in a new build that never had any issues, so for me a bit of the ceiling falling down but there is also a larger bulge in the ceiling was quite worrying. I thought the whole thing might fall down.
The emergency cover doesn’t have any excess and is for up to £500.
The plumber did attend apparently it was a lack of sealant on the overflow which would have been leaking for months and building up. It’s caused the floor under the bath to rot and water to build in the ceiling below. 

We moved into the house in February but didn’t know there was an issue until the ceiling fell down.
The previous owners tried to do a lot themselves and had sort of cemented the panel in place