Help calm me. House buying and selling stress

Thanks karmalady. I could hardly sleep and then we had a torrential window bashing hail storm, I could also hear it on the roof. Looking out the window it's coming again, ominous grey clouds. Large hailstones still on roofs and the ground in places this morning.

I have asked the original bungalow surveyor, who helped me as a 'friend' with the roof and wouldn't accept payment from me, to oversee the floor replacement.

The damp/timber surveyor that came said they don't do concrete, but I'd be better off with it, and he went into some technical detail.

I asked my surveyor to ring him and discuss it and said I would accept his recommendation. He has come back recommending timber with a drain and said concrete will be triple the price and very disruptive/messy. I was hoping the builder that did the roof would be able to do the concrete.

I think I will ask him to get a quote for concrete. I then have to weigh up spending £11K v a possible £36K. In addition to the floor price I have to add the cost of having the fitted wardrobe/cupboard/shower cubicle removed, a storage unit for all my furniture and possessions, hotel/airbnb accommodation and possibly kennel/cattery costs. Neighbours have told me the previous owner moved out when she had the floors done.

Definitely the 'what if' situation, and I am wondering what my husband would have done.

I am thinking of the future and my children selling it when I've gone, or because I have had to go into a home.

Have a good day everyone

yes shandy I feel that the professionals have let you down. I believe you will not need ducts if you get a concrete subfloor. You need to be able to draw a line under this in the future and a timber subfloor will always be a niggling `what if`.

I think you are a step closer to clarification and remedy. It has been another stressful day and evening for you but the end is in sight and your mind is making sense of the root cause of it all. I take that as a good step in the right direction

Just about to go to bed and realise how ridiculous this is, I've become embroiled in it because the professional didn't cut a big enough hatch to have a look under the floor. He could have told me then if the concrete floor was ducted. What am I doing poking sticks through airbricks! If the concrete floor isn't ducted to the airbricks, then I don't have an airflow front to back. Simples!

So as far as I can work out: the concrete subfloor under the extension does not need air vents. The rest of the property subfloor needs a flow through of air ventilation to prevent rotting and mould. Ducts are normally put under the concrete so that air can freely flow through from the initial subfloor front and out on the back concrete side. I think the 6" airbricks may well be the outlets for those ducts and should have worked if there had been due care of the initial timber subfloor vents wrt maintenance

The flowthrough in the original timber subfloor was completely obstructed through lack of care and maintenance of the original airbricks. I feel that this may be the root cause of the problem. Just people not knowing that they needed to be kept clear. I have to be honest, I think I would consider getting a concrete subfloor rather than timber, you could do without all that worry about timber and airflow in the future

I am pretty sure that I have air vents in a concrete suspended subfloor because I am in a radon (low) area, to prevent build up of the gas. I have the bit between my teeth now and am going to research my own property tomorrow

I've just looked at the 'approved' planning permission. Unfortunately now I've looked at the plan again, I realise it was the plan sent out for tender, not the actual work that was completed. The builder isn't mentioned at all, just the address.

I've hit a brick wall! Having a break from it now, thanks for all your help

I like that man in the video, I wish he could come here!

shandy, its overwhelming. That video on the last link is very informative and interesting, so much so that I have sent it to my 3. It is so easy not to appreciate that air vents can be a conduit for water and muck to run under the floor, to cause horrendous issues with damp and rot. Just the top half of a vent showing means that there could well be water etc getting in. So many paths etc built around houses, half covering air vents. I would have thought a surveyor would have picked this airvent problem up

Thank you karmalady, perhaps they are periscopes. I'm finding it a bit overwhelming.

The back of the extension doesn't have a damp proof course. It is completely surrounded by a thick layer of gravel. There is a 'grey brick' at ground level, then a brick with an airbrick above it. I think it is earth underneath the black membrane but I was using my stew ladle, I couldn't find my trowel.

Tomorrow I'll cut the carpet, clean the mould off the chipboard, and hopefully my surveyor will contact me and come and cut big enough hatches to look right under the floor. I don't understand why the damp/timber man didn't do this, he only cut a very small hole, with great difficulty.

forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/2360323/few-survey-questions

Have a look at David Aldreds post, it is very comprehensive about airbricks. It will add to your personal knowledge. The ones by the concrete could well be periscope shaped and you would hit the side at about 6",

There is a picture of a periscope vent on this link
job-prices.co.uk/air-bricks/

oh no, I just read it again. It was built without building control. So scrutinise the planning application drawings.

The black fabric might be a damproof course. Is it on a firm layer, such as bricks, with more bricks on top of the fabric? No earth, soil or gravel should touch the house wall above the damp proof membrane

I was only in here two days and know about builders being careless. First thing I did was to clear every single hole in every airbrick and my front border slopes down a bit towards the house, I always check that nothing obstructs the airbricks in that area

What I meant about building control, is that everything should have been built according to regulations current at that time and it would have been signed off if control was satisfied

on the positive side, that is one airbrick sorted

Re the concrete, the airbrick might well be a a cover, rather than a proper brick. If it is, see if you can take the cover off, then look inside with a torch. If it is an actual brick you will need a strong light to see through the holes. Only 6" so I think you would see the grey concrete. I think it may be lower than the skirting as it is meant to ventilate the flooring.

If there is a gas fire in that room, it might be a room air brick. Have a look at any gas safe papers that you have

As it concerns the extension, building control will have needed to inspect the works, again dig out any paperwork, including submitted plans. Your solicitor will have asked for plans etc the airbricks will be on the drawings

The extension was built in 2002, and retrospective planning approved in 2007. I think you are right, the airbricks are just for show.

Not sure how to get to the 'inside' of the concrete floor airbricks? Should I take the skirting board off?

Just back in from digging the gravel away from underneath one of the airbricks, about six inches deep, really wet with worms as well, and there is a black weed proof liner at the base.

Wish I was going on a cruise and someone would sort this whilst I'm aboard!

your builder shandy or previous work? Cowboy work to give the impression of a vent to the unsuspecting. Seems as though the soft side could be cleared and a low retainer used to keep soft back from the floor. Can you scrape away after on the other side of a 6" hard, to explore.

Sorry, should have said scored areas are concrete. I don't think the builder has vented through, unfortunately, where I've put 6" I am hitting something that feels like concrete

I'm still battling with my rotten floor investigations.

Look at the difference in the clearance behind the airbricks. I used a 12" barbecue skewer and poked it in, couldn't lie flat on my stomach to 'look' as it's teeing down.

I looked at 2 houses with heat pumps, one was an almost-finished new build and the heat pump was below the main bedroom window. Imagine hearing that noise and clunks, like a fridge, all night long through an open window. The other was over-priced and the heat pump was an ugly big rust-marked unit visible from the front gate

The heat exchange is very poor, so how are people supposed to top up their heat to a comfortable level? By using electricity which is also required to stop the water in the units freezing in winter. Electricity bills will be high

Trouble is that soon future new builds will have to have heat pumps, my builder is building his next (expensive) houses with heat pumps instead of combis

My daughter's friend moved into a comparatively new house which had a heat pump installed as part of the build. Probably the house is about 6 years old now so was built with all the required insulation. It is a town house with 3 floors and she fails to get warm in any room. The girl is in her thirties and is in good health.
We live on the coast in South West Wales which is quite a lot warmer in the winter than other parts of the U.K.
I could not live in such a property, I feel the cold as I have a under active thyroid and am on blood thinners. If I am still around, I intend to buy a new combi boiler just before they stop being installed. I live in a house which is 7 years old and is well insulated,

karmalady, agree about those heat source thingies. Only really suitable for putting in new builds. Wonder how many are at present. Absolutely not suitable (at present) in flats, small houses, etc. etc. Of course, we can expect the technology on these to improve over time.

It is all very well for government to state that no new gas combi boilers will be permitted to installed within very few years. They have not provided any realistic alternatives. So, I really do expect that combi boilers will continue for quite sometime yet.

Any such changes should start with strict rules on 'new-builds'. ALL should have solar panels in them, ALL should have heat pump heating, etc. ALL should have good insulation. None should be built on flood plains!! It needs to be a slow, careful change over to more green energy usage in our homes, not the knee-jerk reaction that this government is doing.

oh yes daily shower cleaner spray is wonderful, I use the one by method.

I was watching youtube, saw a video by ecobubl, about the installation of air source instead of combi. Oh my goodness, what a faff and impossible for most. She was doing a survey for a customer. The unit is large, it needs a tank and other devices indoors, it needs bigger radiators and lots more piping under floors. It also needs wiring underfloors from one room to another. The pump outside uses lots of water and needs drainage. No way on earth will most people be able to have one and nor will they want one with the disruption that goes with it.

Mmmm,. Do wonder how I am going to 'shine' the new kitchen sink I am having installed - as it will be black!!!
I cannot understand this mania with home cleaning. Yes, hygenically clean - maybe loos daily. But not much else. Remember the old adage about a 'Little Bit of Dirt.......'

Much more to do with life than chasing around after a little bit if dust etc.

I've never been good at housework and didn't have any routine. There is a US website called 'Fly Lady' who suggests how to clean your house, starting by simply 'shining your sink' every night before you go to bed. Baby steps!

I have to admit that I almost feel guilty when reading these posts as to how little time I spend on any form of cleaning ikn my flat. (Not: ALMOST....).

Nothing that I do daily (except,obviously. make the bed), Nothing else requires daily doing. Only me living here, no pets, etc. It stays clean and tidy with minimal effort.

The only room with a carpet is my bedroom, vacuum there every few days, usually, at same time, will take that machine round rest of flat, over hard floor and one rug. That must take me at least ten minutes. Kitchen, bathroom and en-suite floor, mopped over once a week (taking me another ten minutes. Every so often (not more than two or three times a year), I will actually mop over the floor in the living room and hallway. Every so often I take a feather duster around the tops of pictures, etc.

Use daily shower cleaner spray on en-suite shower, Every few weeks will give that a really good clean over. Loo, - well obviously cleaned daily. Guest bathroom checked weekly, but rarely needs much done to it. I rarely use my dishwasher, so do a daily washing up, in the evening. kitchen worktops wiped down each time I use them. Weekly change bedding. The 'hardest' job I have regularly is the washing. No lawn to worry about, twice a year a sort out pots, on my balcony.

I have wonderful easy life with regards to housework.. I have never, ever been too much involved with this. When children were small, I used to go round tidying beds each day, two loads of washing (at least) each day, continual tidying up, and loads of cooking. three toilet areas to clean daily, brushing down stairs, daily and then there was also the garden!!!! I feel tired even thinking about what it was like then. Most of each morning was spent this way.

Now, I cannot even add up ho much I do weekly.. But my flat ALWAYS looks (and is), clean, neat and tidy all of the time. Absolutely love single level cleaning and have fitted out my flat to be enjoyed with total minimum of work.

oooh I just had that very important message. My painter is starting tomorrow, I am so happy, it will definitely be finished by monday evening if not earlier. Oh at long long last.

I have two roombas, bought one 9 years ago and the second 8 years ago, the same week that my friend next door started with a cleaner. She has the cleaner 2 hours every week and used to pay £20 then. I have replaced one roomba battery via ebay and the roombas cost about £450 each. Working it out last night compared with the cost of a cleaner, they were `paid for` in 45 weeks and have been `free` ever since. I keep one upstairs and one downstairs and by golly they are efficient

I have one docking station in the hall and another on my landing, never bothered programming their cleaning times, I just put it in place and press a button. Yes I lift wires up out of the way and move a few things, to make it easier for roomba but the amount of `fluff` and dust that gets picked up is amazing. Emptying the dirt holder only takes minutes. I have the 800 series, no wi fi or advanced programmes like automatic emptying. So far so good, I can replace all the external moving parts as they wear and expect roomba to last me for many more years

Just saying, I still have to dust, clean the stairs, inside of windows and wash the floors but cleaning is minimal here. I also think my windows are externally self-cleaning, they always gleam after a shower of rain, I do need to clean the window frames from time to time and also the patio cills. Lucky me, another thing I never appreciated, the side and front cills are all lias stone and don`t gather dirt

My mum and mother in law would have loved this house for ease of cleaning.