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floor level dropped slightly

  • 11-08-2020 4:47pm
    #1
    Roddylarge
    Registered Users Posts: 149 ✭✭


    Hi

    We are in a new build detached house. The house is 5 year old at this stage and bar the normal settling issues we have had no complaints.

    However in a spare room upstairs we have noticed that in one particular area the floor level has dropped by about 10/15mm.
    Its quite clear that this has happened over time as there is paint on the floor where it was once in contact with the skirting.

    I have contacted the developer and asked that they come and inspect the issue.
    IS there anything else that you would recommend I do or am I overreacting?
    Im quite worried about it as you can imagine.

    Ive attached some images of the area.


Comments

  • #2
    WEST
    Registered Users Posts: 171 ✭✭WEST


    Did you get this resolved? I have a similar issue in my house that is 10 years old.


  • #3
    Roddylarge
    Registered Users Posts: 149 ✭✭Roddylarge


    WEST wrote: »
    Did you get this resolved? I have a similar issue in my house that is 10 years old.

    I was promised 3 months ago that one of the builders would be out to me as soon as they had cleared the Covid back log. Called again today to be told the same thing but promised a call back.

    To be honest I’d sort of put it on the long finger but I’ll be on top of them now.


  • #4
    Roddylarge
    Registered Users Posts: 149 ✭✭Roddylarge


    So just got this from the builder.

    After looking at the photographs this is not a structural issue,what has happened is that the timber joisting and the timber sheeting has shrank by a few millimetres each and then the foam underlay under your laminate flooring has also compressed over time. The skirting is fixed to the wall so it will not move with the floor and therefore you have a gap underneath your skirting. I hope that this clarifies that it’s not a structural issue.


  • #5
    poker--addict
    Registered Users Posts: 1,702 ✭✭✭poker--addict


    seems plausible. By any chance do you notice the gap change throughout the year. I recall seeing doors that used to catch the floor when humidity seasonal conditions expanded the wood slightly, could be a factor, plus the foam?

    😎



  • #6
    GarySmith
    Registered Users Posts: 18 ✭GarySmith


    That's good to know it's not a structural issue and technically information really helped to understand it logically and it's a big relief, yes I also noticed doors that start touches the frame and it becomes hard to open or close the doors during the humidity season and as the summers back it gets normal itself.


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  • #7
    Goldengirl
    Registered Users Posts: 12,015 ✭✭✭✭Goldengirl


    GarySmith wrote: »
    That's good to know it's not a structural issue and technically information really helped to understand it logically and it's a big relief, yes I also noticed doors that start touches the frame and it becomes hard to open or close the doors during the humidity season and as the summers back it gets normal itself.

    Don't want to rain on your parade, but I would be contacting the overseeing architect or engineer about this , as the builder would say that I would imagine .

    Probably should address that to the op really .


  • #8
    Roddylarge
    Registered Users Posts: 149 ✭✭Roddylarge


    Goldengirl wrote: »
    Don't want to rain on your parade, but I would be contacting the overseeing architect or engineer about this , as the builder would say that I would imagine .

    Probably should address that to the op really .
    Goldengirl wrote: »
    Don't want to rain on your parade, but I would be contacting the overseeing architect or engineer about this , as the builder would say that I would imagine .

    Probably should address that to the op really .

    An engineer fro the developers office also concluded the same based on the photos. Due to covid I haven’t been able to get anyone out to look at it in person though.

    This is in an upstairs floor, there is no cracks on any on the ceilings below it or on any of the walls so I was happy to accept the builders response.

    I’ll contact the developer again tomorrow and see if they will send an engineer out.


  • #9
    Roddylarge
    Registered Users Posts: 149 ✭✭Roddylarge


    Goldengirl wrote: »
    Don't want to rain on your parade, but I would be contacting the overseeing architect or engineer about this , as the builder would say that I would imagine .

    Probably should address that to the op really .
    Goldengirl wrote: »
    Don't want to rain on your parade, but I would be contacting the overseeing architect or engineer about this , as the builder would say that I would imagine .

    Probably should address that to the op really .

    An engineer fro the developers office also concluded the same based on the photos. Due to covid I haven’t been able to get anyone out to look at it in person though.

    This is in an upstairs floor, there is no cracks on any on the ceilings below it or on any of the walls so I was happy to accept the builders response.

    I’ll contact the developer again tomorrow and see if they will send an engineer out.


  • #10
    NickNickleby
    Registered Users Posts: 1,813 ✭✭✭NickNickleby


    I have that in some of my rooms. In my case, its wherever the legs of heavy furniture are located. Move an item of heavy furniture away from the wall, for a day, and see how the floor rises back up.

    In my case its a piano on a timber floor in one room, and a sofa in the conservatory which has a concrete floor with laminate.

    The only problem I experience is that the spiders hide in there :eek:.

    In all honesty, the piano one is due to a serious fault - the joist doesn't go into the wall :eek::eek::eek: however, its been sitting there for 20 years and the gap maxed out at 1cm. So I don't worry about it.

    The conservatory is 15 years old and is not sinking or swaying or anything like that, its definitely down to the underlay compressing. In fact you can see how the gap undulates along the skirting to match the sofa legs (or feet or whatever they're called).

    Perhaps this is whats happening to you.


  • #11
    Roddylarge
    Registered Users Posts: 149 ✭✭Roddylarge


    So I contacted the developers office on Friday morning. I asked could an engineer come have a look at it, and I’ve been promised a call back.

    What is my legal recourse here should I not be able to get an adequate response from the developer and or builder. The builder won’t answer his phone and won’t reply to messages.
    I’m hoping the engineer will get back to me, and if anything is wrong then they will put the pressure on the builder to rectify it.

    However if I don’t hear back from either of them, have I any legal protection. The house is 5 year old.
    How does the homebond protection work?
    Do I need to get an independent report and then have my solicitor issue this to the developer and/or builder?

    I’m still hoping it’s nothing too serious and or something that’s easily fixed. But I’m scared that I’ll spend months chasing builders and engineers.


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  • #12
    MadYaker
    Registered Users Posts: 12,138 ✭✭✭✭MadYaker


    Go to a third party and get an engineer that isn't involved with the company that built these houses.


  • #13
    Roddylarge
    Registered Users Posts: 149 ✭✭Roddylarge


    MadYaker wrote: »
    Go to a third party and get an engineer that isn't involved with the company that built these houses.

    And sorry for the silly question but is it a structural engineer that I need ?


  • #14
    SC024
    Registered Users Posts: 569 ✭✭✭SC024


    As you said above there is no cracks on walls or ceilings below so its not a structural issue, it's underlay beneath laminate floor settling/compressing over time. it happens. Builder wont send an engineer out for that kind of thing. If you had cracking on walls internally / externally then yes builder should send engineer to check. You could pay your own engineer if you like but If i was an engineer I'd feel guilty charging a few hundred euros to come out to look at that & write a report on it. Homebond wont get involved over that kind of thing.

    keep an eye on it if it gets significantly worse take further action, other wise next time your painting you can drop skirting down to where floor is or fill that gap with decorators caulk.

    IMHO 3rd party engineer's is sledgehammer to crack a nut. give the money to charity instead, your worrying over nothing.
    Roddylarge wrote: »
    So I contacted the developers office on Friday morning. I asked could an engineer come have a look at it, and I’ve been promised a call back.

    What is my legal recourse here should I not be able to get an adequate response from the developer and or builder. The builder won’t answer his phone and won’t reply to messages.
    I’m hoping the engineer will get back to me, and if anything is wrong then they will put the pressure on the builder to rectify it.

    However if I don’t hear back from either of them, have I any legal protection. The house is 5 year old.
    How does the homebond protection work?
    Do I need to get an independent report and then have my solicitor issue this to the developer and/or builder?

    I’m still hoping it’s nothing too serious and or something that’s easily fixed. But I’m scared that I’ll spend months chasing builders and engineers.


  • #15
    Roddylarge
    Registered Users Posts: 149 ✭✭Roddylarge


    SC024 wrote: »
    As you said above there is no cracks on walls or ceilings below so its not a structural issue, it's underlay beneath laminate floor settling/compressing over time. it happens. Builder wont send an engineer out for that kind of thing. If you had cracking on walls internally / externally then yes builder should send engineer to check. You could pay your own engineer if you like but If i was an engineer I'd feel guilty charging a few hundred euros to come out to look at that & write a report on it. Homebond wont get involved over that kind of thing.

    keep an eye on it if it gets significantly worse take further action, other wise next time your painting you can drop skirting down to where floor is or fill that gap with decorators caulk.

    IMHO 3rd party engineer's is sledgehammer to crack a nut. give the money to charity instead, your worrying over nothing.

    Thank you for that.
    There is a physical dip in the floor in this room and in adjoining rooms too.
    If I was to lift the laminate, would I be able to fill this dip
    With another layer of underlay.
    I’m not sure the pics I attached in my original post show how bad the dip actually is. The gap between the floor and the skirting is about 15mm.


  • #16
    Roddylarge
    Registered Users Posts: 149 ✭✭Roddylarge


    The developer sent an engineer out yesterday. He would t say much to me when I pressed him, told me he would go away and do his calculations and his report would be ready in a few days.


  • #17
    Roddylarge
    Registered Users Posts: 149 ✭✭Roddylarge


    So I just got this back.

    “Yesterday I carried out an independent visual (non-intrusive) structural survey to the 2no 1st floor front bedroom areas only including the en-suite as directed. I can confirm that there are no structural issues whatsoever evident within these areas. All floors feel robust under foot, they are within level tolerances and there are no plaster cracks under floor joists below.

    There are some gaps under skirting boards (2- 8mm ranges) which is a common occurrence in new house construction associated with natural products such as timber members (joist, floor board & skirting board) due to shrinkage effects as moisture levels change over time. I note that the house has been occupied for almost 5 years. The gaps observed are purely cosmetic and require no further action. If desired these can be easily filled and concealed when one decides to re-decorate these areas.

    I trust this answers your query.”


    So whilst I’m glad it’s not structural, I’m still left with a noticeable dip in the floor. I know I can caulk the skirting/wall but how to I get the dip out of the floor?


  • #18
    poker--addict
    Registered Users Posts: 1,702 ✭✭✭poker--addict


    😎



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