dry rot Dry Rot - collapsed floor into basement

[Brovashift]

Hi all,

 

Im looking at a property (end terraced) going to auction thats being sold with dry rot, and a floor collapse clearly evident in one of the photos.

 

I have been to the property to do an external viewing, internal viewings are not allow due to the structural condition, but from the outside I can see the corner of the building where the collapsed floor is there is a rain water pipe flowing on to the floor where the external brick meets the concrete floor of the front yard.

The brick work of this corner, no more than 10 courses high, 5 or 6 bricks wide, looks to be either sinking slightly or the motar is just cracked/crumbled away, in a pyramid pattern, from wide at the bottom to single brick at the top. I am concerned about the likely hood of needing to under pin.

Looking at the gable end of the property I dont see any major cracks, and any that are visible look hairline, some cracked motar in the usual step like fashion, with only 2 bricks that I can see with cracks through the middle.

There are other small cracks around the property but I put this down to possible vibrations of passing trains, as the railway line is only approx 5 meters from the end of the rear yard.

 

If I got the property my first course of action would be to remove all timbers from the room, hopefully adjacent rooms wouldn't be necessary. Redirect the rain water goods until a permanent solution could be done, perhaps connect to the 4" waste stack, as there doesnt seem to be any drians. Either clear and/or add additional air bricks for better air flow. Then get some specialists in to damp proof, before replacing the timber floor and treating, or treading and replacing, whichever way round.

 

My question is; is dry rot capable of destroying brickwork, or is it just the motar? I can redo the motar and replace a few bricks. My concern is that the bricks might be affected which I'm guessing would mean rebuilding that bottom corner, which I am also assuming would need some temporary support from somekind of jack, like they use when underpinning. 

I know when putting a lintel in a non load bearing wall, in theory only a 60° or 90° triangle above should be able to drop out if you wernt to use acro props, because the rest of the brickwork should lean against itself supporting it. But even though this corner is a very small area, approx 6×10 bricks, its the bottom corner of the building with a lot sitting above it.

 

Ive got a photo but its of the side wall, cant believe I drove all that way and didnt get a photo of the front. The drain pipe location can be seen in that corner that i think has caused the damage.

There is also a noticeable crack to the rear of the property, between the downstairs and upstairs windows, seen in the attached photo. Gable end is to the right. At the time linked it to possible passing trains.

 

Thanks

Edited April 21, 2021 by Brovashift

[Mr Punter]

The dry rot does not destroy brickwork but can travel through it, eating up any embedded timber.

 

I would walk away form this.  It looks cheap because it is potentially a money pit.  Dry rot, damp and subsidence are not simple to remedy, especially when you are not experienced.  Avoid.

[markc]

+1 on the above

[joe90]

I agree, not A DIY job, lots of work and money ?

[Brovashift]

Thanks for the replies. Just out of curiosity, are any of you time served builders, renovators, developers etc? Im assuming so.

 

I am a time served joiner, but been out the site game about 10 years. Ive been renovating property since and so now consider myself a jack of all trades, master of none lol.

But never dealt with dry rot before... The work I have described is only the lacky work, Id of course get professionals in for the important stuff, so it can be signed off with building control.

 

My plan was to clear the place out, rectify the dry rot, do a strip and recover on the roof, and then re-access my options, whether to continue or put back into auction. 

 

Its obviously got a cheap price tag which gives scope to spend and still make profit.

 

Thanks all.

Edited April 21, 2021 by Brovashift

[Temp]

6 hours ago, Brovashift said:

perhaps connect to the 4" waste stack, as there doesnt seem to be any drians.

 

You aren't normally allowed to put rainwater into the foul sewer. You would probably need to dig up the concret yard and install a proper soakaway. Soakaway must be 2.5m from boundaries and 3m (i think) from the house. 

[PeterW]

7 minutes ago, Temp said:

2.5m from boundaries and 3m (i think) from the house.

 

2.5m from a boundary and 5m from the property. BCO can reduce these by discretion

[Brovashift]

Thanks.... Im going back to the property next week to take some detailed photos and have a chat with a surveyor. It was too sunny yesterday for my camera, screen kept going dark!

There are issues that need addressing, but wouldn't say its about to fall down. In my experience there's a solution to everything.... as long as it doesn't cost the earth! ?

[Mr Punter]

The brickwork above the shit brown window on the ground floor looks knackered as well, but again, not fatal.

[ProDave]

Without entering the property, how do you know it is dry rot that caused the collapsed floor, not wet rot?

 

What is with the corner with the Quoins?  Why do they stop above the ground?  It looks like some have been removed and replaced by bricks?

 

The brickwork referred to above between the two windows looks to have been replaced.  Why?

[Brovashift]

1 hour ago, Mr Punter said:

The brickwork above the shit brown window on the ground floor looks knackered as well, but again, not fatal.

Ye they have been changed for new style bricks. That crack between the two windows is either movement or they have just done a shit job because they haven't knitted them back together. The crack runs between new and old bricks.

[Brovashift]

40 minutes ago, ProDave said:

Without entering the property, how do you know it is dry rot that caused the collapsed floor, not wet rot?

 

What is with the corner with the Quoins?  Why do they stop above the ground?  It looks like some have been removed and replaced by bricks?

 

The brickwork referred to above between the two windows looks to have been replaced.  Why?

Im just going off what the auction house have stated, legal pack not yet available. 

Thats a good spot re the quoins, but looking on street view I think its original as next door is similar. My guess Would be that because that is a communal rear access, possibly to avoid damage from vehicles etc.

[Triassic]

I once viewed a property with a mate and they were only allowing three people into the house at the time, due to fire damage in part if the property.  The other guy left us in the lounge looking at the fire damage and he went into the kitchen, as he walked across the kitchen floor it gave way and he ended up in the sub floor. All due to dry rot.

 

I've bought  wrecks in the past and done them up at a profit. The last place had a tree growing in the kitchen and I had to demolish a third of the property due to structural issues. If you can buy cheap and can work to a budget then there is money t9 be made. Un-mortgageable  property isn’t for the faint hearted. 

[Brovashift]

1 hour ago, Triassic said:

I once viewed a property with a mate and they were only allowing three people into the house at the time, due to fire damage in part if the property.  The other guy left us in the lounge looking at the fire damage and he went into the kitchen, as he walked across the kitchen floor it gave way and he ended up in the sub floor. All due to dry rot.

 

I've bought  wrecks in the past and done them up at a profit. The last place had a tree growing in the kitchen and I had to demolish a third of the property due to structural issues. If you can buy cheap and can work to a budget then there is money t9 be made. Un-mortgageable  property isn’t for the faint hearted. 

Haha... that made me laugh! Hope the guy was ok. Bet he felt like a right numpty lol.

Tree in the kitchen lol, thats a new one. Last place I finished just before covid hit had no roof on the back, on the coast, and I roughed it and lived in. Doors used to blow open in the middle of the night. I can laugh about it now but at the time I was like wtf am I doing ?. Ended up being a long slog because it was everything from the roof to the drains, and everything inbetween. Majority on my jack jones as well, but sold in January (thanks Rishi Sunak) and now ready to get stuck into the next project. 

As long as I can understand the what and why, Im not phased by anything, ready to try and add dry rot to my repertoire. Or at the very least, have a guy that I call lol.