Help - Serious wood worm infestation in Scouts Accommodation Block

[Triassic]

I help manage a Scout campsite and over the summer the suspended timber floor in one of the  corridors collapsed. On further investigation we found extensive woodworm infestation in the joists and the two layers of flooring (T&G over boarded with chipboard). We are now concerned about the structural integrity of the building, and need to understand if the building can be restored and the likely costs.

 

Can anyone recommend a structural surveyor experienced in timber building? 
 

The building is around 50 years old and is made up of two second hand classrooms, obtained from a local grammar school.

[joe90]

In a previous renovation I had serious woodworm and got a treatment expert out to se it, he told me what could be saved with treatment and what needed replacing, might be worth a few phone calls.

[Triassic]

6 minutes ago, joe90 said:

In a previous renovation I had serious woodworm and got a treatment expert out to se it, he told me what could be saved with treatment and what needed replacing, might be worth a few phone calls.

I’ve already talked to a range of surveyors and fairly knowledgable treatment companies. Unfortunately, being a charity, the trustees are now asking for a structural report signed off by “a suitably qualified expert”. They are worried about the extent and the costs. They’ve got stung with additional costs in the dim and distant past, so are in Arse covering mode.

[saveasteading]

What have your discussions to date established or suggested?

This may influence the specialism of the consultant you need.

Have you tried local social media? There may be businesses who do a certain amount of pro bono work for local good causes.

[Triassic]

29 minutes ago, saveasteading said:

What have your discussions to date established or suggested?

It’s a single storey timber, stick framed building, made up of two distinct halves. One half contains the sleeping accommodation, the other the dining room and kitchen. The woodworm is extensive within the accommodation section floor cassette. The concern is the extend of spread into structural elements.

 

During a recent discussion with a design and planning consultant, they suggested it could cut up to £550,000 to replace the whole building, money the charity simply doesn’t have, hence the need to understand if it can be saved. Apparently it’s at least 30 years past its design life.

[saveasteading]

Killing the woodworm is presumably easy. Is there rot?

Have the floor joists been examined.

Any pictures?

 

Covering the problem with osb was an easy way out for your predecessors, and ideal for the worms.

[Triassic]

1 hour ago, saveasteading said:

Killing the woodworm is presumably easy. Is there rot?

Have the floor joists been examined.

Any pictures?

 

Covering the problem with osb was an easy way out for your predecessors, and ideal for the worms.

The joists crumble to dust, as does the T&G. The infestation is extensive, probably extending to well over half, to two thirds, of the floor area.

 

The over boarding hides a lot of the problems and has been done in every room.

Edited August 21 by Triassic

[saveasteading]

What is the rest of the structure, below and above the floor level?

[Triassic]

4 hours ago, saveasteading said:

What is the rest of the structure, below and above the floor level?

The whole building sits on a dwarf wall about 4 bricks high.

[Redbeard]

7 hours ago, Triassic said:

Apparently it’s at least 30 years past its design life.

That was my first thought, and if it's the sort of thing I have in mind (and had a few years of schooling in) I would have some doubt as to how it would stand up to a rigorous structural assessment.

 

I take it you have already done a trawl through the local SEs? While you may not find someone who specialises in timber buildings (and old ones at that) a generalist with a portfolio including timber buildings and an interest in a challenge might be prepared at least to have an initial look. I like the idea of pulling the 'Local Charity' strings and looking for pro bono or reduced fee work as well.

[TommoUK]

What’s the building used for and how big is it? Maybe work out what you need to do from a health & safety & insurance perspective, then work out if it’s viable to repair it.   If not, can you start off with a simple structure and then improve it over time through fund raising, etc You can get some pretty big garden buildings online that you may be able to upgrade, or look on eBay for used portacabins and join them together if needed?

Edited August 22 by TommoUK

[Mike]

Try to identify who made the building / who makes something similar & ask them if they can send someone?

 

On 21/08/2024 at 12:24, Triassic said:

The concern is the extend of spread into structural elements.

You'll only know that by stripping off parts of the shell. In addition to the timber, I'd suggest that the joints between sections would need to be exposed to verify their structural integrity.