Non-standard wall construction

[fluffy998]

I have had a couple of floods in the house with water from a field opposite. Unfortunately insurance are only happy to pay for some repairs as they are saying there is underlying issues with the house. After removing skirting etc I have found concrete blocks in some walls. Some walls have a brick plinth and timber sole plate. One of which has had a concrete render and camp course put over it. It's only after removing the skirting etc this has become apparent. I am getting quotes from builders to support the house and build a new brick plinth and replace the sole plate in some areas but thought I would raise on here to see if anyone had seen similar or had any other ideas. Any help appreciated. I have attached some pictures. Also, this is a 16C Thatched Cottage.

 

[Cubist]

Failure of the sole plate in timber frame structures is not uncommon but is most frequently found in buildings that have in the past been coated in an external render which inhibits the ability of the timbers to shed moisture outdoors. Sole plates, being the lowest elements of the frame, are particularly vulnerable as any moisture finding its way into the wood from any external or internal source - at any height in the structure - will inevitably find its way to them aided by gravity. That trapped moisture then induces rot of various types together with pest infestation leading to loss of the timbers internal integrity.

The only effective treatment for this problem is to excise all the rotten timber - typically this might also include the feet of some of the vertical posts as well as the sole plate - and replace it with new sound timbers. Where necessary any damaged or compromised stone or brick plinths would also be repaired or otherwise strengthened. This, I think, is what your contractors are sensibly proposing. However, you do need to be prepared for the fact that while these repairs are undertaken there will be a need for strategically placed jacks and props to be installed to carry the weight of the structure while the repairs are executed - there will be a lot of disruption you need to be ready for.

Sadly none of this will address the fundamental issue of external flooding and its potential for future damage to the property.

 

[jamest]

Are your insurers unwilling to pay for repairs because the house is timber framed? Seems odd given that they were willing to insure a house that they presumably knew was timber framed when they took it on.

If you're going to have to foot the bill for timber frame repairs, you might be in for a nasty financial surprise, in addition to all the disruption Cubist describes. Plus you don't want general builders repairing your frame: you need a specialist timber framer who knows how to cut and place the mortice and tenon joints to minimize water ingress and maximize evaporative potential so everything can dry out readily, especially if there's a risk of flooding again. Being listed could also make things painful, I presume the property is listed given its style and age.

Of course, in the good old days, folk would just cut out the offending sections of the sole plate and build up the plinth with bricks to provide the support. Lots of timber frame buildings with that kind of 'repair' in my area and they've been like that for many decades, sometimes for hundreds of years. Not that I could possibly recommend such a 'remedy'.

 

[fernicarry]

Insurance only covers specific events, it doesn't cover gradual deterioration. There is usually a "good state of repair" condition which of course can be next to impossible to know whether or not you meet. Plenty of wiggle room for them unfortunately.

I think the best way to view insurance is as a hedge for a catastrophic event that would otherwise wipe you out. Decline all the optional add-ons and set the excess as high as possible to keep the premium as low as possible.

 

[Cubist]

I have had a couple of floods in the house with water from a field opposite

I forgot to mention - the owner of the field opposite your home would usually be responsible for ensuring adequate drainage from their property to avoid damage to others. May be worth checking to see if they are properly maintaining any ditches or other drains to protect your home.

 

[Kearn]

I'll just leave these pics of our living room here…

Sole plate repair/replacement is an essential major pain in the arse. Which disrupts everything around it and necessitates far more making good than timber alone.

Insurance will weasel their way out of that as it didn’t happen due to this last flood. Maybe cumulative. But that’s been turning to dust for a while due to inappropriate materials. I’d expect the rest of your frame could do with a good going over from a structural conservation timber framer, who are very thin on the ground. Probably not what you wanted to hear, but this is a major repair.

I remember a previous ‘surveyor’ with their clipboard coming to our timber framed home ages back for a mortgage, and ticking the post 1960 brick construction box. It’s not impossible that the insurers have an incorrect construction type on file, which raises other questions about checking your policy is valid and appropriate, with an up to date, independent rebuild valuation. Otherwise you may as well put the premiums away for repairs like this…

Equally. Your neighbour’s insurance is in play here, flooding from their lack of upkeep is their responsibility. But good luck if it’s a farmer.

A final one, it’s probably too late now. A flooding damage flag on the insurance file isn’t good. It won’t go away and flooding is now the insurance markets biggest no no since subsidence. Many will refuse to insure or defer to the centralised FloodRE scheme.