I've made my neighbours ceiling fall in

[PigOnStilts]

Well....put a nail through a pipe, overnight a chunk 4ftx4ft has come down. I assume we should stay off the hallway to prevent vibrations from wrecking it further, but should I be getting a plasterer in now to prevent further damage? They say their parents are coming up tonight (wee students) so not to worry but I think this is a. Emergency....and how much will this cost?

I'm panicking tbh.

[lalalonglegs]

You should have buildings insurance that will cover this sort of thing. But it's probably cheaper and easier to arrange it yourself in the long run so I would offer to clean up the mess and, if you know a plasterer, get him to come along and put up some a new plasterboard (I'm assuming their ceiling is plasterboarded) and skim - it won't be a big job - half a day rate (would be about £75 in London, plus £20 for some materials).

I also working on the assumption that you've fixed the leak that caused this.

[HenWithAttitude]

I think you need to let the area dry out thoroughly before repair.

Contact insurance and take it from there

[PigOnStilts]

Will the whole ceiling come down? So worried. It's a Victorian tenement, ten foot ceilings etc. don't think any wood came down, just the papery stuff

[HenWithAttitude]

You need to answer some questions if you want more informed answers :)

Have you stopped the leak?
How much water leaked?
Is he area very wet?
What is the ceiling made of?
Are you insured?

[PigOnStilts]

Yes, last night.
Leaked def under a litre, maybe pint
It's light tan streaks around the area, it's def wet but I've had wetter (smaller leaks from upstairs)
Don't know...ill be lathe and plaster I think. Guy said it seems to be a lowered ceiling.

Insured yes, and thank god I paid it yesterday by sheer fluke.

[PigletJohn]

if it's lath and plaster, it will probably fall down. If not today, perhaps tomorrow. if not tomorrow, perhaps next week. if it has to be restored to match old, it will be expensive if there are Victorian cornices and stuff. Flat celings are cheap.

Ask them to poke a skewer through the ceiling under wet patches so any retained water can run out. Don't worry if plaster falls down, it would have fallen anyway.

Lift your floorboards and leave them up so air can circulate and dry out.

Inform your insurers today as they will have emergency contacts

There will be a claim for your neighbours carpets as well as the celing, and possibly redecorating ewalls that water has run down. A wet and dry vac will help. Open windows for lots of ventilation to dry out.

[HenWithAttitude]

erm...all that for a pint of water Piglet John?

[PigletJohn]

"overnight a chunk 4ftx4ft "

must have been a strong pint.

[HenWithAttitude]

Special Brew I guess !

It doesn't add up, I agree.

[PigOnStilts]

Sorry, I wasn't there to catch the water! But it fell down and they didnt exactly have an overflowing bucket...they told me it wasn't much water. I put it down to shitty ceiling. Appaza it's all plasterboard, it's all good. No more water, parents are cool, plasterer in Monday for quote.

Thanks everybody.

[PigOnStilts]

And it wasn't lath, just plasterboard, not sure if it made a difference.