Water under laminate flooring in new build?

[Unrulyrabbit]

We moved into a new build last autumn. Laminate flooring throughout ground. Looked lovely, well done when we arrived. We were one of the last plots so site manager etc left after about 3 months, handed us over to the developer office. After 6 months noticed when we ran our feet over the floor it seemed to be wavy, no longer completely flat. We hadn't done anything to it - had looked after it well in all the usual ways. Started to get a bit concerned.

By 9 month's noticed quite a lot of bubbles appearing, and across a wider area. And more of the uneven surface. Contacted the developer, who basically accused us of damaging the flooring and wouldn't even look at it. We're as sure as we can be that we've nothing mistreated it.

This weekend standing on flooring in one area, can actually hear and feel squelching. As though there is water under the floor. Can that even be the case? We can get back onto the developer but if they fob us off, not sure what we do next.

To start with, can you take part of the floor up so you can try and see what’s going on?

I'd recommend getting a RICS accredited surveyor to have a look and write a report, which you should be able to pass onto the developers.
It's absolutely possible there could be water under the flooring due to a defect with the build - but you definitely need specialist advice on this

We wouldn't know how and scared to do anything that might cause actual damage ourselves

Thanks. How do you find one, just Google?

Have you checked for leaks in the kitchen from appliances/pipes?

Kitchen is right next to the area in question, they also installed everything in it. Nothing visible in terms of leaks etc.

This happened to us in our kitchen and it was a tap leaking under the sink. The pipe was dripping down the back of the cupboard and onto the floor.
This gradually soaked under the laminate.
We ended up claiming on house insurance and having floor tiles fitted instead when it dried.

We had similar, in our kitchen the waste water pipe hadn't been glued into a joint, just push-fitted - so dripped onto and under the laminated floor.

But it was so obviously a construction problem that the developer replaced the floor no problems.

Anyway, that's what you are looking at - take the floor up, find the source of the leak and fix it, let it dry out, replace the floor. The old floor is not salvageable.

I think an RICS surveyor may be a bit of overkill for this, I would perhaps start with a plumber. But you need info about whether it's a builder's bad job or not.

As a PP noted, if the developer won't cover it then your house insurance should.

Have you slid out the appliances and can see all the plumbing? Have you removed the kick boards and had a good look? You can also often remove the rear of kitchen sink cupboard if it obscures anything.

Thank you, useful info on likely problem and options to resolve it

It's all integrated

You can remove the kick boards. Then use a torch or buy/borrow/rent a camera on a flexible lead (you can get them for an iphone) to get a closeup.

Thank you