What to do after bath leaks into brand new kitchen??

[emsa1]

As above really. We've just had a new kitchen fitted and whenever someone takes a shower in the room above, water pours through the light fitting. We've taken the bath panel off and it looks like it's been going on for ages, Rotten wood - mould etc :( I have no idea what the space between the bathroom and kitchen ceilings.. with the electrics - looks like. I just don't know where to start. Buckets under the bath right now and a plumber coming Wednesday but in terms of getting the damage assessed to the flooring... electrics? Has this happened to you - did you claim insurance and if so what for? Please help - I'm in shock!!

Is the wood rotten? Can you push your finger though it? Or is it just wet and slimy and gross? What about the floor boards under the bath are they solid or damp or rotten and falling apart?

I am trying to see if it is possible to work out whether there is a potential structural problem or if it just needs the plumbing to the bath repairing /resealing and maybe some replacement floorboards and a new bath frame?

Hello - it's patchy - some boards worse than others. Some board have mould on them and holes :( Should we put a fan under there? I guess a joiner would be a start in addition to the plumber?

Does your insurance have decent cover for water escape? If so before you get anything done speak to the insurer to make sure the work is covered with your choice of traders.

This happened with our new kitchen, any chance any pipes were knocked when it was fitted? We had a new ceiling as it was 2 rooms knocked into one and the fitters had dislodged a pipe in the ceiling, first shower brought the whole ceiling down with water. Insurance covered it all as water damage.

Definitely check your insurance cover before you get anyone in to start quoting for repairs.

If it turns out that the damage is quite extensive, you’ll probably need to claim on your house insurance and your insurers will need to assess the damage themselves and also might require you to use their approved tradespeople.

When this happened to me, the insurance company sent someone out and he sorted everything else.

If the leak has been going on for a while, a fan will do nothing. You need an industrial dehumidifier (or possibly several). Again, the insurance sorted it for me.

They also paid for a hotel for the week I had no kitchen and no bathroom - they tore out all the fittings and took up the floors to properly dry everything then refitted it all.

As a PP has said, start with the insurers and go from there.

Carpenter

You can dry up damp by setting an ordinary electric fan (not a fan heater) to blow on the wet patch. It will accelerate evaporation. Ventilate out the damp air with the extractor fan, constantly running, or a window slightly open. Not both at the same time.

I recommend actual floorboards in a bathroom, fastened with screws. They are stronger and far more water resistant than chipboard, and it is easy to unscrew one and lift it up to check for leaks. You can also do it with plywood panels, but these are more work to cut for a perfect fit. Floorboards are more expensive but a bathroom is very small and does not need much.

Once the joists are dry, I prefer to use a Timber Preserver (not a woodstain) in case of future leaks or spills.

Clean out the rubbish from the void

The kitchen ceiling might also need repair. Only use an experienced local plasterer, not a name you find on an Internet advertising site masquerading as a recommendation site.

How old is the house?

Thank you for the advice. Our house is 120 years old.

This happened to us, albeit without the new kitchen, but it was water pouring through the ceiling into the kitchen, plus electrics tripping. We had an emergency plumber fix the immediate leak and got the dehumidifier on it. Then rang our insurance and they sent someone to assess the damage and then sorted everything else out. The person they got to do the repairs was the best tradesman we've had work on the house. Always seem to find it hard to get someone who can do good quality work and be friendly but this man was excellent.

Insurance!

it could be a big job and you need to make sure all the damp areas are properly removed and treated

Ah.

Then the floor will originally have been floorboards

And the kitchen ceiling, lath and plaster, which is a specialist job to repair, but if there has been a long term leak, the nails may have rusted away and it is liable to fall down.

But perhaps it has already been renewed.

Post some pics of the upper surface of the ceiling and I can tell you.