Found a hole

[SquashBandicoot]

Had to move out the washing machine and found a big hole in the floor by the boiler pipe. Probably why we have such big draughts in the kitchen at floor level.

How can I get this covered up? Is it a builder or a handyman and what do they need to do? Thanks!

What is that like externally ? Do you have an air vent there ?m

Oh gosh that won’t end well if your washing machine leaks. I’d just get a local builder with good reviews to look and quote.

No air vent but the bricks outside near it don't look good - it's kind of below the white pipe. The bricks there are green and have the mortar coming out.

It's near to the washing machine and dishwasher so could get v dodgy. Plus it is cold! Worried about those bricks outside now as well

Is that a kitchen unit to the right? It looks like a missing floorboard, possibly who ever installed the kitchen couldn't be bothered to cut properly and refit. I'm not convinced about those cables either, are they behind the washing machine or is there a plinth that covers them. Is the yellow the remains of some insulation or expanding foam?

@Somersetbaker yes a kitchen unit. We had a rewire, think the cables are from that, they come.iut of the wall behind the kitchen unit and not behind the washing machine which is where I took the photo from.

I think you might be right, whoever did this couldn't be bothered getting a floorboards back in. I think yellow is remains of expanding foam.

Whoever put the kitchen in didn't make much effort at floor level

Family member has suggested a temporary fix of expanding foam for now - any thoughts?

Be careful you’re not creating a bridge for water to track up. Wouldn’t be difficult to cut a new bit of wood / floorboard to fit in there?

@DavidPeckham I agree that would be better - would a handyman do this for me do you think?

Absolutely. Are you able to cut a plank of wood though with a saw? There’s nothing to fear here. Measure, cut and put where the hole is. Don’t need to bother nailing down or anything if nobody will ever step on it. Just put in place and forget about it.

@DavidPeckham I could probably handle just laying a piece in place and never thinking about it again...

That’s all you need to do. If it has no weight on it then you don’t need to bother about securing in place. The caution I’d have about foam is that it can contact a much bigger area than you want and could bridge moisture up onto the floorboards / joists. You could end up with rot so I’d not recommend it for doing this task. If it is simply draft exclusion you could just lay some lino or similar across and staple in place.

Or depending on fixation points cut some damp proof course across it.

@DavidPeckham these all sound doable, thank you!

I'm still trying to understand the geography of this, the photo was taken from the space the washing machine was in, and is of the void between a unit and the wall, so only a few inches wide, is that correct? I'd get rid of the rubble etc, ideally by not shoving it down the hole, then remove the kickboards from the units to see how far the hole goes under the units, then a some mdf or chipboard to cover it. Repair it properly if and when you replace the kitchen.

@Somersetbaker your explanation is right, thanks for making it make sense!

We have just moved into the house and the kitchen was done fairly recently so we won't be looking to do it again for at least 10 years.

I'm going to follow your advice, clean the area up, check where it goes and then cover it with board. Staying well away from the expanding foam!