Uneven floor

[alpina]

Proving that I may be as green as I am cabbage looking, I have a question...

If you had viewed a refurbished stone-built fermette that (aesthetics aside) had a modern tiled floor,which is not completely level i.e. the joists are uneven and in places rise and fall - would you be concerned?

Thanks

Anne

[Kitty]

Is the floor solid or, as your question implies, is it suspended?

 

[powerdesal]

That would rather depend on what the tiles were actually laid on, are they on a suspended wooden floor, ie joists with a wooden covering (planks, chipboard etc) or are they actually laid on the solid ground ie previous tiles or a concrete raft or even compacted earth.

In other words, is the tiled floor at ground floor or first floor level. Is the underneath visible (ie first floor).

Not enough info really.

[geoff]

[quote user="alpina"]Proving that I may be as green as I am cabbage looking, I have a question... If you had viewed a refurbished stone-built fermette that (aesthetics aside) had a modern tiled floor,which is not completely level i.e. the joists are uneven and in places rise and fall - would you be concerned? Thanks Anne[/quote]

Concerned about the age of the place. or the way it has be refurbished.

You say it is stone built so that tells you a lot.

[alpina]

Not at all concerned by the age or even by the stream that runs along side it or even the small damp patch that seems to be caused by an internal shower room that needs to be vented.

The fermette is probable about 100 years old and is built on a cave but I'd say solid floor and yes possibly retiled on tile.

Generally I'd say the refurb looks quite well done and my only other concerns are a medium sized patch of woodworm (I hope) in the grange and the piece de resistance... the fosse in the cellar.

But other than that the property ticks most boxes and we are getting very tired with looking but of course don't want to commit to buying a 'pig in a poke'.

[woolybananasbrother]

Well, given that there are tons of places on the market currently you don't have to buy a pig in a poke. And what you have described would make me run a short mile, draw breath and think very, very hard.

[alpina]

Yes, I can see why you would say that, but we aren't looking for a new build and know we aren't going to find a house that doesn't need any work at all (the above needs a lick of paint too).

I'm trying to establish whether this one is worth considering as geographically it suits us very well.

[geoff]

[quote user="alpina"]Yes, I can see why you would say that, but we aren't looking for a new build and know we aren't going to find a house that doesn't need any work at all (the above needs a lick of paint too). I'm trying to establish whether this one is worth considering as geographically it suits us very well.[/quote]

Is this to be a second home?

The reason for the question is that you talk geographically it suits you.

So it seems place more then house.

[alpina]

Home. For at least 20 years (I hope).

[geoff]

[quote user="alpina"]Home. For at least 20 years (I hope).[/quote]

Well is there anymore one can say then,but wish you luck.

[Anton Redman]

There are two possible reasons :

Poor workmanship in the first pace. We saw a number of show  homes form clef a la main builders in France where I thought the tiling was shoddy. The living room of our current house is 32 square metres and is the only room with joints you trip on.We bought the house despite the floor.

The ground / foundations have moved. Would not touch it with a barge pole unless the damage was clearly very old and I could retile from scrath 

[Dick Smith]

In the OP should 'joists' be 'joints'?

If so, what is the height differential? We find quite small differences in height can be a pain. It depends where they are.

[alpina]

Perhaps I didn't describe it clearly enough.

The tiling is quite slick, smooth and well finished but there are (from memory - going back later in the week) a couple of small hills. Enough so that you would notice if you were playing marbles - ok you probably wouldn't want to play marbles on tile because of the joints but you would have to push them uphill and then downhill over a couple of joists.

My guess is that there has been some movement but the refurbishment is not new and there are no obvious signs of cracks, windows and doors all seem to open and close freely and I think we've seen enough of the market to say that its priced fairly.

The height differential is too small to measure but will try to take something straight when we revisit.

[alpina]

Perhaps I didn't describe it clearly enough.

The tiling is quite slick, smooth and well finished but there are (from memory - going back later in the week) a couple of small hills. Enough so that you would notice if you were playing marbles - ok you probably wouldn't want to play marbles on tile because of the joints but you would have to push them uphill and then downhill over a couple of joists.

My guess is that there has been some movement but the refurbishment is not new and there are no obvious signs of cracks, windows and doors all seem to open and close freely and I think we've been following the market long enough to be see that its realistically priced - with room for negotiations of course.

The height differential is too small to measure but will try to take something straight when we revisit.

[Chancer]

If it is a fermette and the floor you describe is over a cellar then it is a suspended slab, either concrete or perhaps shallow brick arches bridging the gaps between steels like mini railway lines spanning across the cellar walls.

In either case the tiles (which may have several other layers under) will probably be resting/floating on a bed of sand, in this instance what you describe is quite normal, in fact in areas of heavy traffic the floor can dip and rise up on either side of the "traffic lane" rather like the effect of running a plate compactor over block paving. this only becomes a problem when the undulations are such that the joints begin to open but is easily remedied by relaying in the original manner.

In your shoes I would prefer for it to be the original floor (wars and all) that has workd fine for over 100 years and would be more worried if it looked as flat as a billiard table indicating recent repair/renovation work.

If you have structural concerns you should be in the cellar looking under the floor slab for any indications.

Good luck