Suspended block and beam flooring issue with new build.

[leah_cummins]

Does anyone have any ideas on how to deal with an issue I've been having with a developer? (if its an issue)

We have a suspended block and beam floor, Forterra Jet floor. We have cold coming from the void under the floor into the house, its not the dot and dab as its coming up from the floor. The developers have said its due to shrinkage in the screed and want to fill the gap with foam. They haven't checked anything or done any tests apart from an air test and thermal which shows the cold spots all along the floor.

Why I'm questioning this is because when they were in doing some work on the floor/airbricks (kind of different issue) I noticed the gap all the way along the wall and after investigating and looking i noticed the gap went all the way to the void under the house. As you can see from the picture there is a slug, so the gap is big enough for him to happily fit.

I'm not an expert but after researching the floor type I cant see how this is possible. I get the screed can shrink but the blocks and insulation blocks shouldn't? right?!

can anyone shred some light?

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

Got a photo from further away?

 

[leah_cummins]

@freddiemercurystwin please see image. The hole was made by the developer which they have filled back in. My issue is with the surrounding gap. I asked at the time about the gap and was told it was within tolerance due to shrinkage, which I'm not so sure about. Sorry, it's not the best image, I used a mini camera. It showed there was a gap on either side of the hole which is about 4-5mm wide. (Definitely not because of the hole made)

They done the hole to check the insulation and the airbricks. The airbricks were wrong and needed moving as they were going into the floor instead of the void underneath. Didn't resolve the cold though. Which is now why they are offering to fill it with foam.

I just can't find anywhere if this is normal and if the remedial they suggest is the correct remedial as I don't want it failing in 6 years time and then it turns out the flooring is all wrong and I have to find thousands to fix it myself.

 

[leah_cummins]

Can I add this is on all ground floor not just one wall. My house is very cold

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

Is that the floor screed or insulation we can see in that pic? It looks like insulation but normally you'd expect a screed directly under the carpet and a strip of insulation between the screed and wall, got any other photos?

 

[noseall]

they are offering to fill it with foam.

Filling non-structural, unseen holes with foam, is ideal, in some instances. For example - a waste knocked through two leaves of masonry, with an awkward small size, irregular gap to fill. Hardened foam can be raked back and pointed where necessary. I do however concede that you should not reach for the ex-foam can regards all masonry repairs. It's brilliant gear for using in conjunction with PIR insulation (gap filling) etc.

 

[Notch7]

So the jet floor is made of conventional concrete beams but the blocks are EPS instead of concrete floor blocks, then a reinforced concrete topping is put over

The block and beam floor probably has gaps but shouldn’t matter as there is an insulation layer over it…that should have been tight and any gaps foam filled…..but as it’s a new build, its anybody's guess what was actually built compared to what was specified.