Just really looking for some advice on what type of tradesman/handyman i should be looking for. The sloping floors are located on the second floor. They are carpeted and the carpet will no doubt need to be ripped up, some sort of leveling will have to be performed and then the carpet relaid. The slope is about 25mm over 2m. Unfortunately the house is over 2 years old so no warranty covers this. It has had a building inspection completed and the slope is not caused by any structural defect.
Sloping Floor in Bedrooms Builder Not Liable as Warranty Is No Longer Applicable after 2 Years
garddn on 30/03/2019 - 17:52
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Most concrete floors in multi storey buildings have big dips in the middle of the floors, I'm a Tiler, it seems they all have it some extent. Although 25mm over 2m is quite severe.
It can be fixed with a self levelling compound.
There are trades that do exactly this. Just Google Floor levelling.
Edit… I'm assuming it was concrete, if it is wood floor then of course it's a totally different process.
It's a wood floor, so I'm guessing carpenter, and don't think a levelling compound would be able to level such a severe slope.
There are leveling compounds for wood also but you're right, with a gradient like that, you'd be stretching it.
Still wondering if it is the whole floor.
Not the whole floor fortunately, it's about half the room
@garddn: They'll have to strip the carpet, strip the skirting board, strip the structural flooring, adjust the joist or make custom shims and reinstall from there.
That's just one way to skin a cat but that's a proper way to do things.
It's going to cost you well into the five figures for that.
Still worthwhile talking to a lawyer. 25mm over 2m is much more than the worst spot in our 60 year old house.
@[Deactivated]: Just wondering, what do you think could've caused this?any common issues/factors?
Thanks for sharing your experience and knowledge!
@mbck: Sloppy joints and sills.
I've seen plenty of bad masonry/woodwork and when the tradies go in to put the floor, they realise there's a big gap so instead of making sure the structure sits on posts/beams/concrete, they use a few shims to get the height discrepancy they need.
I was just reading this as I was fixing a few issue with an old hay shed.
I'd like to think OP's building inspector is correct and it's not issues that have to do with violations of building standards but I have almost no faith in building inspectors. We had two for our recent purchase and they missed so many issues that was very obvious. (Was an impulse and emotional purchase)
I'd bring in a second inspector and compare detailed notes.
@[Deactivated]: I agree with building inspectors. They aren't that useful.
But thanks for that explanation. Sounds like a relatively big job to correct it.
There are high build compunds that you place first and then a final skim levelling compound. Most flooring layers have a team that does this. They may also have carpentry crews that do the timber flooring whenever an order comes around.
I really don't understand how a $100 microwave can have a 2 year warranty, and a $500k house has a 2 year warranty…. They can't be right
UK has 10 years, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_House_Building_Counci…. I'm shocked based on how generous Australia is with consumer goods warranties.
Unfortunately levelness of of a floor is only covered for 24 months.
Levelness of timber floor
New floors are defective if within the first 24 months of handover they differ in level by more
than 10 mm in any room or area, or more than 4 mm in any 2 m length.
The overall deviation of floor level to the entire building footprint shall not exceed 20 mm
within 24 months of handover. Refer to Item I of this Guide where the new floor is to adjoin
an existing floor.
In WA new buildings have a 6 year warranty, that is also transferable if the building is sold but I guess you aren't in WA.
garddn sounds like he knows what he is talking about. I have no idea how you fix this. Has it always sloped or did it only start slopping recently? Who surveyed the building and what did they say about it? Have you contact the builder and what did they say? To be honest I don't think it is really good enough (although legal) for them to just wipe their hands and say to bad not our problem, it's not what you would expect from a decent builder.
I would also contact your state building authority (builders are outside of consumer protection as they have their own regulating body) and perhaps look at shaming them through social media, review web sites.
Is it a straight slope down to one side of the room, or does it "sink down" in the middle?
I am guessing the wooden floor would also need to be lifted up.
It's a slope towards one corner, on the diagonal if that makes senses.
Why wasn't the floor fixed while it was still under warranty?
I was unaware of the warranty terms, and whether or not there was one at all. Unfortunately, not doing my due diligence is going to cost me.
I don’t get why it isn’t called a structural defect. If your floor has dipped 25mm then it’s obviously becuase the structure underneath it has moved. The 24mth floor level warranty is surely only meant to cover minor deviations. Has the ceiling below the floor moved as well?
No the ceiling has not moved
And the ground floor is flat?
yeah, ground floor and ceiling are level and flat
It's not a structural defect the slab is out of level the house is tied to the slab thus pulling the house down in that area.
You'll probably find in other areas slightly out of level too. every house has it yours is just worse than others.According to this government site in Victoria structural defects are covered for 6 years. worth a crack (excuse the pun). I would have thought a slope like that would be caused by something structural. Without removing carpets, ceiling etc how do they know it is not structural?
https://www.vba.vic.gov.au/consumers/domestic-building-insur…
Please note: Domestic building work more than $16,000 (previously $12,000) will require domestic building insurance and will cover costs up to $300,000 (previously $200,000) to fix structural defects for six years, and non-structural defects for two years from 1 July 2014.
Try your builder first, they may offer to help even if outside warranty.
"Domestic building insurance is provided by a builder when the cost of building work under the contract with the builder is more than $16,000 (including labour and material costs). A claim against the builders Warranty Insurance can only be made should the builder die, go bankrupt or otherwise cannot be found."
I've already gone down that route. Builder said they were not responsible as the 24 months had lapsed. I decided to take it to the DOMESTIC BUILDING DISPUTE RESOLUTION VICTORIA. The inspector that assessed the sloping floor was independent and was appointed by the DBDRV. The report issued is admissible in any VCAT proceedings, and as the report says the builder is not responsible, I don't think I've got any further legal standing. I'm probably going to have to get it rectified myself.
Get a builder/carpenter in. Get a quote. If it is significant, see if you can get the original builder to meet you halfway.
If not, or if the quote is very high, seek legal opinion.
A building resolution siding with a builder isn't a verdict. In fact, it sounds like an "internal review".
Thanks, that's great advice.
@garddn: Get another inspection - ask a friend at work if they know a fully accrediated inspector particulary if they have also built - explain to the inspector that you are under builders warranty
With regards to the GUIDE TO STANDARDS AND TOLERANCES 2015 Victoria Building Authority
The preface reads
"It should be understood that this is a guide only and that all other documents
prescribing statutory and contractual requirements, relevant to the contract,
take precedence over this guide"
the 2 years you stated is the MINIMUM for timber floor levelling - your buliders warranty period supercedes the guide
So read your builders contract again - very carefullyLike anything with professional opinions if you dont like what someone says to you the first time particulary if it doesnt pass the pub test or just plain commonsense get a second or third or even forth professiona opinion -= dont get bambozzled with credentials - General advice for everthing
25mm over 2m but how large is the area that's affected? If it is the whole floor, you'll want a lawyer.
If it is just a small area, carpenter.
25mm over 2m is A LOT!