Help! Rotting subfloor in bathroom.

[LizzyL89]

I've recently moved into a new house. It's amazing in lots of ways (1860s ex Coach House with tonnes of character), but has had little work done to it since the 1980s. We maxed out to buy it really and so have been planning on doing it up gradually and doing as much DIY as possible. We recently started on the bathroom with my husband doing the plumbing and me doing the tiling. We were getting towards the end stage of the project when we discovered that the subfloor (chipboard) was very rotten under where the old bidet was. On top of the subfloor were cork tiles and I have (perhaps stupidly) laid ceramic tiles directly on top. By the time we discovered the rot, the tiling was nearly complete. Our handyman friend came to take a look and said that the bathroom floor is uneven and a bit springy and that the whole floor should be taken out and the subfloor rebuilt. I'm really reluctant to do this as it means ripping up £300 worth of ceramic tiles and putting them in the bin. I'm also worried about the job getting bigger and bigger and time frames and costs spiralling. Does anyone have any ideas how we can address the problem safely in a way that causes minimal disruption? Thanks, Lizzy

 

[HERTS P&D]

Your handyman is correct, the floor needs to come up and be replaced, at least in the damaged sections.

Whats the worse that could happen?....................your foot goes through the floor and damages a pipe that causes a flood.

Andy

 

[Lower]

Ceramic tiles on top of chipboard with cork tiles on top is just not going to last, even without the rot. The floor will flex under the tiles and the tiles and grout will crack, even if you've used flexible adhesive and grout.

If you want to tile that floor the whole lot will need to come up and be replaced with a proper base.

 

[LizzyL89]

Thanks guys. I guess I will just have to bite the bullet. You live and learn...

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

Yep plywood all the way, chalk it down to experience.