Water damage repair in Nieuwegein

Water works slowly. After a leak the home often still looks reasonable, while the subfloor is wet and the wall behind it is drawing damp. Repairing water damage is therefore more than laying a new floor. It means finding out what the water has damaged, taking that out and building it up again. I do that in Nieuwegein, Utrecht and the towns around them, as part of a renovation or as a job of its own.

The source first, then the repair

Repairing on a wet surface solves nothing. Plaster does not stay on a wall that draws damp, and a new floor on a wet subfloor starts to lift or smell again. So two things come before the repair.

The first is that the leak has been fixed. Who does that depends on the cause: a pipe, a roof, a sealant joint. The second is that the structure is dry. That can take weeks and you cannot rush it.

Is there water in your home right now? If it is a pipe, turn off the water at the main stopcock (hoofdkraan), take photos and call your insurer. I only work on the repair once the water has stopped.

What I repair

I take out the damaged floor, the subfloor and the walls and build them up again until it looks right. With a wooden floor I have taken the old floor out, laid a new subfloor and fitted the new floor on top.

If there is mould in a bathroom or toilet, I strip out what is damaged and then build it up again.

Replacing a floor after water damage

Wood and laminate expand when they get wet. A floor that bulges, sounds hollow or has mould usually has to be replaced. A floor that still looks fine from above can be wet underneath, so I look at the subfloor as well.

After that you choose what goes on top. A wooden floor, laminate or vinyl. If the base is not level I level it first, because a floor that is a few millimetres out is something you hear at every step later.

How much of the floor gets replaced can also be a conversation with your insurer, especially if the floor runs through several rooms. I do not decide that. What I can do is say what has to come out from a technical point of view.

Walls and plaster

A wall that water has damaged has to be dry before it is closed up again. After that I repair the plaster, finish it flat right into the corners and get the wall ready for paint or wallpaper.

Mould and damp patches

Mould is almost always a result. There is damp, and damp comes from somewhere: a leak, a cold spot where moisture condenses, a room without ventilation. Scrubbing it away helps for a while, until the damp returns.

With a repair the cause has to be known and gone. If the material is soaked through, it comes out. After that I build it up. If the damage was in a bathroom or toilet, the repair often turns into a bathroom renovation, because pipes, tiles and drainage are open anyway.

If it is an insured loss

If you have an insured loss, call your insurer first, before anything is removed. You deal with the insurer yourself. Take photos of the damage and of where the water came from. Keep receipts and quotes.

A few things to know. Fixed floors usually fall under buildings insurance and loose ones under contents insurance. Damage from a burst pipe is more often covered than damp that builds up slowly, and the mould itself is usually not paid out. Your policy decides what applies to you. If you are unsure, ask your insurer or an adviser.

How it works

You send a message through the contact page with photos of the damage. I come and look, and go through with you what has been damaged and what has to come out. After that you get a quote that says per item what I do. If more turns up during demolition than we saw, I discuss it with you before I carry on.

I work in Nieuwegein, Utrecht, IJsselstein, Houten and Vianen. If it is a dripping tap or sealant that has come loose, look at handyman and maintenance.