Soft Spots In Floor

[Terrel L. Shields]

Any number of past appraisals I have dealt with a soft spot in a MH floor where a leak happened. First, why is it soft and spongy well after drying. I would expect it to bubble or buckle up but why does this particle (?) board go soft? And my repair cost books always seem to calculate a couple hundred bucks when to me a square yard replacement of the subfloor could mean several yards of carpet to make it match and it almost always involves a wall and attending damage there.

Anyone know what it usually actual cost someone to fix those soft spots? Or, any idea why everyone thinks this is maybe only $300 in damage?

 

[Meandering]

Assuming they id not put new carpet over a soft spot,

and economic life of carpet is 7-9 years, per their industry.

Normal maintenance items should not be included in the cost to repair.

Subfloor, screws, labor, trash.

 

[Overimprovement]

Carpet can also simply be rolled back to expose subfloor. Particle board is just sawdust and glue. Water breaks up that bond, and mold can form further weakening the sawdust/wood.

$300 seems cheap for an actual contractor to want to mess with. That's more of a handyman rate in my area. But I don't think one or two boards would be more than $600 or so.

 

[Terrel L. Shields]

Most times I seem 4x8' subfloor, I would think you need to replace all of a damaged sheet.

 

[Meandering]

Most times I seem 4x8' subfloor, I would think you need to replace all of a damaged sheet.

Nope.

But depending on the age of the construction, you might add some 24 bracing at the ends of the replacement and cut pieces, because the spacing's were not the same, back in the day, to neatly accommodate today's current dimension lumber. So, with original T&G subfloor, you might find some weakness at the ends of the cutoffs and replacements, But you don't want too many braces between the floor joists, especially in older homes.

 

[Mr Rex]

Most times I seem 4x8' subfloor, I would think you need to replace all of a damaged sheet.

The particle board used is not tolerant of any moisture, In the factory they roll on a "waterproofing" material in all the areas getting vinyl in the kitchen, baths and laundry etc. The sheets in the factory are 12,14, or 16 feet x 4 feet depending on the width of the section of the house. The repairs to the floor must be done from above due to the steel frame below. It gets hinky when the damage goes under the walls particularly the load bearing walls.