ceiling collapse.

[hallj1]

We have have had part of ceiling collapse through water leak in loft caused by frost.Have thrown out all carpets and drained all water down.Flooring damaged (chipboard).Have checked insurance policy and not covered (home unnoccupied).Can someone tell me where to start in this,who do I call? Happy Xmas by the way.

[The Builder]

All you can do for now is to clean up ...... it should soon dry out. Find the damaged pipe or fitting and get that repaired. You can at least turn the water back on then.

[KARL]

What an unpleasant thing to have to deal with at this time of year (blame building standards in this country). You have already done what is required immediately and clearly you will have to wait for things to dry out but meantime you can organise repairs. If you are prepared to do minor plumbing work yourself then you can replace the burst fitting or pipe, but getting the place properly heated needs to be the first priority - I assume there was no heat on and that is why the plumbing froze. Close up the hole in the ceiling (any sheet will do) and cover it with a good layer of insulation, You need to get the entire house (every single room) up to 18 degrees or more in order not to simply move the dampness from the flooded area to some other cold area (condensation effects). If you cannot or are unwilling to heat the place then you will need to wait until summer before you can hope to get things dried out. You can set to getting repairs arranged for the damaged part of the structure - for this you can look around for local builders (take your time and make sure you get the right balance of quality and price - and not a cowboy).

[hallj1]

Thanks for your understanding Karl.The CH was on but not high enough obviously.