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Home Repair Renovating Design Dilemma

Help!! What are these?!

2 years ago

After moving in to our renovation project our first scary discovery was these concrete blocks that border the outter walls of the house (end of terrace) and the inside wall of the bathroom.

The blocks sit on top of the floor boards and have metal cables running through.

homebuyers survey did not pick them up - they were hidden in a built in wardrobe and covered (pictured), no subsidence was noted on the house or cracking on outter wall.

Any thoughts welcomed!!

Comments (4)

Sue S
2 years ago
Some sort of homemade prototype storage heater?
Lois Cheadle thanked Sue S
User
2 years ago
Yikes 😬 hope someone can tell you
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arc3d
2 years ago
Storage heater idea seems to have merit. This is what a normal one looks like inside...

Just please make sure the metal cables are not live electrical cables!

I doubt the walls have any structural function as they are sitting on top of the floorboards and one of them seems to be in front of the wood panelling. They may have been used to cover up a damp problem?

If in doubt call in a local structural engineer and get them to sign off removal of the walls.
Lois Cheadle thanked arc3d
arc3d
2 years ago
Just looking at the photos again and those are some pretty heavy duty cables!

I wonder if they go through the concrete wall and into the main wall of the house?

Also the walls are not made up of typical concrete blocks but appear to be made of concrete lintels!
Lois Cheadle thanked arc3d

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