Timber decay and woodworm
The subfloor hatch has been tiled over. Why must the joists below stay in the not-inspected column?
The joists below must stay not inspected because the subfloor hatch has been tiled over and was not opened. The surveyor does not break finishes to create access. Suspended-floor timbers, their ends, the sleeper walls and the ventilation under that floor were not seen. A continuous tile surface is a closed door, not a view of the joists. The report can describe the floor finish. It has not inspected the timber underneath.
Last reviewed 24 October 2026. Written for buyers in England and Wales unless this answer says otherwise. No named surveyor has signed this page. It is general guidance, not a report on your house, and not legal advice.
What is the fuller explanation?
Subfloor decay and beetle attack show themselves on the joists and the plate, which is why a hatch exists. Tiling over it removes the one agreed way in without removing the risk. A firm floor and a dry carpet do not stand in for that look. Leaving the joists in the not-inspected column stops a hidden void being read as a clean result. If someone later lifts the tiles, that is a new inspection, not a correction you can pencil into this one.
Tell the solicitor the hatch was tiled over and ask whether the seller will allow it to be opened before you rely on the floor. A lender may treat an uninspected subfloor as unfinished business rather than as sound timber. Do not lift tiles yourself on a second viewing and call that the survey. If access is arranged, the joists need to be reported in their own right, separate from this limitation.
What should you ask your surveyor?
- Where is the tiled-over hatch recorded?
- What under the floor does the report say was not seen?
- Does any sentence claim the joists were inspected despite the tiles?
What are the typical next steps?
- Keep the joists in the not-inspected column.
- Ask whether the hatch can be opened for a further look.
- Do not read a solid tiled floor as sound timber.
Costs vary with the building and with who you instruct. Where this page does not cite a published figure, ask the surveyor, a relevant specialist, or your solicitor for a written quote. Do not treat a forum average as the price.
Also asked about this
Does a moisture meter on the tiles clear the joists?
No. A meter on the tiles, even if one had been used, would not see the joists, and this question does not record that test. The hatch is tiled over, so the subfloor was not entered. The timbers below stay not inspected. Only opening the hatch, or another proper way in, would change that.
Can the seller’s photo down an old hole replace the hatch?
No. A photograph of some earlier opening does not rewrite the limitation. On this visit the hatch was tiled over and the joists were not inspected. An old picture may show a moment in the past. It is not the surveyor having entered the subfloor, and it should not be pasted over the printed limit.