help - roof noise from concrete slab roof

[CDK]

Hi, I have just bought a unit on the top floor of a 4 storey block of units. The units (us because we are on the top floor) has a concrete slab roof. Almost every night we are awoken by noise coming from the roof. It sounds like something is moving in the roof and causing a wood on wood or wood on steel creaking noise. It also seems like that it might be over the supporting walls. We would like advice or any comment please, is this normal, should we be worried, can it be fixed Some "experts" that we have spoken to say it is quite normal for a concrete roof to expand or contract, and this will cause a noise. We would appreciate any comments please Thanks Chris

[Daniel]

Climb on your roof and let us know what exactly is on it, it will help. If you can, post somewhere a photo or 2. Try also to know what is the overall roof built-up, i.e. the list of elements from the external visible face down to your ceiling. Wooden based roofs may make some noise, but usually concrete roofs are "silent". Where is the building (Climatic conditions)? Cheers Daniel

[Fred Flintstone]

No! I am afraid that without physically seeing, hearing and assessing it, the situation will never be remedied. Contact a structural engineer and get him to review it and if (as I suspect) you have a fault then he will present it to a court if necessary, as an expert with intimate knowledge of the situation. If all is well then you can sleep easy in your bed knowing that, and if necessary a constructor will have a remedy for it.

Best of luck S

[CWatters]

A rat?