Help/Advice needed, don't know who to speak to or trust for the correct advice
Anonymous user 17/03/2024 - 2.30 PM
Hi, so i live in a three-story house, top level is on road level at the front while all three floors are visible from the rear, middle and bottom floors are onto the side of the hill, built in 2013 i have been paying tradespeople thousands to help stop water ingress firstly and still in basement level and now on middle level, i thought at first it was seasonal flooding and it was coming up from the ground as house sits in a basin with everything running into it, bottom level was stripped bare and walls had a coating of slurry put on them, everything rebuilt and decorated again, this lasted until the next heavy rain and same problem came back, then stripped again and stopgap50 put on walls and flooring and rebuilt again, this time with a floating floor, and no insulation between outside walls and timber frame, again i now have about an inch of water on basement concreate floor, last week i put a torch between plaster board and outer wall and there is water running down the inside of walls which leads me now to think, surface water from above is penitrating walls under ground, ie tanking failure, i now understand the house builder put inadiquate drainage around house, only drain at front is for guttering, but there is a chipped around right at front of house which just collects water which seeps down into the ground against middle and bottom levels walls, in my opinion this should not have been a chipped area and should have been sloping away from house with drainage not a collecting point, im now finding weep holes in bricks under soil against the side and front of the house, surly these should be above ground and actually have a weep vent in it and not just a bare hole, please anyone out there help me as we could loose everything due to this anyone wanting some images please whatsapp me on 07871630009 any help appreciated
Are you a tradesperson and able to answer this question?
This is extremely serious and everything done so far by contractors has been done with no knowledge of what’s actually happening. From your description, the front wall has a cavity; it is a terrible idea to have an cavity wall underground.
The cavity is filling with water.
Engage a professional: It's essential to involve a qualified professional such as a building inspector or a waterproofing specialist who can assess the situation and provide expert advice. They will be able to analyze the specific conditions of your property and suggest appropriate solutions.
Check the external drainage: Ensure that the external drainage system is functioning properly. If you suspect inadequate drainage, it may be necessary to install additional drains or modify the existing ones. Improving the grading around your house, so water slopes away from the foundation, can also be beneficial.
Evaluate the foundation waterproofing: If the water is penetrating through the basement walls, it could indicate a failure in the foundation waterproofing. A professional can inspect the foundation and recommend appropriate measures to address the issue, such as installing a waterproof membrane or applying a waterproof coating.
Consider landscaping changes: Modifying the landscaping around your house can help divert water away from the foundation. This may involve creating swales or installing French drains to direct water flow.
Monitor gutters and downspouts: Ensure that your gutters and downspouts are clear of debris and functioning properly. They should effectively direct water away from your house's foundation. Consider installing gutter guards to prevent clogs.
Address surface water collection points: If you've identified specific areas where water collects against your house, it's crucial to address them. Adjusting the grading and installing proper drainage solutions can help mitigate the problem.
Maintain proper ventilation: Adequate ventilation in your basement can help prevent excessive moisture buildup. Consider installing a dehumidifier if high humidity is a recurring issue.
You need a proper damp proofing specialist! And they are difficult to find I am afraid. This is a very expensive problem to fix but you basically need new drainage to divert as much water as possible then all walls PROPERLY tanked (properly tanked with heavy grade damp proof sheets and seep draining system added for all the moisture/water flow caught by the tanking system !
Best to search for a real damp proofing company that is maybe well recommended or will give proper guarantees. Again very difficult to find as the damp trade is 85% cowboys 15% experts (the experts are the expensive ones as they know there stuff)
Good luck 😉
Hi it sounds like you need the basement tanked with a sub pump so any water getting in will be pumped straight out leaving you with a nice dry room
I hope this has helped you Neil @ NPM
It sounds more like you have a condensation problem, solution would be a continuous ventilation system in the cavity between outer tanked wall and inner kit wall,moisture in your house will be condescending on the cold outer tanked wall.
I would contact a local ventilation contractor who would give you options and hopefully a solution
Ricky.
Hi sorry to hear your dilemma, water intrusion is a heart break
Without seeing pictures I can only give you my opinion
Having seen this problem many times, I would excavate around the front and sides of the house at least 200mm below damp and install a drainage system than would take the water away from the house and into the nearest compatible manhole
Eco drains would do the job and chippings would need to be replaced with harder materials ie. Concrete or tarmac
On the basement area please install a sump pump in the floor, the water discharged from the sump pump should be hard piped away from the house and into a compatible manhole
I hope this helps
Hi
You've identified all the issues that need attention
However instead of the slurry based tanking system that is under constant pressure
It would be better to use a physical system such as planton tanking system
With a floor sump and pump
On the external side of the offending walls do as much as can be done to fill holes in brickwork and re divert any ground water as you can
Slurry Is OK but the slightest pin whole and water will draw out from that.. membrane and leaving a gap is fine but does not solve the problem, some basements are impossible to damp proof so a sump pump is needed to get rid of water. We drilled weep holes around the external walls and fitted a drainage system to collect water and draw it to sump that was under the floor. Hope this helps
