Client: Domestic
Our client was developing a property in Cambridge, and tasked Timberwise with the design of a basement waterproofing system to protect their wine cellar, kitchen and dining areas from potential water ingress. The property was a mid-terraced home and built of a standard brick construction. The property was unoccupied at the time of our visit.
Challenges
As the property was mid-renovation at the time of our visit, extra caution was necessary to avoid any accidents or disruption to the work of other contractors. Our surveyor acted on their years of experience to ensure that the survey was fully completed, and that the ideal solution was provided to the customer ahead of finalising their renovation plans for the property.
Observations
Our client first contacted Timberwise to seek our expertise in creating a solution to prevent water ingress into the newly refurbished basement of the property. The basement living areas were partially under street level (around 1 metre below), with a wine cellar at the rear of the property fully below street level.
Water ingress is the process of water entering its way into the property. This could be from water pressure build-up behind the masonry, a plumbing leak, or even the build-up of condensation over time from lack of ventilation. These can lead to further problems down the line such as fungal decay, damage to walls, and health problems if exposed to mould growth for a prolonged period. More information can be found on our Water Ingress page.
Solutions
When converting basements into habitable or storage areas, it is essential to waterproof them to a high standard. Even a small leak can cause havoc with damage and mould growth, especially if the space is restricted or proper ventilation isn’t put into place to remove excess moisture from the room(s). Timberwise often recommends two main types of basement waterproofing method:
- Type A Waterproofing (e.g. barrier protection, or cellar tanking), involves the application of a waterproof slurry to the walls of the basement or cellar that needs to be waterproofed.
- Type C Waterproofing (e.g. drained protection or a cavity drainage system), is made up of a series of easy-to-apply waterproof membranes, affixed to the exterior facing walls and floor of the basement.
Our surveyor recommended a Type C internal waterproofing system, conforming to BS8102:2022, including a single sump and pump drainage system installed between the wine cellar and kitchen. Timberwise considers that a Type C drained protection type of waterproofing is the most effective and trouble-free form of waterproofing. This is because this method manages the ingress of water, rather than preventing it. This is achieved by applying a membrane to both the floor and walls of the room: This membrane allows water to flow freely off it, into a drain to be pumped off the property. Because water pressure never builds behind this membrane, there is less risk of water permeating the membrane and causing damage to the walls or subfloor. Finally, this system is fully reversible, meaning that our client or future owners of the property could adopt a different system or return to the original fixtures should they wish. Our Basement Waterproofing Services page has more information on this and other waterproofing methods.
In addition to the membrane installation, our surveyor also recommended testing the freshly laid concrete slab in the wine cellar to ensure there was no pooling of water on the surface. If pooling was found, our surveyor recommended either cutting small channels or smoothing over the affected areas to ensure water could not gather and sit beneath the sub floor once installed.
Our surveyor also planned for the likelihood of moisture from alternative means. The planned use of this combined space as a kitchen and dining area would cause an increase in humidity just from simple activities like boiling a kettle or washing up. With only a small window and a door near the front of the renovation, it would be easy for moisture to build up and cause condensation damage on top of the walls. Thus, our surveyor recommended our client consider additional ventilation, insulation and heating methods in their design to ensure moisture could not build up on cooler surfaces.
Results
Our client was delighted with the proposal presented by our surveyor, and contracted Timberwise to conduct the recommended work. Our technicians worked alongside the client’s other contractors to ensure that not only were the damp-proof measures installed efficiently and correctly first time, but also considered the client’s other plans, such as including overhead lighting within the wine cellar.
Do You Want Help with a Basement Waterproofing Solution?
Our dedicated and experienced team in North London are ready to talk to you about your options for property preservation. Don’t hesitate to call us on 020 8226 6486, or you can request a survey online.
