[tommytwotone]

At the front of the house, it's whatever the original 1890s is - so a cellar in the ground with the house on top. Walls are brick with sandstone on front elevation, rendered on the side. The back's an extension built in 1990s /2000s but no idea as to the foundations or whatever.


I don't doubt that a French Drain would be a relatively trivial job for someone with experience, tools, knowhow and the time to do it - I've been doing odds and sods around the place but my expertise / confidence extends about as far as painting and decorating, resealing the bath etc.


My problem is that (I'm pretty sure but not 100%) the damp is getting in (there's actually water going into the cellar at one point where the course is breached) this way - i.e. there are no leaks or gutter problems from above. I have a feeling that source of our musty smells throughout the ground floor are the floorboards / joists underneath getting damp via this route.


As we'll likely want to move in the short to mid term I'm loathed to spend loads getting it sorted, but that's kind of the point - I've no idea whether it's a £500 job, or a £3000 one, or indeed what trade I need to contact to get quotes. I'm assuming it's just builders I should be calling - or something more specialised?

[Paul B]

Multiple quotes would help with the latter.

[Catcheemonkey]

I have a feeling that source of our musty smells throughout the ground floor are the floorboards / joists underneath getting damp via this route.


As we'll likely want to move in the short to mid term I'm loathed to spend loads getting it sorted, but that's kind of the point - I've no idea whether it's a £500 job, or a £3000 one, or indeed what trade I need to contact to get quotes. I'm assuming it's just builders I should be calling - or something more specialised?

I've recently been through a similar hassle with my crumbling Edwardian Leeds terrace house. After a few quotes I finally found a guy who seemed to know what he was talking about and came up with pragmatic (and one of the cheaper) solutions to sort. If you're based in Leeds he may be able to help. I can PM you his details.

[andy_e]

I'm about to go through the same possibly... The (probably Edwardian Leeds terraced) house I'm about to move back into used to have a very damp cellar but not sure what it's like these days. I'd ideally like to store a load of stuff down there, what's the best way of keeping it dry if it's still getting damp? I think the walls were recently repointed so I'm not sure if that's helped at all.

[tommytwotone]

From my various investigations, sub-floor dampness is somewhat of an area of expertise!

In terms of a cellar, first point is to check whether there is ingress of water, whether from a leak somewhere, or it can actually just be a rise in water table externally, and if your cellar is of Edwardian / Victorian age it's probably just a big hole in the ground with a single course of bricks / blocks lining it, so the moisture gets in from below / sides.


After that, the next option is I understand to improve ventilation, either via air bricks, ducting, fans - whatever.


You could of course start investigating the tanking / sealing route but you need deep pockets for that, though you would end up with a "proper" live-able space to use as an extra room, man-cave etc.

[Obi-Wan is lost...]

Blimey a two page DIY forum where Jim hasn't waded in recommending use of unnecessarily large power tools. I'd better rectify that sharpish. Back to the painting/stripping, if you use something softish to strip the flaking paint it shouldn't damage the zinc too much, something like this in a drill...
http://www.toolstation.com/shop/p80410?table=no

Don't know much about French drains, but renting a BIG breaker would definitely make life a lot easier/more messy(delete as appropriate) if you need to dig out a load of concrete/undermine your whole house etc.

Grrrrrr 

[tommytwotone]

Interesting you mention undermining the house, that's one of my fears, and a reason why I'd rather have a professional do it!

[rodma]

You shouldn't have any external finishes above the level of the underside of the floor joists, whether concrete, or gravel.

The robust old-fashioned way to ensure that your cellar remained dry, was to build a second wall a foot or so away from your house from cellar level up to ground level and span paving slabs between that wall and your house ( thinking about it that means a wall built right to your house as well to sit the other end of the slab on). The top of the slabs obviously also need to be below the underside of the floor joists.

Companies that deal with basements tend to let the water in, but trap it behind a membrane, then either pump it out, or let it drain away.

You can't undermine your house without going below the foundations, which have to be below the level of your basement, so don't be scared of digging down a foot or two externally.

You should however be aware of snake-oil welding charlatans, since there are loads around when it comes to damp proofing etc.

Bear in mind that an injected dpc will only protect the ground floor and not the basement, since it gives limited protection against rising damp, and rising damp only.

Feel free to pm me piccies or anything if you think I can assist

Sent from my E5823 using Tapatalk

[andy_e]

From what I remember the cellar got tanked with some sort of thick grey paint, but it didn't solve the problem as all the water just pooled on the now-waterproof floor. I think the repointing work was to stop water coming in through that way but I'm not sure if this has stopped it. The ventilation had all been blocked up, I'm not sure whether it's been unblocked or replaced with air bricks, but I guess we'll see next week.

[Jim]

apologies for my lack of appearance in this thread but am currently suffering with dog aids/chest infection/hedgehog leprosy. normal service should hopefully be resumed over the weekend.....

[rodma]

From what I remember the cellar got tanked with some sort of thick grey paint, but it didn't solve the problem as all the water just pooled on the now-waterproof floor. I think the repointing work was to stop water coming in through that way but I'm not sure if this has stopped it. The ventilation had all been blocked up, I'm not sure whether it's been unblocked or replaced with air bricks, but I guess we'll see next week.

The one thing that made s big difference on a project I worked on was increasing the area and robustness of the hard landscaping next to the house, ensuring the water runs away.

They're ate plenty companies out there that can provide a pumped solution ( as in you have a pump installed in a small sump in the basement floor, rather than they pump something in), which, combined with the eggbox style membrane may be the only decent long term answer, especially if it just never stops raining.

Your new neighbors should be able to shed some light on whether damp had gotten worse for everyone, which will help narrow down the cause.

[Jim]

From what I remember the cellar got tanked with some sort of thick grey paint, but it didn't solve the problem as all the water just pooled on the now-waterproof floor. I think the repointing work was to stop water coming in through that way but I'm not sure if this has stopped it. The ventilation had all been blocked up, I'm not sure whether it's been unblocked or replaced with air bricks, but I guess we'll see next week.

if you don't want to/can't afford to go down the cellar tanking route then all you can really do is increase air flow/ventilation with air bricks. Heating can also help ie. adding a radiator in the cellar.
Also what Rodma said above about ensuring the water runs away from the house
If water is pooling then that would generally indicate a broken drain close to the wall

[Paul B]

Next question:

Has anyone got experience of the cheaper end of laser levels? I've got a lot of photos to put up and as I've proven this weekend, nothing in this house is square or level so measuring and using a spirit level just doesn't work (and yes, I'm that fussy).

I've done a bit of research and this:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bosch-PLL-Laser-Spirit-Level/dp/B00B1QZ9IK

looks like a viable option?

It need to be mountable on a tripod (which I own) so I can use centreline level from wall to wall etc.

[SEDur]

We are experimenting at work with a laser levelling setup for some cutting alignment, and I think its a similar laser.
According to the boss, they are pretty good!

[tomtom]

Watch out for those cheap Chinese lasers.. They don't shine in straight lines..

[Jim]

if you're hanging photos in a house that isn't square or level (like most houses) than putting everything up perfectly level with each other generally means they won't look level. best off doing it by eye and saving the money IMHO

[jfdm]

if you're hanging photos in a house that isn't square or level (like most houses) than putting everything up perfectly level with each other generally means they won't look level. best off doing it by eye and saving the money IMHO

Agreed, i hung my degree show about 15 years ago without level.
Just used a tape measure for distances etc.
Only advice I got was to put centre of picture at eye hight.
I'm off to the Tate today if I get the chance will ask about how they hang pictures.
Expect they will use level, eyeballing would be just as good.

[Paul B]

I look forward to your critique of the alignments.

[tomtom]

I look forward to your critique of the alignments.

Straight up or on the level?

[butters]

if you're hanging photos in a house that isn't square or level (like most houses) than putting everything up perfectly level with each other generally means they won't look level. best off doing it by eye and saving the money IMHO

I'm with Jim on this one - if the floor isn't level then the ceiling is highly unlikely to be either. Having said that go and buy a laser level anyway - it will either a) prove that the ceiling and\or floors are seriously wonky b) make you feel more manly because you have more man tools (see Jim and drills) c) both. 

[jfdm]

if you're hanging photos in a house that isn't square or level (like most houses) than putting everything up perfectly level with each other generally means they won't look level. best off doing it by eye and saving the money IMHO

I'm with Jim on this one - if the floor isn't level then the ceiling is highly unlikely to be either. Having said that go and buy a laser level anyway - it will either a) prove that the ceiling and\or floors are seriously wonky b) make you feel more manly because you have more man tools (see Jim and drills) c) both. 

Been at Tate Modern all week an teacher course (#tatesummerschool) had to work with others to present exhibition that was open to public at the gallery today.

I asked about hanging photos/pictures.
Pros would use a level, if they can find a laser they would use that.
Low tech suggested way was to use string and measure.
In terms of height - no set height.
Each persons eye height being different.
But lowering height creates more intimacy and increasing gives piece "God" like status.
Hope this helps.

[Paul B]

On that basis, given they're my photos I'm butting them up to the ceiling!

...and Jim, I thought better of you, could be tooling up here!

[changement]

Not really in the spirit of the 'DIY' thread.. but has anyone got recommendations for a good builder/roofer in Leeds?

Got plans ect. just need the man power now!

[fried]

Not really in the spirit of the 'DIY' thread.. but has anyone got recommendations for a good builder/roofer in Leeds?

Got plans ect. just need the man power now!

Maybe you should start another thread 'It never starts...the builders' thread' 

[Will Hunt]

We had a new radiator installed in our front bedroom. Been having trouble with it since installation. It never gets really hot, and only the top half ever gets warm.
Radiators throughout the house have been bled and there's definitely no air in the system. Pressure seems normal (this is the furthest radiator from the boiler).
One suggestion we had was to turn all other radiators off and turn the heating up to full. Not sure what this is supposed to do but it has worked in the past. Radiator ran normally for a time. Tried again tonight (with system pressure topped up) and hasn't seemed to work. Top of radiator is hot but bottom half not. Any idea what to do?