Garage damp

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M1V0

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Apr 12, 2017
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We've just put an offer in on a house with a garage, so potential board opportunity. When we viewed it though, there was water pooled over the garage floor which further inspection shows that the garage floor is separate to the walls with a waterway/gutter all around the concrete slab for drainage. The previous owners have placed yellow piping all along presumably to help shift the water outside, but orangey silt looks like it has blocked it up causing the water to run across the floor rather than along the drainage. Due to the positioning of the garage and garden, the garden is actually about a foot or so higher than the garage floor and is directly on the garage wall at the back of it - in the photo you can see some markings on the back wall which lines up with the garden level. Hopefully the image helps with the explanation.

My question is, as I have no experience here, is what are my options in terms of minimising damp in the garage? Obviously my first step would be to clear out any silt/gunk from the drains and see how that improves it, but it looks like water might be coming through the bottom half of the wall - should I be looking at placing a barrier on the external wall between the soil and the brickwork?

Any suggestions or ideas are welcome!

IMG_0314.jpgIMG_0315.jpg
 
Had a similar situation with my outbuilding. Pool of water forming.

I used a SBR bond as a primer then painted over it with 2 layers of tanking slurry. Following the instructions on the packaging

https://www.kabuildingproducts.co.uk/page_4762349

Looks like you'll need to fill the gap between the floor and wall though first? Just pour lots of concrete in it and level it?
 
The yellow pipe looks like a French drain - may have small holes in it to allow water to collect in it then drain to a point. Usually (always?) placed outside the structure not in!!

You’re always best trying to stop the water getting to the outside wall - rather than waterproofing it (you can do this as well). Stops the disease rather than the symptom etc..

I’d suggest digging a c.1ft deep trench around the sides of the garage then stick some gravel in the bottom - add some french drain pipe - more gravel and back fill the earth. Make sure the pipe can drain somewhere. Loads on Google etc about this. Bit obvs hard to tell what it’s like from the pics! Above might be a nightmare job!
 
Thanks both, very much appreciated to hear options.

I acknowledge the photos don't necessarily divulge much information - turns out I don't take useful photos. From the entire (second) viewing, I took those two photos and one of the outside tap that I had already pointed out to my wife. I think the garden is only on two sides, and we would be looking to revamp the garden anyway, so installing an outside french drain could be relatively painless.

May be going for another viewing at some point to get quotes for kitchen renovations, at which point I will look at the garage more seriously. Get proper measurements for the inevitable board.
 

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