Hi there,
I have a cellar in my Victorian mid-terrace property that has a height of about 5'10. I have had quotes to lower the floor, underpin the foundations and put in a light well so that it can be turned into a habitable space, but this will be prohibitively expensive. I therefore simply want to waterproof and finish the space so that it can be used for storage without everything becoming damp/mouldy/rusty.
I have looked into the various systems available and think that something like Newton/Oldroyd will be suitable. First off, does anyone have any comments on which of these two is generally better?
Second, is it always necessary to install a preformed drainage gulley and have a sump/pump included in the setup? There has never been any visible free-flowing water on the walls and there is already a drain in the centre of the floor that, having tested it, drains perfectly adequately as the floor slopes into the centre. Would it be sufficient simply to join the wall and floor membranes in the appropriate manner, which would allow any moisture to trickle down the walls and across under the floor to the drain in the centre? I could then install a flat floating floor on top of the membrane and perhaps install a sealed maintenance hatch in case access to the drain was required.
Third, none of the guidance available seems to say what to do with regard to a join with the ceiling. It might be a silly question, but is it sufficient simply to install a plasterboard ceiling under the joists of the ground floor, in the normal manner, with the wall membranes going up as far as the joists, or does there have to be some sort of joining of the wall membranes at the top? Would this cause any problems with moisture rising to the ground floor?
Thanks in advance for any help that people can give.
I have a cellar in my Victorian mid-terrace property that has a height of about 5'10. I have had quotes to lower the floor, underpin the foundations and put in a light well so that it can be turned into a habitable space, but this will be prohibitively expensive. I therefore simply want to waterproof and finish the space so that it can be used for storage without everything becoming damp/mouldy/rusty.
I have looked into the various systems available and think that something like Newton/Oldroyd will be suitable. First off, does anyone have any comments on which of these two is generally better?
Second, is it always necessary to install a preformed drainage gulley and have a sump/pump included in the setup? There has never been any visible free-flowing water on the walls and there is already a drain in the centre of the floor that, having tested it, drains perfectly adequately as the floor slopes into the centre. Would it be sufficient simply to join the wall and floor membranes in the appropriate manner, which would allow any moisture to trickle down the walls and across under the floor to the drain in the centre? I could then install a flat floating floor on top of the membrane and perhaps install a sealed maintenance hatch in case access to the drain was required.
Third, none of the guidance available seems to say what to do with regard to a join with the ceiling. It might be a silly question, but is it sufficient simply to install a plasterboard ceiling under the joists of the ground floor, in the normal manner, with the wall membranes going up as far as the joists, or does there have to be some sort of joining of the wall membranes at the top? Would this cause any problems with moisture rising to the ground floor?
Thanks in advance for any help that people can give.