Rising Damp \ Subsidence?

[DIYNovice1979]

Hi,
I recently noticed a patch of around 16cm where the plasterboard in my dining room has bubbled up. Above and below the bubble area the plasterboard is dry. I moved in around 18 months ago and never noticed it before. This is an external wall that's next to my conservatory. It's occurred right where the conservatory down pipe in. The pipe never ran into a drain, it ran directly out on to brick work which used to slope down into the garden. Unfortunately where the pipe ends, 2-3 bricks underneath have sunk by a centimetre or two causing the water to pool.

I've removed the excess water and have now installed a 210 water butt to collect the water from the conservatory roof. Will the internal wall and outer brick work now dry out?

Should I dig out the bricks and put 2-3 more in and ensure that there's a outer slope so rainwater runs off into the garden?

Some advice would be much appreciated (pictures attached of wall and conservatory gutter pipe - now goes directly into water butt).

Thanks

 

[Wayners]

Fit aco drain around edge of the property an option?

 

[^woody^]

You have a cavity wall, so no amount of water on the external path should be getting to the inner wall and plaster - if it is you have a different problem with a blocked cavity, or another issue with the internal damp course/membrane.

It's common for infilled ground following an excavation for things like conservatory foundations to sink regardless of any downpipe discharge. Just pick the paving back up.

 

[DIYNovice1979]

When you say "Just pick the paving back up." do you mean literally dry the area, dig the bricks out, add a bit of sand and cement then put the bricks back?

If I wanted an tradesman to look at this, would a builder be my best choice? Where I live, most of the builds aren't interested in small jobs.

 

[JohnD]

Can you see where the DPC is? I can't. It will be about two bricks higher than where ground level used to be when the house was built. It is quite common for damp to occur when paving is laid around a house putting the finished level too high.

 

[DIYNovice1979]

Unfortunately I can't, not on this side of the wall

 

[^woody^]

To the left of the downpipe, 1.5 courses up. It's blue, like polyphene

Unfortunately I can't, not on this side of the wall

To the left of the downpipe, 1.5 courses up. It's blue, like polyphene.

Is the house DPC/floor at the same level as the conservatory?

 

[^woody^]

When you say "Just pick the paving back up." do you mean literally dry the area, dig the bricks out, add a bit of sand and cement then put the bricks back?

If I wanted an tradesman to look at this, would a builder be my best choice? Where I live, most of the builds aren't interested in small jobs.

Yes, lift the blocks, add screed sand only no cement, compact and then relay the blocks flush with the rest.

Builder/landscaper/gardener/handyman

 

[DIYNovice1979]

"Is the house DPC/floor at the same level as the conservatory?" - More or less, it's hard to tell on the corner where the damp spot is as I can't see the DPC, but looking around the house the DPC is just under 5 inches from the ground, which is similar to the conservatory.

"Yes, lift the blocks, add screed sand only no cement, compact and then relay the blocks flush with the rest."

Thanks for the advice - will do!