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Hi Ive got a cob cottage, so its important the walls can 'breathe'. The walls are being lime plastered internally. The external walls need to be painted, so I want a breathable paint. Im sure there are expensive lime washes and breathable paints, but will the Sandtex paint do the job? It says...

*bump* (sorry). Can anyone offer any advice on this? Thanks.

Hi I have a house which has cob/masonry walls. The builder used gypsum plaster. Within weeks there was a 'tide line' where hygroscopic salts were attracting water. I got them to remove all plaster off up to a metre high (as I was advised to do by an independent damp expert): Ive had 2 lime...

Yes. The wall should have been left for atleast 6 months to dry before being plastered. Unfortunately the builders didnt do this (and I didnt even think to question it as I trusted them). TBH Im surprised there isnt a load more damp showing. The cob was sodden!

Hi I bought a house last year. One of the external cob walls was completely sodden from a leaking chimney - all the plaster had fallen off and the cob beneath was more like mud. The chimney issues were fixed and the walls re-plastered. I had a stud wall erected too to divide the 2 rooms. See...

Great - thanks so much cdbe. I can 'visualise' what I need to get done now.

Wow - that sounds just the ticket! What is SBR? How wide was the 'fillet'? This is a big ask, but can you take a photo of it? (Dont worry if not)

Perhaps like a gully like this: Perhaps the builder can Can he do as you say but leave the cylinder in place, IE: DPM/insulate/screed 75% of the floor area. (I know - complete bodge, Im clutching at straws).

Im fairly sure Ive eliminated all sources of damp (blocked drain, raised ground level at front of elevation etc...) so Im *hoping* the walls wont get damp again. The damp specialist said it was historic damp that had caused the salts to form. Heres what some of the walls currently look like...

Hi We have cob/stone walls. Earlier this year they were plastered with gypsum plaster. Shortly after there was damp patches all along the bottom of the external and partition walls. An independant damp specialist said this was due to hygroscopic salts and the dampness was trapped behind the...

Thanks. As you say, it woul dbe a massive job and inconvenience to move cylinder and pipework. Painting the external section of slab with a waterproofer sounds good. I was thinking (not that I know anything!!!) about a beveled edge of concrete which keeps the water away from the wall, like...

Ah yes, the slab is the same. :( What should the builder have done? Obviously put in a new floor with DPC in. I think its too late for that as the water cylinder and pipe work is all in. Whats the best way to fix this?

Yes, the same blocks. The room is only ever going to be used as a plant room (ie its where the boiler is, bike, firewood etc...). Do you think this issue is acceptable or should I complain? Should they have put a DPC at ground level? I would have thought the lead flashing they put in would have...

I *think* this is what the builder did: A strip of lead flashing with DPC on top. Can you explain how it SHOULD have been done? (So I can meet with the builder forearmed). Perhaps a fillet of mortar all the way along that edge of the room will suffice?

Hi all We have had a utility room built on an existing concrete garage floor. (the garage was demolished). The builder put plastic DPC at about 2 bricks high and put lead flashing around the bottom. When it rains the water pools against the walls: This water then seems to get inside and rise...

Because this is to go on interior walls, maybe NHL 2 will do the job. Im paying someone to do it - so as you say - the labour will be more.

Thats what the plasterer recommenced. What would a less hydraulic type of plaster be? Lime putty sounds like it will be a lot more expensive?

Hi We have cob/stone walls. Gypsum plaster was put on and within weeks there was a tide mark on all the walls where the salts were attracting damp. We've hacked off all the gypsum and original lime plaster back to the bare walls. Now we're going to put lime plaster on there (NHA 3.5). Will we...

Yes - an old copper pipe and a newer plastic pipe - both now defunct. They were probably used to pump water from the well.

Hi, I have a cob cottage. The builders said they used lime. I found one of the bags they used and its "hydraulic" lime, this one to be exact: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/NATURAL-HYDRAULIC-LIME-NHL-3-5-25KG-BAG-USE-LIME-SAND-MORTAR-PLASTER-RENDER-/151416211410 Is this the right type of lime for...