DPC above Floorboards

[MrKlaatu]

Hi folks,

I just stumbled across this site and its going to be a huge help (I hope).

Just started renovating a property purchased on auction. It's for me to live in not rent. It is in poor condition and although I'm not a builder I am a quick learner and willing to give it a go. I have huge gaps in my knowledge so this site is going to be a great resource.

After pealing off the the old plaster in the kitchen I discovered that the DPC is above the level of the floorboards. by about ½ a brick. It is a suspended wooden floor with a space of around 18" below floor level.

Is this normal? Seems odd to me. Should I raise the floor to be above the DPC or stop the new plaster just above the DPC and use tall skirting boards to cover the gap between plaster and floor?

Any advice will be appreciated. I hope to be able to reciprocate with my knowledge of electrical work and home automation.

Thanks in advance.

 

[^woody^]

No it's not normal.

Pictures of the internal and external from a distance, would help. Also of the threshold of a door (door open) to show the DPC at the reveal and the floor level in context.

What type of house is it, and age?

 

[MrKlaatu]

What type of house is it, and age?

The house is detached, brick built around 1975, with cavity walls and generally dry except for the wall in question.

Pictures of the internal and external from a distance, would help

Here are a couple of images to show you what I have.

These joists you see, have just been replaced as the originals were rotten. There was a load of damp soil, wet wood and building rubbish in the void and the air vents were blocked. On the outside of this wall, the DPC is at floor level. I can fix this easily as there is a layer of paving slabs along side the wall. My plan is to remove the slabs, excavate some of the soil and replace with shingle or some other free flowing substance.

The outside floor level around the rest of the building is at least a brick deep (often more) below the DPC.

Apart form this one wall there are no obvious signs of damp.

That still leaves the problem of the floor inside. The rooms have high ceilings at around 3m so I could raise the floor height but that would involve a lot of work with doorways etc and I would like to avoid that.

Could I just seal the layer of bricks below the DPC and replace the floor, taking care to treat/protect any exposed wood etc?

Thanks in advance...

 

[MrKlaatu]

no advice or recommendations ?