Fixing rotten dam wall

[helen45]

Hello All,


I am having new kitchen and bathroom fitted. The walls in both room are very old, damp, rotten and falling apart. Could someone please tell me the best way to tackle this before I start fitting the units in. Being a woman I know it is out of my league, but I am willing to learn, I don't have much confident with builders, when it comes to fixing walls etc, I wonder it can't be that hard is it to make a wall as good as new. this is the start of my project, I shall work bit by bit.


Any help guys would be much appreciated.


Many thanks in advance



regards


helen

 

[JohnD]

what are the walls made of? brick, plaster, plasterboard, lightweight concrete blocks, dense reinforced concrete, wood, mud, lath and plaster?

most of these materials do not rot.

brick lasts about five thousand years unless it is damaged.

Why are they wet, and how will you cure the damp?

 

[SirBodge]

Helen

You probably know why the wall is old, but you have to find out why it is damp. It could be rising damp because the damp proof course doesn't exist, is ineffective or bridged; or it could be damp because a rainwater downspout is leaking; or it could be for many other reasons. Is the wall solid or cavity; are both the kitchen and bathroom on the ground floor?

The existing plaster will probably have to come off, although how much of it and what you replace it with will depend on how bad the problem is. A reasonable guide is how easy is it to dig a hole in the plaster?

I would definitely persist and do your best to find out why the wall is damp and what is required to rectify it, because it is so easy for a useless or unscrupulous builder to do the wrong thing and/or rip you off.

best of luck
R

 

[roughcaster]

We have Helen45 who has a problem with damp, rotten, and falling apart walls in her kitchen and bathroom. She thinks it can't be that hard to repair, but has "no confidence" with builders, and wants to repair it all herself "bit by bit" and is appealing for advice,,,,,,, and then we have SirBodge, offering advice, but talking about steering clear of "useless and unscrupulous builders",,,,, obviously....... Either way, there's not a lot of hope for this one.... You gotta have some trust and confidence in your local established builders, because there's probably a lot more to fixing this problem than what you think.

Roughcaster.

 

[helen45]

what are the walls made of? brick, plaster, plasterboard, lightweight concrete blocks, dense reinforced concrete, wood, mud, lath and plaster?

most of these materials do not rot.

brick lasts about five thousand years unless it is damaged.

Why are they wet, and how will you cure the damp?

Hi JohnD,

Thanks for your reply, my property is a council flat, I believe it was built around 1950s or 1960s the latest, the walls I am talking about is near the windows, perhaps it's concrete in that area is where the sink, water pipes washing machine is, the walls hasn't been made good since it has been built so I hope that give you an idea what I am talking about, whilst being a woman and very naive about building works, i am not naive enough to know I need 100% knowledge for what i am taking before i even take a step with this project, i am sure it is not impossible, anything plumbing and electrical i intend to get the professionals out, besides at the age of 22 years old I plumb in my own washing machine, i was a lone mum, moving in a new area with no family or friends to help, you'll be amaze what one can do when totally alone.

make good of old walls is new to me, but i am prepare to learn, so whatever advice i get, it would be much appreciated.


many thanks


regards


helen

 

[JohnD]

if the wall is "rotten" is is most likely just plaster that has been damaged by water. it might be splashes or leaks from the plumbing, or it might be coming in round the windowframe. It might even be condensation if it has been allowed to get very bad. You need to identify where the water has come from, and fix that. Once it is drying out you can repair the plaster.

I recommend you get a DIY book from the library, it will give you an understanding of the background. Readers Digest, Collins, Which? and AA do good ones - they are very large as they cover most things you might come up against. You can keep it by the bed to help you sleep There is also good stuff on //www.diynot.com/

Asking questions on here will help you on specific jobs you need help with.

 

[helen45]

if the wall is "rotten" is is most likely just plaster that has been damaged by water. it might be splashes or leaks from the plumbing, or it might be coming in round the windowframe. It might even be condensation if it has been allowed to get very bad. You need to identify where the water has come from, and fix that. Once it is drying out you can repair the plaster.

I recommend you get a DIY book from the library, it will give you an understanding of the background. Readers Digest, Collins, Which? and AA do good ones - they are very large as they cover most things you might come up against. You can keep it by the bed to help you sleep There is also good stuff on //www.diynot.com/

Asking questions on here will help you on specific jobs you need help with.

Hi John,

Thanks for your tips on diy book and the link, the reason of my original post is after seeing how the so call professional builders left my place, I have to take drastic action and seek what ever help or what ever I can learn about DIY to get the place done myself. please see examples below. They've fitted new kitchen units on broken walls without even plastering it. I am sure I can do better than that.









The decorator came with paper in hands to paper the walls

I know it will take time but I am willing to learn.


helen

 

[JohnD]

did you pay someone to do that?

 

[helen45]

did you pay someone to do that?

fortunately for me no, i live in a council property, it is paid by the council they've hired contractors to do the job, i have rang them to no avail and each of them blaming the other, in the end of I left with this mess. the council is quite happy for us tenant to handle the job ourselves.

 

[JohnD]

send your photos to whoever is supposed to be managing the contract, and ask if they have paid for the work.

If yes, ask why.

I don't know councils but in my experience, when the phone calls don't work on a complex bureaucracy, a short and businesslike letter eventually will.

If it doesn't, write to your local councillor and say you are concerned about inefficiency and waste. They love kicking up a fuss about that.

 

[helen45]

send your photos to whoever is supposed to be managing the contract, and ask if they have paid for the work.

If yes, ask why.

I don't know councils but in my experience, when the phone calls don't work on a complex bureaucracy, a short and businesslike letter eventually will.

thanks John, I intend to do that, that's why I took the photos, if I don't get any result, I intend to go to the press, that should cause some stir my bathroom is worse still

the builders usually leave by 12.00pm afternoon and you never see them again. oh well we shall see what happen.

appreciate your time and interest


helen