Installing an airbrick - through the damp course????

[mrbee]

In the centre of pic. 1 I think I spy the characteristic attempt to build a little wall round an existing air brick when the pavement/patio level is raised.

The area in question is a drain. I assume it's at the origional level of the yard. The Bricks have been placed but not fixed round it to prevent the gravel falling in.

Who advised you to install an air brick?

This was advised in the valuation report during our Mortgage application to ventilate the area under the susupended timber the other side of the wall in question. There is currently no ventilation to the sub floor in that area which I have been told can cause damage to the floor timbers. I would like to do this as there is a dodgy smell emminating from the cupboard under the stairs which I believe is caused by the sub floor, and which I think could spell trouble if I don't address it.

How long has the external ground level been that high?

We moved in earlier this year and this is how we bought it. I assume it could have been done when the kitchen extension (in the right of the picture) was done. But I do not have anything to suggest when that was.

How much work is involved in lowering the ground

More than I would honestly like to undertake. How significant do you think that is? I suppose I could dig out just in front of the wall with a slight fall to the drain (centre) and gravel fill it.

Is the iron air brick, towards the left, higher up, for an old ventilated food cupboard/larder?

There is nothing on the other side (a cupboard etc) I think it was for ventilation for a fire.

And finally: I think the pipe in the right of the picture is the soil&vent (hadn't paid it much attention). I will check tonight but I think that the downpipe from the guttering drops in one of the neighbours gardens/yards.

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Cheers to everybody for the input.

 

[Softus]

The area in question is a drain. I assume it's at the origional level of the yard. The Bricks have been placed but not fixed round it to prevent the gravel falling in.

Hm. So can you judge from that how far the ground has been raised?

Who advised you to install an air brick?

This was advised in the valuation report during our Mortgage application to ventilate the area under the susupended timber the other side of the wall in question. There is currently no ventilation to the sub floor in that area which I have been told can cause damage to the floor timbers.[/quote]
My hunch was exactly that. Near-identical words are put in every survey where the surveyor suspects that there is damp.

You need to understand that the survey is (largely) not a report on the problems in your house - it's a legal document that prevents any future problem (that vaguely relates to some words in the report) from leading to litigation against the surveyor. We don't have any choice but to pay for such reports, because mortgage lenders insist on them.

there is a dodgy smell emminating from the cupboard under the stairs which I believe is caused by the sub floor, and which I think could spell trouble if I don't address it.

I applaud your concern - best address the problem now, and not just leave it. But I would get a recommendation for a trustworthy and capable builder, and get him round to investigate the problem, rather than assume that the surveyor made a correct diagnosis in his/her brief visit, and with very little (if any) practical experience of damp problems.

How much work is involved in lowering the ground

More than I would honestly like to undertake. How significant do you think that is?

IMHO, it's very singificant.

I suppose I could dig out just in front of the wall with a slight fall to the drain (centre) and gravel fill it.

And/or I would remove the render back to a height that's above the internal floor level, and suitably coat the exposed brickwork (i.e. using a purpose made paint product).

And finally: I think the pipe in the right of the picture is the soil&vent (hadn't paid it much attention).

I apologise - I was careless and didn't compare its size with anything else in the picture. It now looks to me that you're right - certainly large enough diameter for s&v.