We've decided to convert our cellar in to a usable space and have had quotes and varying recommendations from builders and a specialist cellar conversion company. The cellar itself is fairly dry - its built in to chalk which I think must help. It has been rendered at some point and a coating of Artex applied to the walls / ceiling with fetching swirl patterns! When we moved in to the house 15 years ago the render was okay down there but over the last few years it has started to blow in a few places and the room smells a little musty. Yesterday I bought a moisture meter from Maplin and it is showing damp where there render has blown but fairly benign readings elsewhere.
The cellar steps are brick with wooden noses. Until a couple of weeks ago they had been covered with hardboard with sheet plastic under. This has had the effect of rotting the wooden noses. Tests with the moisture meter show the bottom steps to be damp and those higher up less so. We've put a heater and dehumidifier down there to see if they will dry out. Hopefully, if they dry out and can be renovated and protected from dampness they'll make a nice feature.
We're at a loss as to what method of damp proofing to use. The specialist company is suggesting completely lining the cellar with delta membrane and digging a channel around the walls just in case any water appears and (optionally) fitting a sump pump. This was the most expensive quote and seems overkill to install a system that is designed to cope with severe dampness and running water.
Another chap recommended removing paint / lose material and applying 2 coats of bitumen paint, fixing foil backed plasterboard on tannised batters. I'm not what effect that would have on the existing render (I suspect it may continue to blow) or how effective it would be. That was the cheapest quote at about 1/2 of the specialist company who would offer a guarantee.
Any suggestions / advice / recommendations would be very much appreciated.
The cellar steps are brick with wooden noses. Until a couple of weeks ago they had been covered with hardboard with sheet plastic under. This has had the effect of rotting the wooden noses. Tests with the moisture meter show the bottom steps to be damp and those higher up less so. We've put a heater and dehumidifier down there to see if they will dry out. Hopefully, if they dry out and can be renovated and protected from dampness they'll make a nice feature.
We're at a loss as to what method of damp proofing to use. The specialist company is suggesting completely lining the cellar with delta membrane and digging a channel around the walls just in case any water appears and (optionally) fitting a sump pump. This was the most expensive quote and seems overkill to install a system that is designed to cope with severe dampness and running water.
Another chap recommended removing paint / lose material and applying 2 coats of bitumen paint, fixing foil backed plasterboard on tannised batters. I'm not what effect that would have on the existing render (I suspect it may continue to blow) or how effective it would be. That was the cheapest quote at about 1/2 of the specialist company who would offer a guarantee.
Any suggestions / advice / recommendations would be very much appreciated.