Hi. I wonder if anyone can help identify a problem. I've taken some photos .
In 2012 I had lots of work done. Patio dug out and a metal slatted gully fitted for water drainage and keeping it away from the kitchen wall. Also, a sand and cement plinth along the bottom of the brickwork. In the kitchen itself, the walls were taken right back to the brickwork, sand and cemented and plastered. The hole you see in the photo is the problem. It has never dried properly and material crumbled. My builder then filled it with sand and cement again about a year ago and last night I poked around and it came away easily. What you see on the hole now is all quite solid, although in the centre to the left there's still some slimy cement. The rest of the wall either side, above and below is solid. Which makes me wonder if it's rising damp or penetration in some other way.
Looking at this picture outside,
I've circled in yellow the approximate position of the hole indoors, which is directly opposite the drainpipe. The drainpipe is new. I had the outside walls pointed and filled and don't see any holes or feel any damp on the outside wall. The drain admittedly does get clogged and I generally clear it away. But could the drain itself be the issue?
In 2012 I had lots of work done. Patio dug out and a metal slatted gully fitted for water drainage and keeping it away from the kitchen wall. Also, a sand and cement plinth along the bottom of the brickwork. In the kitchen itself, the walls were taken right back to the brickwork, sand and cemented and plastered. The hole you see in the photo is the problem. It has never dried properly and material crumbled. My builder then filled it with sand and cement again about a year ago and last night I poked around and it came away easily. What you see on the hole now is all quite solid, although in the centre to the left there's still some slimy cement. The rest of the wall either side, above and below is solid. Which makes me wonder if it's rising damp or penetration in some other way.
Looking at this picture outside,
I've circled in yellow the approximate position of the hole indoors, which is directly opposite the drainpipe. The drainpipe is new. I had the outside walls pointed and filled and don't see any holes or feel any damp on the outside wall. The drain admittedly does get clogged and I generally clear it away. But could the drain itself be the issue?