Converting our Cellar

aacordu2

We have just moved into our own new house! :j
it is very well decorated so we do not need to do much, maybe decorate but this is not important - just to make my mark!

however we would like to convert the cellar (14 x 14) into a playroom/game room. the survey said it was damp (it is not wet) and needed better ventilation. it does have electrical sockets and had a pool table and freezer in there when we first looked around.

would a dehumidifier solve the damp/ventilation problem?

would we be able to put a false wall on with insulation behind?

just need a bit of help really, we would like to do the work ourselves if this is possible?

thank you!

ormus

when you say damp but not wet, how damp?
how long is a piece of string?
you may well get away with a plastic membrane and a studwall/PB with insulation.
it maybe that making a sump and installing a pump, will be needed if it gets any worse.
at least itll be fairly cheap to DIY.

"tanking" is another option but its very expensive and tanking failures are common.
a mate of mine has had it done, and repaired 3 times in 10/12 years.

DIY tanking is not really an option. (to my knowledge).

aacordu2

thanks for your quick reply and help. it just feels cold to me but obviously i'm not an expert!

who would be the best person to have a look at the job do you think?

ormus

i dont like to advise on that sort of thing, so cant really help you, cause there are so many cowboys out there in the damp proofing/tanking game.
you really need a personal recommendation.

from what youve said, i would go for the DIY option as it wouldnt cost that much, even to make a mistake.
all other methods/options are fraught with expensive mistakes.

David_Aldred

Hi,
Converting a cellar into habitable accomodation depends upon the level of dryness that you require, how perfect a system you want and how much you want to spend. The inferance from your post is that you do not wish to spend much and if you could bang up some dry lining and throw in a dehumidifier that would be as far as you want to go for minimal cost.

This may well meet your needs but whether it is a satisfactory solution to the level of dryness you seek will depend upon the particular cellar in question. For example a cellar that is already relatively dry in the first place apart from inadequate ventilation is easier to address on a tight budget compared to one that floods periodically.

If you have a contractor do the work for you they will or should be mindful of their liabilities if they fail to install a system that meets the recommendations of BS8102 which gives guidance for structural waterproofing new and existing properties. One of the primary recommendations of this British Standard is that the contractor should provide a system that is able to deal with water at some point in the future should it come to bear against the basement even if it does not do so now and hence you can see why the cost of conversion can suddenly become expensive.

Doing it yourself you must make the decison how far you want to go and what the risks of failure will be the less that you do. Be mindful that at present although the cellar does not appear that damp moisture is free to evaporate from walls and floors. If you retard this process by say simple dry lining of the walls you are creating a semi closed void within which the relative humidity may rise until it becomes a saturated environment behind or within the system which may compromise that system and lead to condensate / penetrating dampness trickling out the bottom, decay and degradation of your system.

Structural waterproofing internally to existing basements falls into two camps of either holding moisture back (tanking) or letting that moisture come in behind and beneath a system then draining that moisture away (cavity drainage systems). Each system has its advantages and disadvantages but holding moisture back in one area can lead to it shifting to another that was previously dry and if that happens to be next door you could well be liable. This is one reason why cavity drainage systems have found increasing favour in recent years over tanking systems.

Even if you do not take their advice on board I would strongly suggest you have an independent specialist in basements who should be CSSW qualified that stands for Certified Surveyor in Structural Waterproofing. Such surveyors may be found on the Property Care Association (PCA) website under the heading of Freelance surveyors when searching for a member (the rest are contractors looking for work).

You can also look on the following websites for guidance from the manufacturers of systems which again you can either to run with or ignore:

Safeguard Chemicals - Redkiln Close , Redkiln Way, Horsham, Sussex, RH13 5QL (tel 01403 210204 or 07801661615) www.safeguardeurope.com

Wykamol Group – Unit 3, Boran Court, Network 65 Business Park, Hapton, Burnley, Lancashire BB11 5TH (tel 0845 4006666)
www.wykamol.com

Sovereign Chemicals – Park Road, Barrow-In-Furness, Cumbria. LA14 4QU ( tel 01229 870800 )
www.sovereignchemicals.com

Please be mindful that cellars and basement are likely to require background and mechanical ventilation and with the latter humidistat controlled extractor fans should be considered that have a sensor that activates the fan automatically when a certain level of humidty is reached and should be set to run below a level at which mould will occur and min 15 minute overrun once activated.

Also worth pointing out there may be implications as regards means of escape in case of fire, compliance with Building Regulations, how this may affect the Local Authority charges for increased number of habitable rooms to th eproperty and Party Wall Act - I know you may well turn a blind eye to such issues at your own risk but they should be mentioned.

Hope this helps, kindest regards David Aldred Independent damp and timber surveyor

sharkie

I'm even les of an expert then ormus, but I'd put a humidity meter down there and then either get a centrifugal or squirrel cage fan, pipe the air out the cellar, through a window and see how much the humidity drops per day - much easier than emptying a humidifier and cheaper than tanking et if ther is only a small amount of damp.

type this into ebay with the include title and description box ticked and it will get you 6 inch piping and fans fan extraction (150mm,6")

If it works, make it automatic by purchasing a humidistat

aacordu2

thank you everybody for all your help! it is very useful!

i am worried that if we do it ourselves it could have consequences with building regs etc so think we will get people in to have a look then take it from there!