Damp/condensation Help

PaulC0

Hi all
Last week, I noticed a black spot at the bottom of my stair string in the hallway. Today, I went to investigate. It felt damp and had a mould smell, so I sprayed with mould spray and attempted to scrape away with a blunt kitchen knife. The paint and top layer of timber moved too easily for my liking, so I removed some of the wallpaper to find what you see in the pictures. 
Approx 9 years ago I had the side garden dug out and replaced with concrete to allow for off road parking. When the job was done, they removed a concrete path that ran alongside the house to allow a uniform finish and run off for water. Would I be right in thinking that they didn't apply a damp course between the new concrete and house wall, causing rising damp? The outside of the wall wasn't finished off either (as per pics). It looks like there is some moss growing on this. Shortly after the job was done, I coated the area you can see in pictures (and along the rest of hallway from stairs to door) with an antidamp paint, as there was signs of some moisture. I was told this was due to the area being a 'dew point' for warm air meeting cold air. I fitted a Warmology unit into the attic, in the hope that it would eradicate the problem. However, as you can see it is again becoming something of a problem.  Would appreciate any help or ideas you may have. 

Thanks
*won't let me post links. How can I add photos?*

FreeBear

PaulC0 said:  How can I add photos?

Just above the box for typing your text is a row of widgets. One of them looks like a small box with a blob in it. Hover over it, and it will say "Attach image". Click on it, and upload an image.

When replying, add a few details about the property, such as when it was built.

PaulC0

Test...eee

Jeepers_Creepers

Ooh - that damp is pretty bad, and the timber underneath is clearly starting to rot.

What? Am I the only person who can see this photo?

Jeepers_Creepers

Cough - it's the 1st. Had to be done.

(I'm ashamed)

coffeehound

^ and you should be ashamed!

@PaulC0 if your pics are hosted online, post the links here with a few spaces in each and someone can repost them

PaulC0

coffeehound said:

^ and you should be ashamed!

@PaulC0 if your pics are hosted online, post the links here with a few spaces in each and someone can repost them

I'll try that
h t t p s /po stim g.cc/ga llery/vHWx X0P

PaulC0

Jeepers_Creepers said:

Ooh - that damp is pretty bad, and the timber underneath is clearly starting to rot.

What? Am I the only person who can see this photo?

As my old gran would say......you're a bad egg 😆

Jeepers_Creepers

Are your photos 'normal', Paul - eg jpg and similar? And are they under (is it?) 5MP in size?

If not, resize them using any free software (even Word will do it!) and try again.

Click on the 'picture of the mountain' at the top-rightish. Click 'Browse' and go to your picture folder on your PC.

FreeBear

https://postimg.cc/gallery/vHWxX0P

Yup. Agree with J_C. looks serious.

But looks can be deceptive when gypsum plaster is involved - It doesn't take much damp for it to change colour... The render and driveway surface is obscuring the location of the DPC. You need to identify where it is exactly then do two things.

1) Make sure the driveway surface along with ground levels around the rest of the house, is 100-150mm lower.

2) Add a bell cast to the bottom of the render just above the DPC - This will help any rain hitting the walls to drip off away from the brickwork.

Optionally, fit a french drain around the property in addition to the above.

Do not spend money on damp blocking paints internally or externally. You need to allow the wall to dry out thoroughly which could take six months.

PaulC0

Yup. Agree with J_C. looks serious.

But looks can be deceptive when gypsum plaster is involved - It doesn't take much damp for it to change colour... The render and driveway surface is obscuring the location of the DPC. You need to identify where it is exactly then do two things.

1) Make sure the driveway surface along with ground levels around the rest of the house, is 100-150mm lower.

2) Add a bell cast to the bottom of the render just above the DPC - This will help any rain hitting the walls to drip off away from the brickwork.

Optionally, fit a french drain around the property in addition to the above.

Do not spend money on damp blocking paints internally or externally. You need to allow the wall to dry out thoroughly which could take six months.

Thanks for the feedback. Thinking that the concrete drive that was put in is actually higher than original path that was there, although not by much. As the hall floor is ceramic tiles with ceramic skirting, it makes me think that the damp is pushing through that part of hall as its accessible (if that makes sense). Waiting word back on a French drain/soakaway as I type. If I get that done, would it be worth getting a dpm cream put into internal hall wall above ceramic level? 
As for bell casts, they're around the rear of the property but not the front. Same applies to other houses in street. However, I think mine is the only one that had original path removed and height adjusted 😐