Cellar Porn

[chapel]

Hi all,

Not been on for a while, but just about finished our cellar refurb and thought i'd share pics. House was built c.1640. All walls are below ground level, but we're lucky in that we do have a window on one wall, made possible by a big scoop of earth being removed years ago.

It was used in the 1970's/80's as a lounge and as a damp measure the previous owners built a block work wall inside the rag and mud walls. One wall was left in mud and rag though.

When we moved in it was pretty damp down there. We had the usual quotes of c £8,000 for tanking/membranes etc. We decided to ventilate for a year and see how we got on. We fitted some trickle vents and a humidistat fan.

After a year it was feeling pretty good down there - the mud and rag wall was obviously still suffering from penetrating damp though, so we had this treated with a membrane - total cost of about £600 inc dry line over the top.

Usual stripping of thick layers of hideous dark wall paper and dark red carpets and replacing with netural colours changed the space completely.

It's by far the warmest room in house thanks to the tons of insulation provided by the earth! Perfect for winter.

Paul

 

[MatthewC]

It all looks lovely - I envy you those beams. It's another good example of why one shouldn't rush into trying to fix dampness; tackling the obvious (ventilation in this case) and waiting a while will show what actually needs doing - and saves money!

 

[Flyfisher]

That's some cellar! Quite stunning. Thanks for the photos and the details about how you converted it.

 

[Penners]

That looks lovely, chapel. Well done!

I'm intrigued by what looks like a serving hatch, in the corner near the TV. Is it perhaps an old coal chute?

At the risk of sounding like an alarmist, I presume the chimney to that disused fireplace is blocked off - is the chimney void well ventilated? Given that its lower portion is presumably underground, you don't want any risk of damp, stagnant air in there.

 

[LadyArowana]

Looks really good, you didn't by any chance get the TV out of the back of a van owned by a bloke called Steve did you?

 

[Penners]

:lol: :lol:

 

[Feltwell]

Looks really good, you didn't by any chance get the TV out of the back of a van owned by a bloke called Steve did you?

[Thick mode] Errrr, don't get that....... [/Thick mode]

 

[JoceAndChris]

Ooh well done. What a great reclamation - all looking very snug and dry!

 

[robgil]

Looks really good, you didn't by any chance get the TV out of the back of a van owned by a bloke called Steve did you?

[Thick mode] Errrr, don't get that....... [/Thick mode]

Steve nicked fluffytails flat screen telly whilst removing the cement floor.

 

[Feltwell]

There's a sentence you don't see every day Rob!

I get it now, having read t'other thread.....

 

[chapel]

Thanks all. Been a revelation gaining an extra living room.

Ah, the mysterious nooks (or are they crannies?..). There are two of them - and I guess Penners, it's one of those that you think is a blocked chimney and fire.

I don't believe they are old, I think they were made as features when the block work wall was built inside the original rag stone and mud walls in the 1970's. I've left them in as they will be great places to put, er, stuff. At least this is what I currently think - I haven't been able to look into the void between the walls in those specific places yet. Certainly not a chimney though as the main stack is accounted for, and a few metres away from the closest nook/crannie.

It is a little unusual to have this type of cellar though. The house is attached to another (part of a larger house split into two at some point this century) and next door don't have a cellar. Think also that at c.1640 it was still unusual for a 'middle class' house to have a cellar in Kent.

Paul

p.s. I have the receipt for the tv guv'nor...

 

[Haresy77]

Hi - Just wondering if you introduced any heat whilst you were ventilating for 12 months. Looks great!