newbie looking for advice on flooring

[westwalesforever]

Hi

we have an 1850 stone cottage in west wales. we are very close to the sea, 50 yards, and the cottage is low lying with walls built on sand. The water table seems to be quite high. we have dug up the concrete floor and are looking for a 'breathable' replacement. We have considered a limecrete solution suggested by Ty Mawr but just the materials will cost inexcess of £6K and this is just too much. Our intention is to put slate flags down as a finished floor as there is some evidence of this being the original floor. Any suggestions for the construction of a breatheable floor? The cottage is not listed but it is within a conservation area so we do have some protection from the full assault of Building Regs.

thanks
paul

 

[MdB]

Bump for a newbie post that I had missed completely and others might have done as well.

As for an answer, if you are built on sand and have a high water table, breathability isn't going to help you much. Any water that evaporates is just going to be replaced. I would be looking to try and lower the water table if possible / sensible. Probably not easy to do though.

 

[Moo]

Would it be possible to instal a suspended floor, with efficient ventilation beneath it?
Or (provided the subsoil isn't permanently wringing wet) why not just lay slabs? Our house has pamments in the breakfast room and flags in the hall and passage, all laid straight on the soil, and we've had no problem with damp at all.