Project Bathroom....

[Anonymous]

Hi All,

currently working on my bathroom (formed from an extension including a kitchen on our C18th Cottage).
From the image attached you can see that we have a problem with a damp patch of wall near the back door
The bathroom is a step up from the rest of the house and the step is also outside by the back door.

On the external side of the damp wall was a pile of 6 bricks cement mortared to wall. I've removed these bricks but the concrete path butts up to the bathroom wall, so I'm thinking I need to make a break in the path away from the wall. So how far away from the wall should I cut the concrete and how deep should it be and how do I deal with the soil pipe ?

While I'm about it I've removed cement based render from the outside bathroom wall (which is curiously constructed with a cavity wall on one external wall (not on the other!!) by the floor there are slates mounted vertically I assume to provide some sort of damp proofing should I remove them ? It appears the extension is just one big bodge after another but since it's the only bathroom we have pulling it down and reconstructing it properly is a whole different ball game.

thanks for the tips and opinions in advance,

Paul.

 

[plasticpigeon]

Umm, I can't comment on all but yes to removing the slate, this was done on my house too. Utter rubbish. All that happens is that water gets trapped behind the slate and cement and the whole thing stays damp forever. Usually either the slate or mortar pops off quite quickly due to freeze thaw making the situation worse. It is also done to cover up botched or spalled brickwork. Re the total botch up of the extension. Don't throw good money after bad!

 

[88v8]

Is the external brickwork all the same? Just thinking that perhaps the non-cavity wall was older and the cavity wall was added later when the extension was built in its present form.. In which case perhaps there's a dpc in the cavity wall but not the older wall?
Which bit of your drg is cavity?

The soil pipe... presume you mean where it goes into the ground? The flaunching of the joint should slope away from the house.

Where it's damp... was there anything there such as a downpipe? That might have been leaking? I mean, is this current damp or the residue of an old problem?

The path, ideally a foot away, but the further the better. How thick is the concrete? Paths not usually very thick.

Ivor

 

[Anonymous]

Hi there,

Yes all the brickwork looks the same (difficult to tell really) internally is covered with plaster and my mistake both external walls are cavity walls with a thick black DPC between them and the external wall....

Is the external brickwork all the same? Just thinking that perhaps the non-cavity wall was older and the cavity wall was added later when the extension was built in its present form.. In which case perhaps there's a dpc in the cavity wall but not the older wall?
Which bit of your drg is cavity?

tbh I haven't drawn the cavity but they're located on the bottom and right hand walls (inside them).

The soil pipe... presume you mean where it goes into the ground? The flaunching of the joint should slope away from the house.

The question on the soil pipe is obviously if I'm cutting the concrete away from the wall of the house how do I do that where the soil pipe is ? or should I just cut away between it and the wall ? (I've only ever had soil pipes inside before !!)

Where it's damp... was there anything there such as a downpipe? That might have been leaking? I mean, is this current damp or the residue of an old problem?

No, no downpipe there but it's where the doorway sticks out, was covered in cement render (not connected to the wall anymore) and as I mentioned had this pile of 6 bricks cemented to it... oh and the path buts right up to it..... guessing when it rains it leaks....

The path, ideally a foot away, but the further the better. How thick is the concrete? Paths not usually very thick.
Ivor

not sure on the thickness but there's a lot of it In all around the house, its probably holding the house up !!

 

[Tony.]

Leave the soil pipe try and remove the concrete around the wall junction and around the soil pipe.

You want to try and stop the water hitting the concrete and splashing up onto the wall, have a search on the forum as there have been some great posts on this.

May as well check all the soil pipe joins for leaks and the same for guttering/diwnpipes.

I had 'damp' on the wall next to my back door, it wasn't damp just a cold bridge due to the original construction, fine until the diy brigade added gypsum plaster, concrete etc. Left the wall to dry for a year and all is good