Sorry for what is going to be a mammoth post but everything kind of ties in with each other.
I’m basically looking for a bit of advice / confirmation that the route I’m taking is going to be the right course of action as I'm a bit new to this and seem to be getting more confused the more I read.
I have a extension to my Georgian property running off the living room and forming a L shape which was done in a rather interesting fashion in the 70’s with a 2nd wall being put in the extension more than likely to reduce the impression of damp. The roof needs to be replaced as pretty much all of the tiles (Man made slate) are at the end of their life and most of the flashing either incorrect or failing. It’s a mono pitch roof that runs down from the boundary wall, comprised of stone for approx 2.5m then red brick, a number of which are crumbling above the roof and some of the morta need replacing.
The extension and wall to the living room has been rendered in concrete (more than likely to hide the brickwork) and also has concrete flashing to the base both of which are failing in a number of areas although not entrely. The area of the garden outside both the kitchen and living room is comprised of flagstones that have had a fair degree of movement.
Now the wall that is supporting the joists by the form of a timber plate is very damp which I think is a combination of ingress through the failing flashing and more than likely also the brickwork above it as well. I have quotes for replacing the roof but they are stating that they would use a waterproofed sand, lime and cement mix, to render the lead flashing etc which would go directly onto the stone / brick wall – should I insist on using a lime / sand mix for this and what would you recommend? (I’ve already dismissed the guy who said I should render the entire wall!) Also would you replace the brickwork at the same time as the roof (suppose it would be easier with the scaffold) or save that job till next summer once the roof has been done and I have more confidence.
Access to the wall above the roof is pretty difficult and so with the thought of money, and trying to find anyone decent in my mind, I would rather replace the few bricks and do the re-pointing myself – I am a bit concerned due to the height of the wall and my lack of skills that I’ll or it’ll end up just falling down. Would have a bit of a practice beforehand on something less precarious but should this be something left for the experts?.
Secondly we have some damp in the living room, although nothing really bad just very cold to the touch which I presume is from water ingress. I presume that the source of the damp is more than likely the failed render / flashing. Would the best course of action, re the cement render / flashing, be to remove the cement that is easy to get off and then replace with a limecrete leaving the more secure concrete as is? Again what type would you recommend and also as it is not like for like replacement then would that require LBC – I guess I could forget to mention. Also you treat the concrete / limecrete flashing in relation to the flagstones, Should I run the flashing further down and then lay the flagstones above the level of the flashing or should I lay them 1st and then bond the limecrete flashing to the top of the flagstones?
Sorry for the long winded post and hopefully it might make some sort of sense, I have been trying to get hold of the local CO but he seems to be extremely busy or really doesn’t want to talk to me so any advice / help you can offer would be really very useful.
I’m basically looking for a bit of advice / confirmation that the route I’m taking is going to be the right course of action as I'm a bit new to this and seem to be getting more confused the more I read.
I have a extension to my Georgian property running off the living room and forming a L shape which was done in a rather interesting fashion in the 70’s with a 2nd wall being put in the extension more than likely to reduce the impression of damp. The roof needs to be replaced as pretty much all of the tiles (Man made slate) are at the end of their life and most of the flashing either incorrect or failing. It’s a mono pitch roof that runs down from the boundary wall, comprised of stone for approx 2.5m then red brick, a number of which are crumbling above the roof and some of the morta need replacing.
The extension and wall to the living room has been rendered in concrete (more than likely to hide the brickwork) and also has concrete flashing to the base both of which are failing in a number of areas although not entrely. The area of the garden outside both the kitchen and living room is comprised of flagstones that have had a fair degree of movement.
Now the wall that is supporting the joists by the form of a timber plate is very damp which I think is a combination of ingress through the failing flashing and more than likely also the brickwork above it as well. I have quotes for replacing the roof but they are stating that they would use a waterproofed sand, lime and cement mix, to render the lead flashing etc which would go directly onto the stone / brick wall – should I insist on using a lime / sand mix for this and what would you recommend? (I’ve already dismissed the guy who said I should render the entire wall!) Also would you replace the brickwork at the same time as the roof (suppose it would be easier with the scaffold) or save that job till next summer once the roof has been done and I have more confidence.
Access to the wall above the roof is pretty difficult and so with the thought of money, and trying to find anyone decent in my mind, I would rather replace the few bricks and do the re-pointing myself – I am a bit concerned due to the height of the wall and my lack of skills that I’ll or it’ll end up just falling down. Would have a bit of a practice beforehand on something less precarious but should this be something left for the experts?.
Secondly we have some damp in the living room, although nothing really bad just very cold to the touch which I presume is from water ingress. I presume that the source of the damp is more than likely the failed render / flashing. Would the best course of action, re the cement render / flashing, be to remove the cement that is easy to get off and then replace with a limecrete leaving the more secure concrete as is? Again what type would you recommend and also as it is not like for like replacement then would that require LBC – I guess I could forget to mention. Also you treat the concrete / limecrete flashing in relation to the flagstones, Should I run the flashing further down and then lay the flagstones above the level of the flashing or should I lay them 1st and then bond the limecrete flashing to the top of the flagstones?
Sorry for the long winded post and hopefully it might make some sort of sense, I have been trying to get hold of the local CO but he seems to be extremely busy or really doesn’t want to talk to me so any advice / help you can offer would be really very useful.