Damp specialist

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by byl999 on August 25, 2012 at 9:08

Hi Pamish,

Could you recommend the builders you used for your patio laying please? Am about to embark on quote hunting for a patio to be laid here. Thanks!!!

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by pamish on August 25, 2012 at 12:27

pm me for the number,

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by linka on November 14, 2011 at 14:23

No problem - I'll answer as much as I can now, but you could also take a look and compare your situation. I'm not able to measure it right now, but it's probably about half a metre wide, or just less.

We paid our long suffering builders, who are used to much classier, more interesting jobs than ours (the whole cost was part of the larger mission of replacing the floor...). It's a slog, and slow going even with, I think, light pneumatic drill, a pick and an angle-grinder to mark the edge - I think it took two people over three days. Perhaps it was almost five.  Allegedly you can bring up concrete with just a sledge hammer. I'm not sure if it depends on the depth. Cutting a channel requires some kind of proper equipment.

There is some kind of air flow from the exterior regardless of where the gap is (hello, winter...). It helps to have a through-flow of air inside the house, which we helped along with some more strategic drilling. This is why this kind of thing probably worked better before everyone sealed up their windows and chimneys - a heated chimney alone would create a bit of a flow.

Edit- cross-posted, but pamish's advice sounds good. I can't believe how many of these houses have high concrete over the slate - like slow death to Victorian joists...

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by pamish on November 14, 2011 at 14:34

Clearly what needs to happen is you lot organising every other house to have a new patio or back extension, I'm sure HoL could have a spreadsheet with dates. 

PS My old path was only about an inch or two thick and already somewhat chaotic.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by linka on November 14, 2011 at 14:54

ha! The concrete removal gang. The sounds of drilling would drift across the area for weeks and weeks.

Ours is stupid-deep and all over the place, as successive people added insult to injury.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by pamish on November 14, 2011 at 15:07

Perhaps you could get some chaps in from Punishment in the Community to dig it up with teaspoons. What has happened to all those 5000 fit young men arrested in The Disturbances?

Permalink Reply by JB on November 14, 2011 at 15:56

That would be great if I could come and take a look sometime. Where abouts are you? I'm south end of the ladder.

All the info if really useful. I would love to do the majority of the work ourselves if we can but we obviously won't manage the strategic drilling!

When you say it helps to have a through flow of air inside the house what have you tried? Are you talking about air bricks in the walls, opening windows and extractor fans etc?

Gosh it is annoying that people in the past have covered up air bricks and put in concrete paths which cost lots of money and time to correct. You are right - it is like a slow death for the joists.... and our bank accounts!!

Thanks again!

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by kitt on November 11, 2011 at 20:05

hi 

i found 'about damp proofing' on which local and they were great. my surveyor said i needed damp treatment and i paid abbot around £80 for a damp survey - which told me that no work was needed after all. 

good luck with your new place

katy

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Cralos on September 2, 2012 at 9:37

Can anyone recommend a good surveyor? Weve spotted the damp already, need to know the cause/solution.

• ▶ Reply

• ‹ Previous
• 1
• 2
• Next ›
• Page