Damp problem

[Lucian]

Hi

I am renovating a three storey house, it is a raft design, ie, the house is built on a 3ft thick pad of concrete, the house is build on a slope so that the grounf floor is below ground level at the back. On the ground floor there is a garge and an entrance, toilet, and staircase. I have removed a chipboard floating floor that is on a concrete elevation (so that pertrol does not run under the house from the garage. There is a channel arounf the edge of the concrete for the radiator pipes.

The chanel is full of water and the plaster around the edge is like mush, I known the water must be coming from the outside, of course there is no deep cavity for it to drain into as the house is build on the concrete.

What do I do to remove the damp problem?

Thanks

[ultimatehandyman]

Sounds more like a seepage problem than a damp problem.

Perhaps the only colution would be to treat it as a cellar and cut out a drainage channel and fit a sump pump.

basement drainage

basement damp proofing

[Lucian]

Hi

Thank, that seems like a big job, it seam bizzare as half of the rooms are not underground. I think the external tanking/waterproofing has failed.

Is it the job of a professional?

[ultimatehandyman]

Hi

Thank, that seems like a big job, it seam bizzare as half of the rooms are not underground. I think the external tanking/waterproofing has failed.

Is it the job of a professional?

Yes, it would be good to get some profesional advice on this.

Perhaps an opinion from a structural engineer would be the best option.