Quiet times-cracking on with converting cellar

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RMK

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Always planned to do the cellar conversion this winter/new year and had job cancelled on me the other week which would have seen me through to mid jan, so it's time to crack on!

The cellar is in a mid terrace and is back to earth on one wall-wi visible penetrating damp, other walls have visible signs of rising damp (2 party with neighbours), one open to the front of house.

Planning on ripping the cellar floor up, tanking walls down with effectively a dpm curtain, then insualting and screeding floor, then a mf wall in front of walls.

Using visqueen to tank walls should save a few £'s (which is needed), just wondered if anyone knows of any reason for NOT using this method.

The second prob I've got is how to tank the staircase (back to earth) as we have limited space down there as it is. The walls are already painted and do show some sign of efflorescence. Was thinking about treated slate latt with visqueen over, then boards over top trapping damp out.


Obviously we're all plasterers, but any advi e anyone has would be great. (bear in mind need to keep it cheap!!!!!!!

Cheers
 
Seriously no one can give me any tips?? Am I posting in the wrong section of the forum?
 
Visqueen the walls full height by tacking the membrain at the top with a few plasterboard nails Over lap all joints by around 450mm and duck tape to seal them. Do this up the stair well as well. The membrain should just flap down the walls and finish about 25mm short of the over site.(remove existing floor before you start)

Membrain the floor like you would a concrete 1 flapping the membrain up all walls 500mm, again over lapping joints and taping. Lay insulation and screed as normal.

Tape floor membrain to walls.

Battern out with tile lath. When you drill through the lath into the walls, gun some waterproof mastic or silicone into the hole before and after the raw plug to seal it up.

Plaster board and skim as normal.

This should provide a dry surface. It must be stressed this will not stop it from flooding. To do that you need sump and pumps and drainage etc.

Hope this helps
 
For a guide Google cavity drain membrains. Any make they all work the same. Most website have a rough fitting guide. All you would be doing is replacing the expensive membrains with Visqueen.
 
If your using the room as a living space you might need planning or some sort of permission from council or some job worth.

Iv heard, and only heard, the room needs to be over 2.2m I think, plus a pump fitting and a fire escape other than staircase. Spoke to a few people that have had cellars and the job was 5k plus.
 
mac_plastering said:
If your using the room as a living space you might need planning or some sort of permission from council or some job worth.

Iv heard, and only heard, the room needs to be over 2.2m I think, plus a pump fitting and a fire escape other than staircase. Spoke to a few people that have had cellars and the job was 5k plus.
Click to expand...


If its only for dry storage, you can do what you like.

Its when you come to sell up the trouble starts, as you can't sell it as a habitual room, only storage.

As I understand. :RpS_unsure:
 
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Sounds daft, but the cellar is a room already. Pretty sure it used to be the wash room for the house... Or maybe even the kitchen at one point. Ceiling height will be achieved, no pump as very little damp, and there is a fully opening 4ft square window to the front of the house which can be used as fire escape.

Going to use the room as a dining room, and would rather spend the money I'd have to spend on planning on the room. (£300?)
When we do come to sell it we may apply for retrospective planning.
 
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