Basement & Cellar Waterproofing and Conversions

Basements and cellars are built into the ground, so their walls and floors are surrounded by moisture. When the ground is wet, water presses against the structure (known as hydrostatic pressure) and is forced through porous brick, cracks and the joints between walls and floors. A conventional damp proof course is designed to stop moisture rising, not to resist water pushing in from the side, which is why below-ground rooms need a properly designed waterproofing system.

Without one, you can expect damp walls, mould, salts, damaged plaster and decorations, rusting fixings and timber decay, and a musty smell that spreads into the rooms above.

Every basement, cellar and vault is different, and the right solution depends on how the building is constructed and how you plan to use the space. A storage cellar has very different requirements from a bedroom or home cinema. Before work begins, it is worth thinking about:

• Headroom, and whether the floor needs lowering
• Access, stairs and escape routes
• Natural light and light wells
• Insulation, heating and ventilation
• Electrics, plumbing and where services will run through the waterproofing
• Building Regulations, and listed building consent if applicable

We can help you plan from the outset so the waterproofing works with every other part of the project, rather than being an afterthought.

Our basement and structural waterproofing work ranges from family homes to some of London’s most demanding commercial buildings, including the Burberry flagship store at 121 Regent Street, basements in Knightsbridge, Marylebone and Notting Hill, and homes across Surrey and the Home Counties. See recent projects.