Cavity drain membranes, tanking and drainage systems that turn damp cellars into dry, usable rooms, designed by Basement Waterproofing Association members. Covering Crawley & Haywards Heath, Horsham and Lewes and across Sussex.
Book a surveyBelow-ground rooms in Sussex sit against wet ground, so water is pushed into them under pressure through walls, floors and the joints between them. A standard damp proof course can't deal with that.
Whether you want a dry storage cellar or a full conversion into living space, we design and install the right waterproofing system for your building and how you plan to use the room.
Brighton and Hove's Regency and Victorian terraces often have basements and lower ground floors, frequently with vaults under the pavement. Sloping sites across Sussex also leave rear rooms partly below ground.
Both need proper waterproofing before they can be used as living space.
The chalk of the South Downs is free-draining, but the clay of the Weald holds water, and coastal towns have lower ground floors and basements close to the water table. Properties on sloping sites often have earth banked against rear walls, which brings damp into rooms below ground level.
Sussex combines Regency and Victorian seafront terraces in Brighton, Hove and Eastbourne with flint cottages on the Downs and tile-hung, timber-framed Wealden houses inland. Many of these older buildings were built with lime mortars and solid walls that need to breathe, and inappropriate cement renders or modern paints are a frequent cause of trapped damp.
New-town and post-war housing alongside older properties on Weald Clay, where condensation and cracked walls are common.
Historic town-centre buildings and Wealden houses on clay, where timber decay and damp in solid walls need a sympathetic approach.
Flint, brick and timber-framed buildings beside the Ouse, a town that knows the cost of flooding all too well.
For most conversions we recommend a cavity drain membrane (CDM) system. A studded membrane is fixed to the walls and floor, leaving a small air gap that lets any water that gets through the structure drain freely into a perimeter channel and away, usually to a sump pump. Because it manages water rather than trying to hold it back, it copes well with older walls and high water tables.
Where conditions suit, cementitious tanking can be applied directly to sound masonry to create a continuous waterproof barrier. We often combine approaches, for example tanking to light wells and a membrane system in the main room.
We can provide the waterproofing on its own, ready for your builder, or manage the specialist work from survey through to a dry, finished shell. Every system is designed in line with recognised industry standards and comes with a written guarantee.
A PCA-qualified, commission-free surveyor visits your Sussex property, investigates with calibrated equipment and identifies the cause.
You receive a clear written report explaining what we found and what we recommend, with a fixed quotation and no hidden extras.
Our own trained team carries out the work, protecting your home, keeping dust down and leaving everything clean.
You receive a written guarantee, which can be protected by an Insurance Backed Guarantee for a single premium.
Our surveyors cover East and West Sussex regularly, from the Weald villages to the coast. We regularly work in Hastings, Gatwick, Ashurst, Battle, Bexhill-on-Sea and Copthorne, and throughout Brighton & Hove, Horsham, Crawley, Mid Sussex, Chichester and Arun.
Towns and areas we cover in Sussex
Find out more about our basement & cellar waterproofing service.
Book a survey
If you’ve noticed any of these issues, arranging a professional survey is the best way to identify the cause and prevent further damage.
Most can. Headroom, access, natural light and the water table all affect what is possible and what the waterproofing needs to do. A survey tells you what is realistic before you commit to plans.
A studded plastic membrane fixed to the walls and floor that creates a drainage gap. Water that gets through the structure runs behind the membrane into a channel and is pumped or drained away, so the room stays dry.
If water can't drain away naturally, yes. Your surveyor will advise. Where a pump is fitted we recommend a backup and regular servicing.
Yes. Our systems carry a written guarantee, which can be protected by an Insurance Backed Guarantee (IBG) for a single premium. We are members of the Basement Waterproofing Association.
Yes. Wind-driven rain and salt air cause a lot of penetrating damp in seafront properties. We find where the water is getting in, from render and pointing to parapets and windows, and fix it at source.
Yes. Flint cottages and Wealden timber-framed houses need breathable materials and careful repairs rather than heavy-handed injection and hard plaster, and that is how we treat them.
Our surveyors cover East and West Sussex regularly, from the Weald villages to the coast. Towns we visit regularly include Hastings, Gatwick, Ashurst, Battle, Bexhill-on-Sea, Copthorne, Crawley and Crowborough. If yours isn't listed, give us a call and we'll confirm.
Also in Sussex
Our other specialist services for Sussex homes, landlords and businesses.
Rising damp, penetrating damp and damp proof courses. Most common around Brighton & Hove and Eastbourne.
Dry rot, wet rot and woodworm. Most common around Horsham and Brighton & Hove.
Black mould, streaming windows and ventilation. Most common around Worthing and Brighton & Hove.
Pre-purchase and mortgage surveys. Especially worthwhile for older homes around Brighton & Hove and Chichester.
Wall tie replacement and crack stitching. Most common around Eastbourne and Crawley & Haywards Heath.
Leaks, floods and burst pipes. Most common around Lewes and Chichester.
Client testimonials
Just had various bits of damp-proofing done to my flat. The work was done on time and to a very high standard. Although the place was a bit of a building site during the work, as you'd expect, it was left immaculate! Impressed.
Live just outside Sussex? We cover the neighbouring counties too.
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From our offices in Thames Ditton and Esher, our surveyors cover London and the surrounding counties, providing fast response times for residential and commercial properties alike.
We regularly work with:
Whether your property requires a damp survey, timber inspection or basement waterproofing system, our experienced team is ready to help.
Our certifications reflect our commitment to the highest standards of work and quality.
Why Tapco
Established in 1971
Choosing Tapco HomeDry means choosing a company with a proven history of protecting properties across the South East.
We believe every property deserves an individual assessment. That’s why our recommendations are based on what your building genuinely needs, not unnecessary treatments.
Tapco (Preservation) Ltd is an Introducer Appointed Representative (Financial Services Register No. 423558) of Phoenix Financial Consultants Limited (Phoenix). Phoenix is a credit broker, not a lender. Phoenix is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FRN: 539195), and offers finance from its panel of lenders. All finance subject to status and credit checks.
