Has anyone DIY tanked a cellar using a membrane system?

[Matblack]

I have been getting quotes from various companies for tanking my cellar, a 3x4x2m 1860s coal cellar.

I am finding the prices pretty extortionate circa £4500 + VAT and searching the net and looking at these systems I was wondering if it were possible to install them oneself?

The diagrams for fitting Oldroyd xV for example make the whole process look quite simple and I suspect with a little help I could do this myself. Then get a chippy in to build stud walls, plasterboard myself and then get a plasterer in to finish.

The cellar is pretty dry and all companies who have been in to quote have said that a sump would not be required in this case, hence there would be very little digging and just a case of curtaining the walls with the plastic material, leveling the floor and laying the membrane there and then connecting the two with the appropriate fixtures before laying a floor on top

Has anyone tried this, without calling in the professionals and laying out £5000+VAT?

Cheers

MB

 

[DAZB]

I do this kind of job all the time and it is quite possible for you to do it yourself but you are paying for the expertise of the Company and a gaurantee that it is done right. They also have overheads and a profit to make so it is no surprise to expect a high price for such a job. You don't mention where you live but if you are near London prices will obviously be much higher than most areas too.

 

[chappers]

DAZ I am just about to embark on a similar project not for a client but on a rennovation project for my self, always left the tanking of basements to those with gaurantees.
Could you reccomend a decent system at all I expect I would need some sort of perimiter drain and sump pump as the basement has apparently had upto 18" of water in it in the past.
Cheers
Gareth

 

[breezer]

a cure for a lot of water is to build a well next to where (basement in your case) and put a sump pump in it.
some pond owners with low water tables do it

 

[DAZB]

In my opinion the Oldroyd Xv Membranes are the best on the walls and it is used in conjunction with Oldroyd Xs membrane on the floor but for areas that are still prone to a lot of water it is recommended to use Oldroyd Xv on the floor as well with a perimeter drain channel and a sump and pump system. If you need any more info feel free to ask.

 

[chinesewhispers]

Similar situation here, but not looking to do it myself.

The info we got from the guy was good, he gave us options, but recommended the membrane+channel+sump/pump to cover their backs.

I doubt we need the pump, but could we have the system so that we can install it at a later date if necessary? (Just put a big hole for now where it would go, but with a bucket in it. If the bucket fills more than expected, fit the pump). We are not looking to finish this project immediately, so having an exposed hole isn't a problem. Alternatively, is it easy enough to retro fit a pump into an existing membraned room?

The walls are not dripping, but are cold and damp to touch on one wall (the external wall).

Thanks.

 

[DAZB]

It is usual practice for the sump to be made and the pump set in and then the membrane is laid over the whole floor and sealed using the special joint tape that goes with the membrane system but you can leave a section out over the sump and recover and tape after if you really had to.
It seems to me that if you only have a slightly moist external wall then you probably won't need a pump anyway .

 

[breezer]

It seems to me that if you only have a slightly moist external wall then you probably won't need a pump anyway .

but what if he does?

 

[chinesewhispers]

but what if he does?

The only reason a pump would be needed said the man, was if some kind of drain or mains pipe in the street burst, and water flowed towards our basement. He was basically covering his back, and did say that they always recommend the highest protection, but do allow customers to make an informed decision.

The room is only going to be a utility room anyway, washer, dryer, sink, cupboards etc, not a lounge or kitchen. These could be replaced for less than the cost of the extra pump I think, if the worst did happen.

 

[chinesewhispers]

OK, here's a thought.

We are looking at having a WC in said room, probably in the lowest corner (where the sump would be). This will require a macerator (sp). Is it any way possible to sink the macerator a bit, and have water that may come in, pumped out by the unit?

Bit of a hairbrain idea, but for the very little that will come in, could it work?

 

[chappers]

cheers Daz thats good to know Oldroyd was one of the systems I have been looking at anyway. May well have a few queries when the installation begins.

Cheers
Gareth

 

[DAZB]

No problem Chappers , glad to help.
Breezer , like I have mentioned he can drop a pump into the sump if he had to do after the membrane had been fitted and tape and join the membrane over the top because he mentioned it may be left open for a while anyway. It seems from the previous info he had that the cellar is in no danger of constant water ingress and the design of the membrane allows total airflow around the walls to help evaporate any moisture anyway so generally unless the room is physically taking in water then a sump system can be avoided.
Regarding the Saniflow idea , I don't think it would be practical to use that option as a way of pumping out anything other than the toilet waste. A pump operates when it's float reaches a certain level and will not allow the water to exceed that but a Saniflow has to have the water fed into it . A Plumber may be able to comment better on this idea .

 

[Matblack]

Oooh I'd forgotton about this thread

I've been running the idea past my father in law who is the DIY expert in the family. He thinks its perfectly feiasable albiet a time consuming job.

The company who sell Oldroyd Xv are happy to sell direct to the public and the materials aren't too expensive they think it could be done with 50m2 of Xv too which is 2x2x25m2 (they only sell in 25m2x2).

It would mean drilling into the ragstone but the depth demanded by the Oldroyd plugs doesn't seem like it would put us in any danger of going through the stones completly or we could curtain hang the membrane and then stud wall it in provide a key for the plasterboard.

I've just had the last company to quote on the phone and they are getting extremely over excited about sumps and well despite the fact the the house has never had any standing water, let alone a proper flood. They want to set a sump into a concrete ring because the floor is made of brick and I reckon this is going to be the most expensive quote yet!

I'd be keen to hear any tips about installing this stuff and the recomended way of tackliing the floor. Would I for instance need to create a trench around the floor to drop the wall membrane into, or can you just take it level to the floor? Also how would you level the floor enough to lay a laminate floor?

It really is amazing how much you can potentially saving doing this job yourself!

Cheers

MB
_____________________________
moderator

post locked to prevent hi jacking