Major damp fix?

[Bradeal]

Hello friendly community. I'm at the project house again and will tackle this mess in soon.

The first photo shows the wall in the kitchen. I've taken off the loose plaster.

The second photo shows the parapet and external wall (on my neighbour side)

The last photo shows the same parapet on my roof side

I will fix the flashing and broken slates

What shall i do with the wall facing my neighbour? I have spoken with them and I can get access from their side when needed.

 

[Ivor Windybottom]

Put away the colour samplers and get out the hammer!

Is it as damp inside as it looks in the photo?

It surely must need taking down at least to ceiling height and rebuilding. It's been getting very damp, so the bricks have got frost damaged.

Can anyone explain what the soldier course is for?

It must be crossing the cavity, giving a route for the water from the top and outer wall to get across to the inner wall. It's well below the flashing.

 

[Ivor Windybottom]

I'm assuming there is a cavity? Hopefully it's too wide to be a 9" solid brick wall. But I'm having doubts now.

If it's a solid wall with a parapet then I don't know if it could ever be dry.

 

[Bradeal]

Haha, the colour samples were there when i bough the house. It has been left empty / abandoned for over 15 yrs.

those patches inside were smaller but i hacked the loose plaster. It doesn't drip water visibly, i think over the years it has been getting small leaks under or through the coping stones.

The wall used to be rendered but the neighbours took it all off some years ago as it was crumbling and they were afraid for their safety.

I was thinking if there is a way of extending the coping stones, maybe render that top few courses and paint the rest in liquid dpc or something similar?

 

[Bradeal]

I'm assuming there is a cavity? Hopefully it's too wide to be a 9" solid brick wall. But I'm having doubts now.

If it's a solid wall with a parapet then I don't know if it could ever be dry

Thank you for your reply. I am honestly not sure, i guess the only way would be to lift the coping stones and mortar underneath. It's just that they are fixed solid.

I's rather not create more work than needed.

I hope that someone has a relatively easy way to prevent further leaks through or under the coping.

 

[Ivor Windybottom]

The render falling off should be a big clue that it was very wet.

IMO you're fighting physics trying to persuade the water away with a bigger lip and waterproofing solution.

Is it a solid wall?

 

[Ivor Windybottom]

If the wall's only 9" thick then it's solid, as suggested by the soldier course.

 

[Ivor Windybottom]

Put up a photo of the end of the wall, where it faces the back garden.

 

[Bradeal]

Put up a photo of the end of the wall, where it faces the back garden.

Don't mind the red lines, it was to illustrate something else

 

[Bradeal]

Don't mind the red lines, it was to illustrate something else

What you see after the kitchen (with small window) is a bathroom.
That is a parapet wall with render as well. That render is still standing with minor flaky paint inside (which is to be expected after almost 2 decades)

I believe this kitchen side (3.6) metres has been extended looong time ago.

The whole kitchen is 7 metres. The other half (under the bathroom) is perfectly fine.

 

[Ivor Windybottom]

It looks like it's probably all 9" solid brick. Is it too late to not buy it?

I'm out of my depth here, hopefully others will advise.

 

[Bradeal]

It looks like it's probably all 9" solid brick. Is it too late to not buy it?

I'm out of my depth here, hopefully others will advise.

yes a few months too late now. Well, i can try the "easy fix" for now. Try to stop the water trickling down the wall by "extending" the coping stones overhang.

And also maybe mortar / render those few courses of bricks just under the coping stones.

Or

I can try to lift the stones and install flashing that covers those few courses of bricks.

Then somehow create more overhang on the coping

Then finally paint the whole wall with some waterproofing paint or liquid dpm

 

[Ivor Windybottom]

Remember that anything waterproof is not directional. If the top is porous and the sides are waterproof then you'll be keeping the water in, not out.

Hopefully others here experience of dealing with this sort of thing. I've never had a house without cavities, if I see brick ends then I run away.

 

[Bradeal]

Remember that anything waterproof is not directional. If the top is porous and the sides are waterproof then you'll be keeping the water in, not out.

Hopefully others here experience of dealing with this sort of thing. I've never had a house without cavities, if I see brick ends then I run away.

Makes sense, i will put my focus on fixing the top edge, as that's where the main problem lies. Then if waterproofing I will the whole thing