[superdon]

Hi,

I looked at doing this a few years back, and the cost was going to be too much. But, started thinking about it again.

I have a cellar, approx 12 foot by 12 foot. Its not terribly damp, but has the gas and eletrci meters in, which would need boxing in. It also has an old coal shute, which we originally wanted to put a window into. The room is tall enough not to require too much (if any) digging down.

Any ideas on current methods and approx costs for this? It would be a full conversion, so tanking system, flooring, plastering, window, stairs, eletrics/wiring. Theres already a radiator down there, so thats not needed.

Cheers for any ideas.

[mabo]

Moved to Home Cinema DIY.

[Jamo218]

Hi there,

With it being a change of use you should really go through a building regs application with your local authority, which has implications in respect of energy i.e. inclusion of insulation within the wall and floor constructions, which in association with waterproofing may have a greater impact on floor to ceiling height than anticipated.

Regarding methods, your options are 'tanked protection', or 'drained protection', but getting into this could be end up as a bit of an essay I would recommend that you do a bit of research and then ask some more specific questions.

Look for Bishi's post which is fairly recent as I did reply to that with greater detail. Also if you want to PM me your email address I'll send you some general info on structural waterproofing.

I spend my life sorting out problems of water penetration into below ground structures, this presently including two basement cinemas with issues, calling for full strip out, remedial waterproofing and reinstatement. I have photos of rows of destroyed cinema seating with 'tidemarks' half way up it...

[IanPM]

My concern: spiders.


eugh.

[Docta teef]

Originally Posted by Jamo218

Hi there,

With it being a change of use you should really go through a building regs application with your local authority, which has implications in respect of energy i.e. inclusion of insulation within the wall and floor constructions, which in association with waterproofing may have a greater impact on floor to ceiling height than anticipated.

Regarding methods, your options are 'tanked protection', or 'drained protection', but getting into this could be end up as a bit of an essay I would recommend that you do a bit of research and then ask some more specific questions.

Look for Bishi's post which is fairly recent as I did reply to that with greater detail. Also if you want to PM me your email address I'll send you some general info on structural waterproofing.

I spend my life sorting out problems of water penetration into below ground structures, this presently including two basement cinemas with issues, calling for full strip out, remedial waterproofing and reinstatement. I have photos of rows of destroyed cinema seating with 'tidemarks' half way up it...

As long as your not making any structural changes eg knocking out a wall you shouldn't need to go through building regs though if you did decide to dig down and have it underpinned then i assume you would. Personally when i had my cellar done i went for a membrane with a sump and pump there are pics on the link at the bottom but it doesn't have any pics of the building work as i lost them

[Jamo218]

Originally Posted by Docta teef

As long as your not making any structural changes eg knocking out a wall you shouldn't need to go through building regs though if you did decide to dig down and have it underpinned then i assume you would. Personally when i had my cellar done i went for a membrane with a sump and pump there are pics on the link at the bottom but it doesn't have any pics of the building work as i lost them

If you don't go through a building regs app and undertake a conversion, from basic storage to habitable space, omitting things like insulation, or worse, like not creating a means of escape in the event of fire, then come to sell the property, you may be asked for a completion certificate from your local authority.

If you don't have one, the best case is that the space is designed to comply anyway and you can get retrospective approval, worst case is that it does not comply meaning you either have to go through the hassle and extra cost of bringing it up to specification, or reduce the price accordingly.

Worst worst case, you've got no means of escape, you sell the property and someone uses the space as a kids bedroom/playroom, there is a fire at ground floor level and the stairs cannot be used for escape..

So, you either want to do this properly or you do not. My advice is not to believe what you read on the internet, believe what your local authority building control officer advises you

[Docta teef]

Originally Posted by Jamo218

If you don't go through a building regs app and undertake a conversion, from basic storage to habitable space, omitting things like insulation, or worse, like not creating a means of escape in the event of fire, then come to sell the property, you may be asked for a completion certificate from your local authority.

If you don't have one, the best case is that the space is designed to comply anyway and you can get retrospective approval, worst case is that it does not comply meaning you either have to go through the hassle and extra cost of bringing it up to specification, or reduce the price accordingly.

Worst worst case, you've got no means of escape, you sell the property and someone uses the space as a kids bedroom/playroom, there is a fire at ground floor level and the stairs cannot be used for escape..

So, you either want to do this properly or you do not. My advice is not to believe what you read on the internet, believe what your local authority building control officer advises you

Fair point theres no harm in being safe though if the room has no direct means of escape other than the cellar stairs you'd have to be mad to use it anyway.

[BISHI]

I spent ages getting quotes and TBH now wopuld be the time to do it as there is not a great deal of work around for these tanking firms. On Jamos reccomendation I got a company called midland tanking in. They fitted a drainage membrane on the walls, floor and stairs of a large 3 chamber cellar, fitted floorboarding, 2 windows, pump system and put in air bricks for just over 7.5K. I spent £600 on a UPVC door for an escape route ( coal chute had already been adapted for this so I suggest you do the same). The cellar already had a concrete floor and a fully plastered ceiling but I did have to take the existing failed concrete tanking back to the brick work. ( messy job). I will be fitting insulated plasterboard dot and dabbed to the membrane and lifting the floorboards in the rooms above to install cabling and insulation. I didn't go for building regs as we have just moved in and plan to be there for years. I have , however, tried to adhere to them as best I can just in case. I will pay a plasterer to skim the walls and will decorate and carpet/laminate floor it myself. I reckon I will gat 2 sizeable extra rooms for 10K. You can save a load of cash if you can do as much of the work yourself. I had quotes as high as 20K from firms insisting on doing absolutely everything. My advice would be get tons of quotes and contavt Midland Tanking, they did a great job...

[Jamo218]

Hi Bishi, you got a good deal there! We are not all short of work and I would have been way more than that as I think I said at the time, but we are a large firm with overheads and mostly undertake commercial work anyway

Glad it worked out for you anyhow

PS: one question, did they not fit drainage channels? If not, how deep was the DPM on the floor?

[BISHI]

They poured water over the existing concrete floor ( with dpc below) and cut the channels where it pooled ( luckily the floor wasn't completely level). They didn't cut all around the edges just where the lowest points were. Filled the channels with gravel and routed it to a sump dug at the lowest point in the floor and fitted a pump. Polypropelene dimpled membrane over walls and floor all fited to the brickwork with self seled plugs. Looks like the inside of a spaceship at the moment. Cheers for the heads up Jamo...

[superdon]

Cheers all, and sorry for the late reply.

I have made some decisions and will now start a new thread with some more detailed questions and a progress report.