We have been wanting to make our cellar into a usable space for a few years but we just go round and round in circles with quotes and different opinions. Then we give up for a while til we decide again we really do want to do It and the process starts again.
The problem is the quotes vary so much, around 70k difference from cheapest to most expensive!!! Everyone has different opinions on what we need to do and everyone gives their own opinion with such conviction and dismisses other opinions. We are baffled. Obviously we don’t want to overpay for unecessary work but equally we want to do it decently.
The cellar is quite large - two big rooms and one smaller room, plus stairwell area that we would want to make good. There is also a coal hole room but we use that so want to keep it as is.
Head height is good, over 6ft. The ground is covered in asphalt. The walls are covered in some kind of render done roughly in the 70s. This has deteriorated in some areas and is fine in others. There are windows in all rooms. The only place we get wetness on the floor is around one of the windows which is really old and I think it’s just rain overflowing in. The drainage area outside the window is full of debris, we would get this cleared and perhaps dig out a bit and have gravel put in.
Some quotes have said that although deteriorated in parts, the render provides a level of protection so should be left in place and then a waterproof membrane put over the top. A drainage channel would be installed around the perimeter which the membrane would go down to so that moisture that does come through the render could drain down and away.
Does this method sound good? Would we also need a pump if having a drainage channel?
These quotes have generally been around £40-60k.
Someone mentioned that we could try having a damp proof company in to do the wall and then separately employ an electrician, plumber and window guy and that this would keep costs down. The other companies have been building firms that would do the whole thing themselves.
I contacted a damp guy last week who couldn’t fit the job in but based on my description and rough sizes estimated that if he did do it his fee would be £10k. Obviously significantly less.
There won’t be much electrical work as there are already lights and some sockets, so we would just need a few extra sockets. The boiler is down there and so the plumbers job to install rads would be quite easy.
We had another damp firm out today. They suggested taking all the render off, putting a waterproof coating on the walls and then membrane. They didn’t plan on doing a drainage channel and said they would do the membrane to 3 inches off the floor and then cover the gap with skirting boards. They said the waterproof treatment to the wall would stop water coming in and then the membrane is just extra precaution. They would also replace the ceiling and put spindles on the stairs. Their quote was £12k. Theirs also seems more labour intensive with the removal and disposal of the render. I could ask them about installing a drainage channel.
However I am concerned about the waterproof coating to the wall as I thought modern advice was to allow the water to come in but to provide the means to drain it away. They have 40+ positive feedbacks on mybuilder almost all for damp proof courses.
Obviously their price is great and they could start mid Sept and reckon it would only take 3 weeks or so.
Really don’t know what to do. It’s not a very damp space and with ventilation, working windows and heating should be even better so think I’m over thinking it all. But all the advice is so conflicting that I’m getting confused.
Thoughts?
We were badly stung with a dodgy driveway a few years ago (most expensive quote, local firm that we see everywhere etc) so it has really thrown our confidence in choosing a good contractor.