Does the plaster touch the floor( it shouldn't)

Are the internal corners obstructed with furniture etc as air needs to get to the corners to creat airflow thus helping to stop damp
Your cavity may be bridged allowing moisture to past through
is there a dpm?
Wot bricks are used hard or soft (londons soft/engineering hard etc)

went to college for 5 years in the trade for 13 years!!!

[Edited by daz b - 9/7/2002 12:17:14 PM]

does your main house have a dpc,is the roof leaded correct,has a cavity tray been installed

[Edited by daz b - 9/7/2002 12:19:55 PM]

We had a part brick built uPVC conservatory built last year, approx 8 bricks off the ground I guess.

We have been noticing recently that when it rains there is a kinda damp smell, almost like cement smells like, or wet bricks if you know what I mean..there is not obvious damp looking patches on any of the brickwork inside, there is a damp course at the correct height that is'nt obstructed.
Its got a quarry tile floor so can't tell if there's any dampness there.
If after some advice on how to go about checking if it is damp getting in?, any builders on here have any idea?
We've got a 10 year guarantee on the units, and a 5 year on the structure I believe, as usual its all legal mumbo jumbo to read, and no mention of any brickwork warranty.

Appreciate any thoughts...

Cheers

J

Built my own, finishing it abt this time last year.
How old is yours? A slight brick smell when it's damp could still be the cement etc drying out?
Did you have the house wall now inside the conservatory plastered? Have you looked at this? It's dead easy to lay a floor, and plaster down to it, bridging the house's damp proof course. I remember it took me ages to tuck the damp proof membrane from the floor above the one in the house wall.
Have you got condensation? that's a damp give-away.
You say the cavity is not obstructed. how do you know? Can you see it ALL? Is there a dpc on the inner section? Does the floor dpc membrane exist? Does it overlap the inner skin of brix dpc all the way round? I assume there ARE 2 skins of brix? Have you put insulation between the skins in the cavity? Has anyone? Wot sort? Is it bridging the gap for you?
Have you checked the seals on the roof (very difficult to do) and those between the roof and the house wall?
You can get hold of a device now from good DIY stores, that measures damp, just called a damp-meter. Caravan dealers sell them too. Might be worth an investment, they're not dear.
Best of luck m8, esp as the brickwork was prob contracted out, and may not be covered. I did my own, went to college for 6 weeks to learn how, took my time(3 weeks for only 8 bricks plus foundations), but the end result was worth it. The rest took only 2 weeks. 3.2m x 3.8m, £ 4900 all in.

Hi

It was built in May 01, so its had plenty of time to dry out.

The the inner wall (was out) has been plastered, the roof don't appear to be leaking and there's no water or damp marks on the wall plaster.

Thanks for the tips, I don't get any condensation on the windows so maybe its not actually damp thats getting in.

I'll have a look out for the damp meter things you are on about.

Cheers

John

john

ditto daz b ref. the cavity tray

get in contact with MD, he should be able to help, also it may pay to get him to pop around for a look


chris

Could be literally a hundred things,

Take some pics and send them to me and I might get a better idea.

I am an ex-bricklayer, now a design consultant with Master degree. So if I can't i should give up!!

Had a similar problem with ours and was told it was because we hadn't opened up the air vents.

Cheers all for the help, whats a cavity tray??

I spose I've got no way of finding out if I've got one now its built...

It goes over your door opening(french/patio doors etc from house to con)
Did the builders(I use the term loosely)remove brickwork above the door and put a piece of black plastic at least 600mm wide*2.8m long in and re-layed the bricks if not then no tray.

Ditto re the cavity tray again-this is the biggest pain when joining an extension to a house.Make sure one is fitted and thayour builder didnt just saw a track up the wall where your conservatory joins on and push in the lead flashing.If a cavity tray was fitted you would remember part of your gable wall being taken down to insert it.Have you any photos of the build-this might help.
SD.