basement waterproofing specialist.

Basement Waterproofing Specialist.

BS 8102:2022 says, at 4.2, "A waterproofing specialist should be appointed as part of the design team so that an integrated waterproofing solution is created."

The Building Safety Act 2022 (more here) includes a requirement to get signed off in advance what materials and whose workmanship are acceptable to your building control body.

A CSSW surveyor doesn't get any mention in BS8102:2022. The Standard says the Waterproofing Specialist must be someone who prevents water getting through the structure. The Standard requires the structure to be repaired of leaks. Therefore the Waterproofing Specialist needs to be someone whose design avoids leaks. The same person might also supervise the important stages of the structure being built to see that details in the design are being followed and waterproof concrete gets placed and compacted properly.

From 2004 to 2013 I removed or remedied every cause of leak through a new build domestic basement. Not a drip through or over any structure built this way since 2013.

I review BS 8102:2022 here

Dutyholder duties and competence.

More here. Same link as above.

Do you want me to sign my life away to convince and promise your chosen building control body that I am going to be the competent person responsible for your basement being both designed and built to a methodology and specification they agree in advance, and sign again at the end to confirm it was built as agreed with no material changes - when I am not doing the work? You may have sacked me after I gave you my advice.

Or do you want to convince your building control body that you yourself will be competent because I am telling you what to use, training you to do it and supervising you when you do it?

I prefer the second, and so should you, because I don't know how many thousands of pounds I should charge you for contingencies in case something goes wrong and it is me who faces imprisonment or an unlimited fine.

But we cannot completely avoid the first scenario. I have to be the one putting the proposals forward to your building inspector.

There needs to be agreement and compliance from everyone that your basement

Will be designed to comply with BS8102:2022.

Confirm that the contents of the ground investigation report have been considered and where relevant acted upon.

Full details indicating the methods and procedures of protecting the habitable basement from water ingress.

Details of materials used including third party accreditations.

Details explaining how any leaks will be found and fixed to comply with Building Regulation C2.

Compelling evidence that I am competent and that with me by your side you will be competent.

And probably, despite it not being a legal requirement, that you have a guarantee from someone that your basement will not leak.

Without all the above you don't get your completion certificate at the end.

I will arrange and sign

Me as your waterproofing specialist directing your architect and structural engineer to make changes so that your basement can be waterproof.

My choosing all the materials so that your basement can be waterproof.

My getting the approval to start from your building control body.

Provide you with my written guarantee that your basement structure will not visibly leak - ever.

Sign off at the end of the basement waterproofing phase, see the inspection regime below.

This means LESS work and LESS responsibility for your architect. Also, it is mostly new work now required that your architect could not do.

My fee is £1,000. Plus £37.50 for each additional hour at my desk. £300 for every site visit to train or supervise. Overnight accommodation if over 90 minutes away during rush hour (only about 50 miles if the M25 is the best route). And petrol money beyond 100 miles away.

The fee, payable in advance, includes my sign off at the end to confirm that the materials, workmanship and inspections were all as promised and all satisfactory.

If we fall out or you sack me early, I keep the whole fee but you don't get my sign off.

If my methods and my competence are agreed with building control, you can't change anything. In particular, you can't change me without my signing where we got to and you starting the whole process of agreement with everyone else again. If you do anything different to what building control expect, or you don't pay me, obviously I will not sign at the end.

I will try to organise training over the coming months. When I have anything to offer, nothing at the moment so this link will produce an error, it will be here.

Someone at Yorkshire Water has thanked me because they were tasked with finding a way to stop their new water storage tanks being built to leak. The person knew BS8007 inside out, but he credited me and my web site for giving him the right direction to find a solution for the future.

Other people have read my work, learned from it and referenced it. I'm told that I have been referenced in over 800 academic papers.

basement waterproofing specialist

The Inspection Regime.

The client must agree to all that is written in green in this section of this web page before I can agree to join the design team or approach your building control body (and before you need to pay the fee).

The client agrees and in this order

To leave the completed basement structure uncovered by anything on the inside anywhere, not a cable, not a pipe, not a batten.

To continue with the rest of the house build until the roof is on, the windows are in, and the entire structure is weathertight.

Only then, to clean and dry the basement and keep it ventilated to prevent condensation.

To inspect the basement structure inside carefully for any sign of leaking water after a period of heavy rain.

Involving me to chisel out the site of any leak and fill it in 3 layers with waterproof repair mortar.

Re-inspect as 4 above and fix leaks as 5 above until the basement is known not to leak.

Only then, involve me again to train and supervise the proper way to apply waterproof bitumen paint.

Only then, begin fitting out the inside of the basement - without causing a leak or damaging the waterproof paint.

Only after this 8-part process will the client ask me to sign to confirm that the waterproofing strategy is complete.

Back to the Basement Building Questions Answered menu.

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For a fixed fee of £199 I will answer all your questions by email. More details here.

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