"Peter Parry" wrote in message
...
On Thu, 5 Jan 2006 05:55:49 -0000, "JustMe"
wrote:


Unfortunately, the work was carried out without proper consideration for
damp (it wasn't tanked) and the plaster in the main room and corridor
areas,
plus the woodwork in the kitchen are showing indications of the presence
of
damp (mould appearing from ground to about 50 cms up). And there's a
persistent dank smell.

Are you absolutely sure this is coming from outside and isn't
condensation? The idea of putting a kitchen and bathroom (shower?)
in a cellar with un insulated walls isn't exactly the brightest idea
of the century. What is the ventilation in the basement?

--
Peter Parry.
http://www.wpp.ltd.uk/

I don't know that it *isn't* condensation, but the area has been and is
unoccupied at the moment (because of the damp issue) and the shower and
toilet are only used occassionally. The window shows no indication of
condensation.

Ventilation for the bathroom area is provided by an extractor, connected to
the lighting and timed (so that it stays active for several minutes after
the light is off). The same applies to the kitchen space, in which no
cooking or food storage/preparation has ever taken place. Otherwise, the
window (about 1 metre square at one end of the main area) has one of those
spinning air-flow things mounted on it and, at the opposite end of the room,
there is a circular vent of similar size, directed to the stairwell which is
open to the rest of the house - that and when the doors are open, air is
free to flow through.

Don't know if it's relevant, but the central heating works in the space and
I have been turning the radiators on during the colder weather (the problem
has existed for about seven or eight months and I'm only now getting it
together to get it sorted, cos I ran out of cash when the job was
"completed"). Truth is that the visible signs were apparant quite soon after
the work was completed, so I don't think that radiators/lack of radiators
are relevant.

From what I've been told (by a friendly neighbour/builder who has no axe to
grind nor agenda and whose authority I trust) the damp is likely coming UP
from the floor.

Thanks.