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Last updateThu, 07 Nov 2024 9am

Basement drainage and membranes have had their day

Designers and specifiers think, mistakenly, that a belt and braces approach to basement waterproofing means several defences against water ingress. But there is a severe problem with workforces being able to see on the drawing that their's is one of several layers of protection. They can do their work badly because the client will be saved by one of the others. 

And that is before any damage by a digger backfilling, scaffolding, electricians and so on.

Concrete is the best product to waterproof a basement because

  1. It is first. You are going to use it anyway. Waterproofing it adds no time to a programme.
  2. Concrete cannot be damaged later. Everything else could be.
  3. Concrete can be repaired even much later, from the inside.

Properly designed structures with absolutely waterproof concrete will always be waterproof if the work is done properly, so don't give your workforce an excuse not to be bothered. Instead give them the responsibility to do a thorough job, sufficient reinforcing steel to restrict crack widths and test the concrete for complete impermeability to BS EN 12390-8-2009 proving that they received totally waterproof concrete.

Then, if they do a good job, they won't face a repair bill and they will keep more money for profit. Your client won't be paying for sticky back membrane, internal drainage, joint strips and so on, neither will his basement still be leaking after he has decorated. This is not a difficult concept. Self builders are doing it all over the country. Their lack of experience means they don't have the bad habits that make contractors competitive but the cause of failures. 

For further information, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., tel 01438 900303 or visit www.waterproofconcrete.co.uk