Update: Flat is wet - a bit like leaky home? [edited]

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Batman

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#104915 22-Jun-2012 18:29

Let's just say you have a concrete looking property on a hillslope and the carpets become moist and gets worse during winter.

Let's say you have been advised to dig a trench around it.

Let's say the flat has a bodycorp

1) What is the problem and is digging a trench the correct thing to do?
2) If not whom can I look up (Dunedin) for a second opinion/advise?
3) Should bodycorp pay?

Thanks

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#644928 22-Jun-2012 21:38

IANAC. Unless a competent person gave you that advice more than a trench is required to resolve the problem. A problem like this would normally imply limited drainage of some kind needs to be added, and probably a membrane paint seal depending on the construction type.

IANAL. If the roof needed replacing BC would pay for that. This is a problem with drainage (and in some way could affect property foundation) and BC should/will pay for that.

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#644944 22-Jun-2012 21:58

Yeah quick fix is a small trench with some novaflow and river course type stones around it. That would work assuming the problem is surface water related. Quickest ever fix is some small trench or surface block or wood work to divert the surface flow upstream away/around from the house.

If you have water springing up from lower down you're essentially screwed and may need to dig back and apply a water proof membrane up against the house block work.

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#644962 22-Jun-2012 22:20

If you're having water capillary action through the concrete then there is a lack/failure of the waterproofing of your foundations/slab. A drainage trench will certainly help but is by no means a permanent fix. Any large amount of water could overflow your drainage and cause the same problem.

A fix requires someone with building experience to do a proper investigatory excavation to see to what extent the problem has become.

Every body corp has different rules. My apartment's body corp states that any external envelope issues are the domain of theirs. Any internal issues are mine. I would be amazed if you were in a different position. Do you own the property? If so you have a legal right to get a copy of the body corp rules and they should have already given you one anyway. If you rent then it is your landlords job to talk to the body corp and arrange the fix.

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#644991 23-Jun-2012 00:46

Who do you contact to get an opinion? I can look up yellow pages but i don't know the job title to look under ...

Apartment is owned by my dad who doesn't live in Dunedin

gzt

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#645000 23-Jun-2012 05:50

I'm none too sure, which is why I didn't mention it earlier.

An experienced residential drainage outfit is my best guess.

Here's one I picked at random: http://www.nocowboys.co.nz/businesses/Drainage-Solutions-Design-/

Make contact with the body corporate before you start the process, they might have their own ways of doing things.

amford

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#645045 23-Jun-2012 11:21

A membrane should have been put down before the concrete was poured. Concrete depending on the type can be porous. This could explain the water coming through the concrete. I would definitely get a 2nd opinion.

Is the site flat?

As for drainage I wouldn't use novaflo. This is a cheapish product and will eventually block up with fines. Nexusflo is a better material and is smoothbore. This means water will flow with even the slightest grade as the inside is smooth and not corrugated like novaflo.

Megaflo is also an option but quite epensive. It is used in this situation although it was designed as landfill drainage.

Look up TNZ F\6 for some advice. You would definitely want some fabric (Bidim A29) as well.

I would not think that you would have to pay for it.

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#645062 23-Jun-2012 12:04

My flatmates work for Tonkin & Taylor http://www.tonkin.co.nz/, theyre really good. Work on a range of projects, in Dunedin.

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#645276 23-Jun-2012 22:03

how do i find out whether the concrete is missing the plastic sheet?

i guess another way i'd see it is - whether the concrete is missing the plastic sheet is irrelevant as i don't think anyone would tear down the apartment just to put a sheet on it ...

i guess it's ground drainage eh ... hmm ... will update you when i speak to bodycorp ...

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#645338 24-Jun-2012 08:18

Well, it could be nearly anything really. It could just be simple ground maintenance required. You need an expert or two to actually inspect it.

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#657259 17-Jul-2012 21:26

so it turns out the owners got a drainage contractor to dig a trench to divert water away from the hill ... the contractor went under the building to inspect and found damp plaster, building paper, and timber frame.

SO ... got the roofer to check the roof: diagnosis = no roof leak ....

now this is getting interesting getting the body corp to invest in further investigation ...

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#657301 17-Jul-2012 23:19

joker97: so it turns out the owners got a drainage contractor to dig a trench to divert water away from the hill ... the contractor went under the building to inspect and found damp plaster, building paper, and timber frame.

SO ... got the roofer to check the roof: diagnosis = no roof leak ....

now this is getting interesting getting the body corp to invest in further investigation ...

So if the contractor went under the building does this mean it's not a water coming up through a concrete floor problem? "concrete looking property" do you mean this is a plastered finish leaky home? What era is it?

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#657307 17-Jul-2012 23:27

You also want to make sure you don't have a leaking pipe somewhere inside our outside the house. I have heard a story of a property that had problems with moisture entering their house, and experts thought it was a natural spring. They spent literally 10s of thousands investigating and trying to get it fixed. It turned out it was a council pipe that was leaking further up the hill on the road. They only found out, after they saw the council doing work on the pipe, and once the pipe was fixed, so was their problem.

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#668844 7-Aug-2012 12:14

so it has been found that the walls in the house is wet ... who is the best person to investigate / repair?

we are in dunedin ... been told bits of the walls may need to be ripped ...

would i get a builder/plumber/who else? (the lower the cost the better but at this stage who knows!)

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#668845 7-Aug-2012 12:17

Well you need to determine where the water is coming from fully first. Otherwise you may well fix the damaged stuff but not prevent the same occurring again in time.

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#668848 7-Aug-2012 12:23

that's what i said

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