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Hello.
Just moved house and there is an old concrete pre fab garage - which I want to turn into a workshop.
Problem I have is that the garage is set back into the steep hill side which is my terraced garden.
I have discovered that when it rains, the earth against the back wall soaks up water and then it runs out along the floor. Not masses but the floor definitely gets damp / wet.
What are my options?
Digging out the earth and building a retaining wall and drainage is probably the “correct” way of doing it. But seems like a massive job which would need a builder (betond my skill level).
I was wondering whether or not I could create a false floor raised up above the concrete floor?
Is it possible to sort the drainage without major earth works?
Cheers.
Google a French drain. Dig it out backfill with clean gravel.
We had similar. Unfortunately the land behind our workshop wasn’t on our land, so we had it tanked, and it’s been fine since.
It could be possible to use (bodge) a delta membrane system across the inside face of the walls & floor if you could lay it over the slab then screed over the top. You'd have to deal with the raised floor height, and would probably need to incorporate a sump chamber & pump to discharge the water.
An old concrete garage that wasn't designed to be watertight will always be difficult to keep dry, but this may help. Its a lot of effort though, so I'd be seriously questioning whether its worth it.
Old prefab concrete garages tend to rain with condensation anyway, hateful things.
Caulk the joints, tank the surface, and ventilate the heck out of it.
Then knock it down and build a proper solution when you can afford to.
Old prefab concrete garages tend to rain with condensation anyway
We have the same - concrete fibre corrugated roof which rains internally :-(. Was pondering replacing with a flat roof (wood joists, ply and then EPDM). I assume the wood would not cause so much condensation? Will also cover unsealed concrete floor with interlocking floor tiles.
Sounds like a raised floor would be more effort and cost than digging out retained earth and replacing with free draining gravel ..it will be damp under raised floor leading to mould and rot get digging👍👍
Thanks all.
My garage does have a decent wooden roof. Condensation isn’t an issue. It also has a brick facia / extension.
I will have a look at sorting the drainage. Problem is that the earth at the back is nearly as high as the rear wall. The garage walls are surrounded on three sides, by earth or other structures. Steps on one side. Earth at rear and another wall retaking wall on the other.
It is not a lot of water in the floor. Just a damp patch which spreads out from the rear wall. I could probably live with it as a workshop. But what with lockdown, it would be good to use it as an impromptu office on occasions.
Will have a dig around. It may be that there is some existing drainage which is blocked.