SYLVANIA, NSW

This home was originally constructed on a sloping block with fall to the back of the property. The lower level of the home had been constructed with In-Situ concrete with plastic formwork. The area was originally designed to be built out as a high-end home theatre however the owner had concerns about the possible ingress of water and moisture into the room long term, potentially damaging the theatre fitout.

Project Description

Inspection found signs of moisture ingress particularly at the wall\floor junctions of the room in addition to some of the formwork joints. The risk of damage from groundwater from the retained earth walls was high.

Design Considerations

Our design ensured the following elements were considered:

• No external access for waterproofing.
• In Situ concrete (plastic formwork) construction making internal liquid
  membrane application difficult.
• Internal walls were to be lined requiring a waterproofing membrane that
  could also serve as a moisture and condensation barrier.
• The brief required a system that could have fixings through the
  membrane to accommodate the custom cabinetry that was to be
  installed.

The Solution

A Type C Cavity Drain system was specified and installed to create a Grade 3 habitable space. A cavity drain system was the only option that would meet all of the requirements of the design brief for the client.
Preparation works included removal of the plastic formwork to allow clear access to the walls, and further preparation of the room perimeters to make ready for installation of the drainage conduit.
Newton System 500 was installed to all four walls of the room to ensure a completely dry, habitable space, free from moisture and other water ingress.

The Result

The final result is outstanding!
Within a week of installation the home-owner could see condensation and moisture captured behind the wall membrane. This moisture would have otherwise been entering into his theatre room potentially destroying the equipment and fitout.