Structural waterproofing design
Sponsored copy
Insurance underwriters such as NHBC, Premier Guarantee and LABC are all becoming more stringent on structural waterproofing design, and it is delaying projects, reports Consultant Surveyor Ben Hickman of Property Care Consultants, who says:
'I’m seeing an increase in the number of basement projects that insurance underwriters are unwilling to accept. In nearly every case the reason is that waterproofing design hasn’t been carried out by a structural waterproofing specialist.
'Waterproofing a structure below ground is a specialist field which calls for experience, training and examination. This is typically represented in the CSSW qualification (Certificated Surveyor in Structural Waterproofing).'
BS 8102:2009 (Code of practice for protection of below ground structures against water from the ground) calls for a suitably qualified and experienced professional within the design team on any project involving below ground structures. The technical manuals from NHBC, Premier Guarantee and LABC all do the same and this is becoming more widely recognised and enforced.
Why the crackdown? Hickman points out this is because when there's poor structural waterproofing design and defects occur, the costs are dramatic. Between 2005 and 2013, claims related to waterproofing below ground cost NHBC in the region of £21 million and affected around 890 homes. This lead to the introduction of a new chapter in their technical manual (Chapt 5.4).
To find out how Property Care Consultants can help with below ground waterproofing, please click here.