Listed Basement Conversion, Kensington & Chelsea

3 August 2021

Overview

Basement type: Refurbishment Building type: Residential
Type of waterproofing: Type C

Member: Newton Waterproofing Systems

For this project, the waterproofing contractor had to provide a reliable and watertight solution to a Listed basement with strict conservation guidelines.

                               

The Project

The owners of this Grade 2 Listed terraced property on Ovington Street, in the Chelsea Conservation Area in the London Borough of Kensington & Chelsea, wanted to convert the original basement vaults into a dry and usable space.

However, strict conservation guidelines required that any changes would not negatively impact the fabric of the building or the character of the area - therefore requiring close cooperation between the Newton Specialist Contractor, main contractor and architects.

The Solution

In order to meet the requirements of the conservation area, the waterproofing contractor proposed a sustainable design that not only had the lowest possible impact on the existing fabric, but is also reversible if necessary.

The waterproofing system utilised Newton's 508 Mesh cavity drain membrane as part of the Newton CDM System, which is perfect where a sympathetic installation is necessary, requiring very little preparation and absolutely no chemicals or damage to the fabric. Furthermore, this system is the only one of its kind to hold certification to the BES 6001 standard for responsible sourcing.

The CDM System captures water behind the membranes then uses BaseDrain channels to direct it to a pump system for safe removal. Furthermore, to provide complete peace of mind, Arti also installed a pump monitoring and battery back-up system using a Victron Inverter and Pump Controller panel.

Finally, the waterproofing contractor plastered the meshed membrane with a 100% ecological material to provide sound absorption, insulation, and further sustainability benefits.

The Result

Despite the compact size and complex configuration, a waterproofing system was installed that delivers a completely dry Grade 3 environment as per BS 8102:2009, and meets all Listed building and sustainability criteria.

Download the case study PDF.