Vaults conversion

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This project turned some damp dark vaults into a bright extension of the existing living space. All the incoming services were re-sited and the vaults damp proofed with a membrane system*. Original stone shelves were carefully dismantled to be rebuilt and used in the refurbished vault. The floors were excavated, insulated and laid, then tiled throughout. Bespoke joinery supplied and fitted, and the electrical and heating layout designed by us in conjunction with the clients. The vaults were transformed into a shower wet room, a study / guest bedroom, a utility room and a cloakroom.

The main challenges to this project were diverting an underground steam that ran under the house; discovered during excavation, the mechanical extraction of the steam/condensation created by the shower, and the complicated lighting arrangements, including floor lights within the shower.

The project also involved removing the existing bathroom in the basement, converting the room into a dining room, then knocking through into the kitchen in the adjacent room. We returned to upgrade the kitchen the following year.

This is a studded polypropylene waterproofing membrane with a special mesh welded to one side. It is fixed to damp, contaminated walls using plaster plugs, with the studs facing the wall. This creates an air gap that allows the wall to breathe whilst blocking the passage of moisture. On the outer side of the membrane, the special mesh can be plastered onto, allowing a dry plaster finish without any danger of contamination from damp or salts in the wall.