Hello,
we are currently planning a single-family house on a plot with a south-facing slope. The design includes a partially underground basement that is fully below ground level on the north side and completely above ground on the south side.
However, we are quite uncertain whether to choose a masonry basement (brickwork with bitumen thick-layer membrane) or a concrete basement.
A geotechnical survey is not yet available, but for nearby plots, the load case temporarily accumulating seepage water has been identified.
Bricks would be advantageous due to the lower cost, better thermal insulation, and potentially improved indoor climate. Concrete primarily offers more reliable waterproofing. A compromise solution has also been suggested—concrete in the north and brick in the south. I am concerned about possible differential settlement in this case. Are these concerns justified?
The garage is directly adjacent to the house. We might also cellar the garage, which would be used for pellet storage and as a tool shed. Both the garage and its basement should be outside the thermal envelope of the house. What is the general opinion on this? Is it practically possible to avoid thermal bridges in such a configuration?
I would appreciate any suggestions you could offer.
we are currently planning a single-family house on a plot with a south-facing slope. The design includes a partially underground basement that is fully below ground level on the north side and completely above ground on the south side.
However, we are quite uncertain whether to choose a masonry basement (brickwork with bitumen thick-layer membrane) or a concrete basement.
A geotechnical survey is not yet available, but for nearby plots, the load case temporarily accumulating seepage water has been identified.
Bricks would be advantageous due to the lower cost, better thermal insulation, and potentially improved indoor climate. Concrete primarily offers more reliable waterproofing. A compromise solution has also been suggested—concrete in the north and brick in the south. I am concerned about possible differential settlement in this case. Are these concerns justified?
The garage is directly adjacent to the house. We might also cellar the garage, which would be used for pellet storage and as a tool shed. Both the garage and its basement should be outside the thermal envelope of the house. What is the general opinion on this? Is it practically possible to avoid thermal bridges in such a configuration?
I would appreciate any suggestions you could offer.
Hi Anderl,
I don’t agree with Iktinos.
Imagine a masonry wall that has been waterproofed with bitumen or similar materials. What happens if the coating eventually fails? How quickly does water find its way into the basement, and what are the costs of remediation?
How is it with a concrete wall?
I can’t believe the basic statement about the preferred construction method from the architect and general contractor. If the architect doesn’t trust their structural builder to construct a waterproof basement, they can always have a basement made of waterproof concrete with a thick bitumen coating applied.
Regards,
mibe2500
I don’t agree with Iktinos.
Imagine a masonry wall that has been waterproofed with bitumen or similar materials. What happens if the coating eventually fails? How quickly does water find its way into the basement, and what are the costs of remediation?
How is it with a concrete wall?
I can’t believe the basic statement about the preferred construction method from the architect and general contractor. If the architect doesn’t trust their structural builder to construct a waterproof basement, they can always have a basement made of waterproof concrete with a thick bitumen coating applied.
Regards,
mibe2500
How much air is supposed to pass through the masonry walls that does not go through the concrete? Why should the indoor climate change significantly because of this? Fresh air is provided by ventilation and/or the ventilation system. Moisture balance is ensured by the lime-cement plaster on the interior walls.
mibe2500 schrieb:
How is it with a concrete wall? If the concrete quality and careful workmanship are not aligned, you will have bigger problems with precast concrete panel walls.
mibe2500 schrieb:
I cannot believe the fundamental statement regarding the preferred method by the architect and the general contractor! Then ask an architect you trust.
Iktinos schrieb:
If concrete quality and careful workmanship are not aligned, you have a bigger problem with precast concrete panel walls.First of all: I was referring to cast-in-place concrete walls, not precast walls.
Secondly, to be clear: when the waterproofing membrane on bricks reaches the end of its service life after 40 years, the damage is certain and visible.
With concrete, there would have to be aggregate voids present for you to see the problem inside after 40 years.
Iktinos schrieb:
Then ask an architect you trust. You mean the architect I trust the least.
Seriously: what is the advantage of bricks when it comes to waterproofing?
mibe2500 schrieb:
Seriously: What is the advantage of bricks in terms of waterproofing?The concrete wall is seamless, which is generally better. However, it can also be seen the other way around (experts are human too, and their views are never entirely free of personal opinion): a masonry wall inherently has, with each mortar joint between two layers of bricks, a potential point for inserting a moisture barrier.
In other words, the masonry wall is potentially more vulnerable, but if moisture does enter, its spread is easier to contain there. So: when done properly, the concrete wall is better, but if done poorly, the masonry wall has the advantage of a more limited repair area (starting from a few localized leaks).
https://www.instagram.com/11antgmxde/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/bauen-jetzt/
@11ant:
I don’t agree. The moisture barrier you “propose” only works vertically, and secondly, I have never seen anyone install a moisture barrier in every bed joint.
If we compare like with like (that is, an average concrete wall with waterproofing membrane after 40 years versus an average brick wall with waterproofing membrane after 40 years), I see the advantage with the concrete wall.
Even if workmanship issues are a concern, I still see an advantage with the concrete wall. – Ah, wait: now I can partly understand Iktinos’ line of thought: a careless general contractor would prefer concrete with a waterproofing membrane because mistakes can be made more easily during concreting and sealing, allowing the builder to notice something. And he can more easily excuse himself by saying: “The damp spot on the wall is not water coming from outside; it’s residual moisture in the concrete. It can take more than 10 years for the concrete to fully dry. Since we waterproofed the basement from the outside so well, all the water has to go inward.”
I don’t agree. The moisture barrier you “propose” only works vertically, and secondly, I have never seen anyone install a moisture barrier in every bed joint.
If we compare like with like (that is, an average concrete wall with waterproofing membrane after 40 years versus an average brick wall with waterproofing membrane after 40 years), I see the advantage with the concrete wall.
Even if workmanship issues are a concern, I still see an advantage with the concrete wall. – Ah, wait: now I can partly understand Iktinos’ line of thought: a careless general contractor would prefer concrete with a waterproofing membrane because mistakes can be made more easily during concreting and sealing, allowing the builder to notice something. And he can more easily excuse himself by saying: “The damp spot on the wall is not water coming from outside; it’s residual moisture in the concrete. It can take more than 10 years for the concrete to fully dry. Since we waterproofed the basement from the outside so well, all the water has to go inward.”
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