A waterproofing expert, with more than 30 years experience, has called for improved levels of professionalism across the sector, following recent findings that basement waterproofing has cost the building industry at least £21 million in recent years.

Gary Briscoe, Managing Director of structural services and structural waterproofing firm Protectahome, believes that due to negligence across the basement waterproofing industry, poor advice and a failure to observe best practice have consequently cost millions.

A recent report by the National House Building Council (NHBC) found that, since 2005, claims on basement waterproofing has affected nearly 900 homes in the UK where they have warranties in force.

Briscoe argues that many of these claims could have been avoided, had a waterproofing specialist been called in at an earlier stage or had the right type of waterproofing been designed and installed at the time.

The NHBC report cites tanking defects as the most common cause of basement claims since 2006. It states that over a quarter of sites surveyed in 2012 had either high or unknown water table – meaning that water levels may be higher than a building’s basement level – and this incorrectly led to the proposal of a Type A (tanked/barrier protection) or other single form of waterproofing being specified and instllaed.

BS 8102 is the British Standards Institute Code of Practice for Protection of Below Ground Structures Against Water from the Ground and provides recommendations and guidance on methods of dealing with and preventing the entry of water from surrounding ground into a structure below ground level.

Gary Briscoe, Managing Director of Protectahome, said: “In many of the cases referenced in the NHBC survey, the use of a single Type A or B waterproofing system would not have been suitable for the site and has led to claims and time delays, harming the building industry and moreover, failing the end user – often consumers.

“These failures are often the result of specifiers and main contractors not adhering to the accredited codes of practice and offering generic solutions to more advanced problems. Each building and site is unique and therefore requires a bespoke solution, this carelessness is costing the building industry millions each year.

“To completely avoid a claim, a waterproofing specialist should be called upon at the beginning of a project to conduct a detailed and thorough risk assessment. That way, contractors will be made aware of any potential waterproofing issues within the proposed building development. These issues can then be resolved fairly easily with a tailored approach, based on the original plans – avoiding an inconvenient and costly insurance claim later down the line.”