Manufacturer insurance Pitfalls

Ian MacLennan has embarked on a new round of CPD presentations to market leading Engineers, Architects, surveyors and contractors. Explaining the pitfalls of insurance guarantees provided by manufacturers of Helical restraint systems and waterproofing systems.

The one hour presentation on Helical and resin structural repairs will include a very informative and possibly alarming insight into the shortfalls with manufacturer warranty schemes. Based on case studies and Ian’s personal experience of unsupported insurance claims the presentation should make you reconsider how you procure helical repair surveys and contracts.

The Maclennan Helical repair system is the safest available to the market and the most competitively priced. But most importantly it attracts genuine guarantees.

Who do we engage to carry out the survey ? Timber treatment and damp consultants or contractor

The problem with consultants is that they often cost more than the treatment costs they might save you. They do not provide costs, they try and stay involved in the project far longer than they are needed and they keep the meter running, so the client is clocking up costs for every visit.

With most consultants you still end up with a contractor carrying out a survey to provide costs.

The best way to ensure a thorough survey is to engage a contractor you know or have had recommended. Ensure they have the correct qualification and insurances. Insist on PI Insurance to cover design and products insurance to cover materials and workmanship.

You should expect to pay for the survey and specification ( between £65 - £100 per hour + travel)

Engage a chartered Building Surveyor  to work with the contractor to discuss the findings of the inspection and to agree on your requirements. Treatment requirements are not

 normally black or white. they have to take into account the clients attitude to. Conservation, risk,cost, acceptable damp etc.

After agreeing the recommendations provide a comprehensive specification and quotation. 

Be very  suspicious of a free survey. Remember to check qualifications and insurance. A contractor carrying out a free survey is incurring costs. They will be under pressure to cover the costs. Get references, check for a long trading history. 

Maclennan is meeting 2013 with a new name.  Most people in the industry know us as Maclennan so we have dropped the -lse from our name.  Our website can now be found at www.maclennanuk.com, all email addresses will have the same suffix - but not to worry if you forget, you can still find us using the old name and information!

So in keeping with our re-brand we'd like to introduce ourselves again.  Maclennan is a family run waterproofing and specialist services company which is unique in the market place, due to us designing, manufacturing, supplying and installing waterproofing solutions.  We provide solutions for basements, cellars, deck and roofs on projects from multi-million pound new build and commercial projects to small cellar conversions, vaults, green roofs and swimming pools.

Maclennan have been leaders in the waterproofing industry for over a decade and design, supply and install the ultimate roofing and waterproofing systems.   In 2012 we saw our business grow by 20% from our design, supply and install service.  Our guarantees are the most comprehensive in the industry and unlike other suppliers we do accept design liability and don't have terms that ultimately void guarantees in most instances of a leak.  We also insure against consequential damage, Maclennan provide the best  waterproofing solutions for all of our clients.

Do you have an upcoming project?  

Consider this - If you get Maclennan in from the outset to design the waterproofing, we can save money on every contract and protect you, your company and your client from financial loss and liability from failed waterproofing.

How can we save you money?  
Send us your drawing/s and we will supply all the necessary design drawings, data sheets and specifications.  By using Maclennan to manage all aspects of the waterproofing design and installation, from the basement to the roof , we take the risk out of critical details being missed on your project.  When a waterproofing project is split between the contractor and designers you run the risk of a vital aspect of the waterproofing being missed.  In the long run this adds significantly to your overall costs, because you then have to call in Maclennan waterproofing specialists to put it right.  

Maclennan will design, supply and install your waterproofing systems from the basement to the roof including wet rooms, swimming pools, balconies, decks and green roof installation - all on our design PI with our insured guarantees.  

Maclennan take the risk out of waterproofing and provide seamless waterproofing solutions

On the weekend of the 17^th and 18^th of November we headed over to the Bath & West showground to take part as an exhibitor in the Homebuilding & Renovating Show 2012.  We had already set up our stand on the Friday evening with our green roof model and our cavity drain system model.  The cavity drain system model showcased what system we put in place in a basement, including a sump pump and flooring.  With the Green roof model we were showcasing a cut away model of what a green roof and its components would look like.  So armed with a stack of brochures and leaflets with samples of Polyprufe (part of our polyurea range) we were ready to meet the approximately 5,000 self builders and major renovators who were expected.  The self building and renovating market is worth approximately £270 million per year in the uk and according to the show organisers 82% of visitors have a project that is live or starting in the next 12 months.

The show started at 10 am and by 10.15 we were inundated with visitors, our green roof showcase which included our Dekogrip finish was a huge draw with a lot of visitors interested in learning more about it.  Throughout the two days we had a steady stream of visitors many of whom had brought plans of their properties to show us.  On Sunday our Managing Director did a master class on Basement Waterproofing.  I left as soon as he had finished and in the few minutes that it took me to get back to the stand, there were already people there who had seen the masterclass and wanted further information! 

All in all it was a successful exhibition for us and we thoroughly enjoyed our two days talking to people who were building or renovating their dream homes – and who mostly knew exactly what they were looking for, but were open to new ideas and being advised on the correct way to waterproof a basement.  We also got to connect with a variety of professionals who were interested in both our basement design and green roof systems, they were also interested to realise that if we design, supply and install the basement waterproofing system that we can offer extensive guarantees which obviously protect both themselves and their clients.

So its that time again – when there is suddenly a profusion of moustaches everywhere, which of course in movember is more commonly known as a mo worn by our fantastic mo bro’s!  Movember is a global movement which raises funds to directly assist in issues with mens health which often is ignored.  In the UK funds raised in Movember are given to programmes run directly by Movember and to Prostate Cancer UK and in the Institute of Cancer Research.  All three of these partners work to support a wide variety of programmes aimed at raising awareness, education and research which will hopefully lead to more survivors of male cancers.  Men are typically less willing than women to investigate when they feel something may not be quite right in their bodies.  Where women have think pink! For breast cancer and raceforlife – the walk to raise awareness of cancer in general and woman based cancers specifically, until Movember mens cancers were largely if not ignored, certainly not in the public eye.  Movember has raised the profile of male cancers significantly and hopefully has enabled men to be more comfortable discussing potential health risks.  The point of being able to be open about health risks with things like prostate cancer is, like breast cancer, early detection means early diagnosis which means effective treatment.

The Movember Global movement has managed to raise £184 million since 2003.  The womens health movement has been hugely successful, it raised awareness with breast cancer, taught women how to check themselves and enabled women to break down the fear of getting checked, which has helped to ensure more women than ever survive from female cancers – Movember aims to do the same for men. 

So to the Maclennan Mo Bros.  This year we have one of our surveyors Mike Bromley and our Contracts co-ordinator Ian Jacobs who are both wearing the mo to raise funds for Movember.  Mike is a member of the local 41 Club, which is part of the National Association of Ex-Round Tablers’  and it was decided that the Presidential Charity for 2012-2013 would raise funds for Prostate Cancer UK.  They have a grand total of 27 mo bro’s involved and have to date managed to raise a total of £5,432 – fantastic! 

Our contracts co-ordinator, Ian Jacobs, motivation for getting involved in Movember is apparently ‘Because Mo’s are epic!!!’  and why not? Anything that raises awareness of mens health issues has to be epic!  Ian has gone through quite a transformation during Movember, he started with a vague hint of a mo and graduated to full on handlebars during which he resembled a hard core hells angel/serial killer!  This has now been pared down to a very neat mini mo – which apparently (according to Ian) is English Gentleman style.. er ok Ian! 

If you would like to donate to our Mo Bro's please follow the links:

Mike and team 41 Club

Ian Jacobs and his epic Mo!

Maclennan brought, what we felt were unreasonable insurance premium costs, to the attention of our trade association, namely that the present arrangements and costs are flawed.  In order to ensure a fully waterproofed project it is prudent to have two different types of waterproofing protecting the property, for example Type A externally and Type C internally.  GPI systems meant that a separate premium would be charged for each Type.  Where there was a similar job with only either Type or Type C forms of waterproofing were used, insurance was secured on the value of one system only. This clearly means that the more secure type of waterproofing was, in effect, being penalised by the insurance premiums, which adds significant costs to the project.

Having a combined internal and external waterproofing system is evidently the safer option, as opposed to a single system which could fail, so we felt it wrong to have considerably higher premiums for a dual system.  Thankfully with the PCA’s input, the insurers have now agreed that where two forms of waterproofing are applied GPI will now offer a 10 year insured guarantee cover with a single policy and single premium.  The premium will now be a combined cost for both sets of waterproofing, resulting in significant financial savings on insurance for projects.

The PCA has complained to Advertising Standards Authority

Recently our trade association the Property Care Association (PCA) has made a complaint regarding a newspaper advert against a national damp control system company.  Whilst we are not in the business of naming and shaming, this is a well- known damp control system from Europe, which purports to have an innovative, simple and unique system completely unlike any traditional damp proofing methods.  In the disputed advert the company had made claims that the PCA contended were not completely factual and that could be misleading to consumers.  The PCA complaint was due to the following claims which were made in the advertisement:

• 80% of homes are affected by damp problems
• This specific damp control system is less disruptive to install than chemical DPCs
• Conventional treatments don’t actually get rid of the damp.  Instead they try and force it to go somewhere else.
• Chemical systems gradually break down
• With this system there is no need to re-plaster or redecorate and no mess

The company concerned also stated on their website that chemical damp proofing products are toxic and they issue lifetime guarantees are issued for their system.  All of which was disputed by the PCA in a complaint to the ASA.

Whilst the ASA ruled no action to be taken on the complaints made, the company in question did agree to remove all references to the number of homes affected by damp

The ASA conducted a thorough investigation of the complaint and on the 19^th September 2012, published their ruling.  Even though the PCA submitted an additional statement for consideration by the ASA, the ruling by the ASA stated that the company in question was not, in fact, in breach of advertising standards and that no further action was necessary.  Even so the company in question agreed to remove all reference to the percentage of homes affected by damp, as well as the baseless allusions that damp proofing chemicals are toxic and in effect both transfer damp elsewhere and ultimately break down with time.  As a result of a separate legal ruling against the company they have also added to their FAQs section on their website the following with regard to re-plastering:

“We always advise all our clients to wait with any re-plastering and redecoration works at least 12 months as this is the time the (Damp Proofing System) needs to operate at its maximum potential. If any of such works are carried out too early, before the walls are dry, the new decoration may be affected by damp”.

The PCA has recently stated that they will ‘ continue to monitor the press and internet for any unfair and misleading claims made by unscrupulous operators and, when appropriate, act to protect the reputation of our members’  Which is entirely right, as the industry’s trade association they should be monitoring all traditional and digital media to ensure members of both the PCA and the industry are not pulling us all into disrepute by wildly false claims made at the very least by unaware members of the industry and at the other end of the spectrum are the potentially unscrupulous companies who don’t mind mis-leading the public.  At Maclennan we operate a policy of open communication with our clients and don’t make claims that we know we can’t uphold.  As with any industry honesty and integrity are key to industry growth and we must all be aware of companies who are less than scrupulous.  It’s fantastic that we have a trade association who are willing to follow through on what they view as problems within the industry, but we must also remember to work cohesively as an industry to ensure we are known for honesty and integrity.

If you are building a basement for accommodation or recreation you will need to achieve a Grade 3 habitable basement to comply with BS8102 the British Standard for earth retaining structures. (click here for more info)

The standard says you should involve a waterproofing expert from the start of the design process and seek their advice throughout.

You need a 20 year guarantee to satisfy mortgage companies if you come to sell the property. The only meaningful guarantees are Products Insurance backed guarantees and GPI insurance to give some cover in the event that the installers cease trading.

To comply with British Standards’ if the risk of a leak is high such as in a high water table or if building from block work or ICF rather than poured concrete or the consequences of a leak are unacceptable, which they will be in a domestic basement then you should have 2 forms of waterproofing.

If you look at your proposed basement as a box in the ground. Our recommended waterproofing (supported by BS8102) is that you waterproof the outside with either a membrane under the box and up the sides to stop water entering or build it with well compacted pored reinforced concrete with professionally installed hydrophilic joints and external joint protection.

In Cities or anywhere that piled construction is necessary, due to adjacent buildings, other methods and details should be designed to protect the outside of the box.


The external waterproofing is referred to as Type A waterproofing.
Type A is an external sheet membrane or coating system which forms a barrier.

On a habitable basement, Type A should never be installed on its own.

You cannot expect Type A to be installed completely defect free (this is a precedence set in law Outwing Case)
click for more info
You cannot test the effectiveness of the system until the structure is buried in the ground. In the event of a leak it is too late to repair and it is not possible to maintain.


Type B is an integrally waterproof structure. This means a structure built of well-designed concrete that is, in itself waterproof. It is often said that this requires additives to the concrete but this is not strictly true as concrete is waterproof. It is the joins and minor faults in workmanship which allow water ingress.

Type B is notorious for leaking. We work for waterproof additive companies, repairing failures with our injection systems and cavity membranes. All of the waterproof additive companies have to employ injection specialists to put right their frequent failures. Additives do not stop leaks through cracks, honeycombing and joins. The additional reinforcement and joins required by most additive companies add unnecessary cost to the construction.

If you have a leak after construction phase, the additive companies will not return until fixtures and fittings and even internal walls are removed at the clients’ expense. They will not accept consequential damages

Type A and waterproof additives should not be used together as type A protection will prevent autogenous healing if the type A is installed soon after construction.

Type C Waterproofing
From a design point of view. Type C is mandatory to comply with BS 8102 2009 for a habitable basement.

Type C waterproofing is a cavity drain often in the form of a plastic membrane with drainage. All built into the structure behind walls. It is essential that drainage is reliable or that the system is pumped. The pump design is critical.

It is the most effective form of waterproofing for common sense reasons. If the waterproofing leaks for any reason you have to be able to resolve the problem with the minimum of disruption to the occupier. You cannot do this with A or B systems.

All of this has to be considered during design, as liability does fall on the designer if it is not.

A concrete structure without waterproof additives but with well compacted concrete and no honeycombing and well prepared (scabbled) joins with water bars will provide a Type B structure.

A concrete structure with additives and reinforcement to BS8007 but with less than adequate workmanship in any small area will leak. Honey combing occurs due to lack of accessibility to poker due to the amount of steel. Water bars are difficult to detail and install surface prep of joins is difficult due to steel.

We would always recommend an external system to protect concrete, reduce damp ingress and to provide a dry environment in which the Type C system is a standby system which is installed for peace of mind plus guarantees and compliance with British Standards by being a serviceable system.

We cannot guarantee an external system on its' own. Guarantees for external systems are not worth anything to the client. Contractors and suppliers will always find reasons for not honouring guarantees.

Product insurance and insurance backed guarantees are not available for external Type A systems. If you are offered one please talk to us and we will demonstrate why it will not give you protection.

A type C system can be guaranteed by qualified waterproofing companies for 20 years as a standalone system on a well-designed reinforced concrete structure.

Ground Gas
Before building a basement ground gas has to be taken into account. If testing proves the presence of Radon, CO2, Methane then the basement has to be designed to ensure gas cannot enter the basement. This can be achieved with the waterproofing system

The deck / roof
If the basement is not completely covered by the house above as is often the case, then you will have a deck to waterproof. The deck waterproofing should always be carried out by the same waterproofing specialists who waterproofed the basement, as the detailing between the two is critical and split responsibility should be avoided at all costs.

In the last few years deck waterproofing has moved towards seamless elastomeric coatings and away from single ply membranes and felt, which have a history of failure due to the numerous laps, joins and seams.

Finishes on decks include green roofing and hard landscaping or even driveways and parking areas.
Due to the large number of products with different properties available on the market the deck / roof waterproofing should be specified by the waterproofing specialist and the work guaranteed and insured for design, supply and installation by the same company.

The waterproofing Company

The minimum requirement for a waterproofing specialist is

• Design, supply and install all waterproofing systems. No split responsibility.
• Take full responsibility for waterproofing Basement walls, floor and roof.
• Accept design liability and have Professional Indemnity insurance (unlike any manufacturer).
• Give insurance backed guarantees of up to 20 years.
• Provide an insurance backed products guarantee for consequential damages.( Not to be confused with guarantee protection insurance )
• Ensure compliance with all relevant standards.
• Comply with all relevant health and safety requirements.
• Do not use sub-contractors for specialist work, only their own fully trained staff.
• Must be able to provide references for numerous similar projects.
• Be able to accommodate project time constraints.

Unfortunately local authority building inspectors only ask for BBA certification for materials and systems. This does not provide any guarantee that the work will be carried out correctly or give any protection to the client.

Waterproofing is wholly reliant on expert design by the waterproofing contractor and installation by very experienced technicians. Waterproofing is so often carried out by ground workers and builders taking advice from manufacturers sales personnel, and this is the main reason for failure.

MacLennan Waterproofing provides several levels of specification.

Level 1 is for a standalone cavity drain system inside a concrete structure built to BS 8110. This system is guaranteed for 20 years against any ingress of water to the inside of the basement.

Level 2 is the addition of external waterproofing to construction joins and honey combing these being the major routes for water ingress into concrete basements. Hydrophilic joins are difficult to detail and often dislodged during concrete poring and pokering. External protection with applied membranes prevents water ingress into joins.

Level 3 is full external waterproofing. This provides protection to the structure externally making it waterproof as well as water tight and will reduce the risk of water ingress stopping or reducing drainage and pump usage. This is achieved by the installation of membranes, spray applied coatings or crystalline slurry. All have advantages and disadvantages which are discussed prior to specification.

Protection is provided with Insudrain which is 50mm insulation, with a drainage form against the wall. It provides insulation, protection and drainage for the same cost as either insulation or drainage.

If the basement is to be built of Concrete block work, or insulated formwork then external waterproofing is strongly recommended.

Level 4 protection is water and gas protection. This is achieved by positive air ventilation and sealed membranes or external gas tight membranes. 

For see our full range waterproofing services click here  

Failed external membrane                                failed 'waterproof' concrete

Failed external membrane                                   Failed 'waterproof' concrete

Failed pumps due to no servicing                                 Failed render system on brickwork

MacLennan have been working on 7 failed basement waterproofing projects in July and six are due to failed "waterproof" concrete and at least one of these had a Bentonite system externally.  As is shown in the above photograph, when waterproofing goes wrong and the proper systems aren't installed it can be devastating for the property owner.

 (Type A & Type B waterproofing should never be relied on without Type C in habitable grade 3 basement waterproofing)

MacLennan are resolving the problems caused by the poor design .The contractor, clients and designers are realising that the guarantees offered by the manufacturers and suppliers don't hold water like their systems.

The suppliers of waterproof additive systems and external membranes will not accept any consequential damages or design liability. The guarantees they offer are only up to a figure of about 10% of the original contract value. Once that cost has been spent on repairs, the supplier has no further contractual obligation to assist with resolving the problem. Hence the call to MacLennan to attend to the repairs and re- waterproofing.

The contractor or designer is left with very expensive repairs and unhappy clients. This could all be avoided, and a lot of money could be saved on the original installation costs if MacLennan had designed and installed the waterproofing system under our PI and products insurance. Using MacLennan as your independent waterproofing consultants, will ensure that your cellar will be a waterproof, useable space within your property. Whether it's as a wine cellar, games room, swimming pool or a substantial commercial building – it needs to be done right first time.

For further information go to our waterproofing page or for any advice and assistance please contact our office on 0845 230 2808

What is it?

The MacLennan Dekogrip system is a versatile, resilient bonded aggregate surface system.
Where can it be used?
This aesthetically pleasing but durable system can be used for:

• Driveways
• Courtyards.
• Parks and paths.
• Roads.
• Gardens.
• Roof gardens.
• Anywhere that you would normally put a loose aggregate surface.

Why should we request this finish?
With the MacLennan Dekogrip system you get an aesthetically pleasing and natural looking finish system, without the hassle of loose aggregate such as you get in the more traditional finishing systems. There is a large range of natural and recycled aggregates available – leaving you free to pick whichever type you want.

It is a non-slip system that can be placed on virtually any surface including POLYPRUFE, concrete and asphalt. There is little to no maintenance with this system – no more misplaced aggregate leaving ‘bald’ patches in your drive. This is an extremely durable finish, which unlike most finishes can be easily cleaned with detergent should you get an unsightly oil stain or dirt stain on it. Conclusion.

The MacLennan Dekogrip system is durable, tough, aesthetically pleasing and can be placed easily on top of our existing waterproofing systems for flat roofs, green roofs, drives, decks and terraces – in fact because of its durability and pleasing appearance we can put it even in places where you wouldn’t normally use loose aggregate. You are only restricted by your imagination For further information please call us on 0845 658 7777

What is Insudrain?
MacLennan Insudrain is an all-in-one protection board, insulation and drainage sheet. It is the most obvious and cost effective choice for waterproof system protection. With Insudrain you get the benefits of protection boards, insulation and drainage sheets for the cost of any one element.

Benefits:
The profiled insudrain will give better protection than available alternatives. Will not allow build up of water pressure. Will drain Water to the site drainage system. Will not slip off the face fo the wall due to settlement. Is waterproof in its own right providing another layer of protection. Costs less than drainage sheet. Costs less than protection board. Why would you consider anything else?

The system can be installed over:
MacLennan type b 104 waterproof concrete system.
MacLennan sheet membrane systems.
MacLennan cementitious systemsF for more information please call us on 0845 658 7777

MacLennan Liquid Rubber is a unique system, which can be used effectively for a variety of applications including basements, roofs, green roofs and covered decks.

Liquid rubber is a seamless waterproof membrane that can be both spray and hand applied by our experienced operatives. As it requires no primers or fleeces, it ensures a fast but fully sealed waterproof membrane. There are no joins or seams, it is cold applied and the unique formula gives 1,100% elasticity with over 95% memory, allowing for even excessive roof movement.

With Liquid Rubber as a roofing system there is no requirement to strip old material first as it can be applied directly over most substrates including felt, asphalt, timber, concrete, corrugated asbestos, metal and insulation boards for both pitched and flat roof installations. Liquid rubber is ideal for a roof requiring rust prevention and is used effectively to ensure asbestos encapsulation. It really is the ideal roofing solution to any roofing requirement.

MacLennan liquid rubber can be applied as the following:
Spray Grade for roofs, basements, green roofs and covered decks.
High Build for smaller projects including roofs and anything with detailing work or non-traditional shapes.
An anti-skid formulation, which can be used on any high traffic areas from pedestrian traffic up to any areas used by articulated lorries.

Benefits of using MacLennan Liquid Rubber:

• Cost effective.
• Seamless.
• Fully bonds to the substrate.
• Cold applied – so no heat used at all in preparation or application.
• Sets instantly.
• Cures in 24 hours.
• No VOC (volatile organic compound).
• Environmentally friendly,
• One coat system.
• Minimum preparation required.
• Non-toxic both whilst spraying and once cured.
• Ozone and UV resistant.
• High tensile strength.
• High flexibility whilst maintaining 95% memory.
• Variety of colours available.
• Little to no disruption to the business day.
• Can be used as both a protective and decorative finish.

Our Maclennan lining is a quick, economical finished wall and roof lining system.

With the combination of our MacLennan membrane and drainage systems, plus soffits, it is the ideal solution for waterproofing Vaults.. The Maclennan lining system has been designed to be used in situations such as plant rooms, offices, Gyms, Pools Utility areas where a plaster finish is not required.
Maclennan lining comes in smooth white PVC sheets, which are rated as a Class 1 fire retardant material.

Maclennan lining is a professionally fitted finished system with no requirement for additional finishes over. Available in either corrugated or flat PVC sheets, and will be fitted by MacLennan installers using either glass filled nylon rivets, stainless steel fixings or a suitable adhesive depending on the requirements of the substrate
The Maclennan lining sheets are tough, highly durable, and chemically resistant, with the beneficial properties of being easily cleaned by either hand wiping or the use of a hose. The sheets come in varying thickness usually between 1mm and 3mm, and are the ideal medium for the cladding of walls and ceilings offering a watertight waterproofing barrier. .

All corners ie floor corners and ceiling corners will be finished with Maclennan lining corner profiles, Maclennan lining skirting profiles and vertical joining trims will, with a combination of a food grade silicone, enable a completely hygienic and waterproof sealed environment. A combination of Maclennan-LSE waterproofing membrane and Maclennan lining is the ideal solution vault waterproofing.
Maclennan lining PVC sheets are also available in a tongue and groove, hollow section decorative profiles which are ideal for this type of living space. The sheets are quickly fitted directly to wall or ceiling substrates. On some substrates battening may be required.

Maclennan lining Polypropylene sheets are an alternative robust flat material. These sheets are ideal for use in areas where a fire rating is not required e.g. agricultural applications. The polypropylene sheets are extremely durable and highly resistant to chemicals. As the sheets are made from a compound that is rot proof, chew resistant and non-toxic it is an ideal internal cladding for structures such as Poultry farms, milking parlours , catteries, kennels and other such spaces where a hygienic environments can be easily maintained with minimal effort.

MacLennan can combine the wall and ceiling system with Polythermal spray applied insulation to provide a warm thermally efficient wall or floor finish. The Polythermal insulation is the ideal addition for applications such as domestic and commercial basement waterproofing and industrial or agricultural structures.

Phone the MacLennan-LSE surveying / technical department for a quotation on 0845 230 2808

According to the environment agency: ‘over 5 million people in England and wales live and work in properties that are at risk of flooding from rivers or the sea’.  We have all watched the news over the last few days showing the flooding due to heavy rain.  Currently the Environment agency has 44 areas under watch – 34 of which are in the South-East.  There are 5 flood warnings on going with four of those in the South-East.  There is still heavy rain forecast in Wales and the South East, South West and East of England, with the concern being that ground that has recently been saturated with the heavy rain could lead to localised surface water flooding. After the dry winter we have had the deluge of rain has caused serious problems country wide.

Recent events show that flooding is getting more prevalent year on year, leaving people homeless, prized possessions lost and causing untold heartache to those living with the aftermath - as well as the astronomical cost of making your home habitable again after a flood.

These property owners cannot get insurance or if they can it is exorbitantly priced.  Property owners can’t get peace of mind, worrying every time a flood warning is issued. Quite frankly it’s outrageous that property owners have to worry and owners whose property is prone to flooding are stuck, they can’t move, they can’t carry the cost of remedial works every couple of years or in some cases every year.  How long is it acceptable to live in a caravan in your front garden?

All this could be prevented, ensuring peace of mind and a flood free home.  There needs to be more flood prevention as opposed to remediation.  At MacLennan we can design, supply and install a complete guaranteed system for any flooding situation – ensuring that a property owner can get insurance that isn’t exorbitantly priced! 

MacLennan are specialists and we know how traumatic being flooded out can be – but it’s unnecessary.  Our surveyors can assess any potential problems quickly and expertly, recommending only the required measures to ensure your property is safe from flooding. 

Our systems include:

• The MacLennan cavity membrane system which while usually used to waterproof basements can also be used to very effectively control and redirect flood water.
• We can design, supply and fit the system best suited to your property to ensure complete flood protection
• We work with both Revetment and FloodProtect to ensure we always have the right flood barrier for the property.
• Whilst we recommend flood prevention we do also have remediation systems for repair of finishes in flooded properties.

Find out more at our Flood page

MacLennan Polythermal is a spray applied, closed cell insulation foam.  Polythermal is a high performance, seamless polyurethane based insulation which emits no toxic gases, has no inhalable fibres and no VOC making it environmentally safe. 

Being a closed cell foam polythermal when cured forms a rigid weatherproof insulation, which can achieve a complete vapour barrier that prohibits the growth of mould and mildew.

What are the benefits of using MacLennan spray closed cell insulation?

·         Seamless with no joins

·         When finished the system has a very low thermal conductivity – not achieved by more 

          conventional insulation materials.

·         Spray application means even the most usually inaccessible areas can be fully insulated.

·         POLYTHERMAL adheres to the substrate – so no need for fixings

·         Supports and strengthens studwork, roof timbers, dry lining

·         Substantially increases the wind load capacity

·         Increases the stability of the structure forever

·         No settling or sagging in the wall cavity with foam insulation

·         Fully trained tradesmen who are BAA certified

·         Rapid installation

·         Up to 80% heat loss reduction

·         Can be applied in any direction and from 10mm up to any thickness required.

·         Can be spray applied directly onto solid masonry/concrete walls/light steel framework

·         Can be used as roof, wall and floor insulation

·         Can easily be used in both new build and remedial works.

POLYTHERMAL gives you so many more benefits compared to traditional insulation in particular ease of application by our specialised team plus the environmental benefits of a long lasting insulation that doesn’t degrade or cause potential difficulties with hypoallergenic issues – once cured POLYTHERMAL doesn’t cause any environmental or air borne difficulties.

Find out more about all our products and services at our home page