G'day, we recently had an extension "completed" by a builder and we are having concerns with moisture entering our slab laterally into and affecting one room in particular (we've already had efflorescence appear but this has since gone away as we've dug away more of the dirt etc from that side of the house, so it seems to have "dried out"). We have a number of queries so if anybody can give us some answers we'd very much appreciate it.
1 - Our PVC moisture barrier is only under the slab yet we've been told that the slab should've been wrapped up the sides as well (we have cladding on a timber frame).
Is this true and if so what would be the appropriate way to go about attaching extra PVC/Vapur Barrier to what is existing below ground level?
2 - If we were to pave/concrete these outside areas to an appropriate level (our cladding overlaps the slab by 40mm, so roughly to that level) should that alleviate the amount of moisture entering the slab laterally?
3 - Is there any other product that we can use and if so can the dirt etc be placed back against the slab once it has been completed?
4 - Is there a cheap way to monitor just how much moisture is affecting these interior areas so we can get a rough idea whether the moisture is abating?
Any help would be much appreciated,
Cheers