DIY Doctor UK DIY Forums

Hi all,
I'm building a retaining wall (gabion) that, when back filled, will result in a section of my house wall being underground. The external wall is rendered (bit damaged but i'm fixing that). Will render alone suffice if its now underground to prevent damp getting in, or do I need to be doing something else?
Its impossible for me to tell what sort of damp proofing has been undertaken inside the house without ripping out panelling. Any advice is much appreciated.

No you can not! If you connect your house to anything that is below ground level without proper damp proofing you asking for a big problem. Water will travel up via capillary action from the ground into your wall and into your home. If you want to understand more this is a basic explanation - find the bit about bridging.

Sorry, I posted a link with an explanation but it has been removed. Just do a google search for rising damp and bridging.