I didn't put an offer in on a house I really fancied because my builder pal said it would need a new damp course, and with that he could tell that all the outer walls would lose most of their plaster so it would require damp course, plastering and decoration, for which I hadn't got the money.
That's weird- we just had our house damp-proofed becasue my neurotic buyers threw a fit about it (but that's another story...) and they took one foot off the plaster on the back wall, and did it very neatly without even disturbing the two clematis plants. And in the front, they did a series of injections that can barely be seen at all.
Originally posted by phugoid: At least a shark installation on the roof is interesting
I've just walked past a house with a giant fish bottom protruding from the roof is it famous, or just more common than I thought? I was really looking forward to posting a picture on here as well!!
The famous one is in Oxford, iirc - from about 1990. Caused quite a lot of fuss with the council at the time There may be imitators now.
Yes if it is a Shark sticking out of the roof then that is in Headington in Oxford. I used to live just over the road from that when I was at Uni. Oh happy days!
I had to rub my eyes when I saw it, I thought I was seeing things! In a terrace of rather small houses, it was a bit of a surprise. Made me smile though
...anyway I'll stop hijacking the thread now! I was just a bit surprised to see it mentioned on the same day
Originally posted by Hatster: what's wrong with needing a damp course? I had my kitchen damp coursed in my previous house and it didn't seem much of a problem. Mind you, it was only the kitchen so I could still use the hall and sitting room while it was going on. Is it very inconvenient if you have to have the whole lot done simultaneously?
Well, the damp course wasn't too terrible as it only meant filling in dozens of holes all around the outside wall and only wrecked a couple of bits of indoor decor. Some damp courses make line of indoor replastering throughout the entire downstairs.
The woodworm treatment smelt abominable and I couldn't live there for over a month + all the carpets upstairs and down had to be taken up and put down again.
A proper damp course is pressure injected from both side (inside and out). The inside must be hacked away to a height of one metre and rendered with a mix of sand and cement with a waterproof additive.
If you get someone that uses little plastic cups and drills between the bricks - you've been had. He's from the John Wayne school of damp proofers.
is it famous, or just more common than I thought? I was really looking forward to posting a picture on here as well!! 
There may be imitators now.
