We've just had the surveyors report on the house we're buying and we've been advised to have a damp survey to further investigate the damp he detected. We've called a few companies and some do a free survey and others charge (but refund the money if we use them to do the work required). Can anyone advise us what questions we should be asking these companies to enable us to make sure we get the correct type of survey done? Also, how much can we expect to pay for a damp proof course if needed? Would dampness be good grounds to get money off the purchase price as it was something not immediately obvious to us or the EA when he valued it?
Damp or Condensation build up Doo? A much discussed topic on this Forum and as you are a new member can I suggest you click on the 'seach for old topics' and you will see what was discussed before. Personally speaking I would doubt if any Company is going to tell you that nothing needs doing and Goodbye. Does chemical injection work? I don't think so. Are the Guarantees any good? Not in my experience they aren't. Is it a money spinner for a Damp Company? Yes it is---overpriced is not the word for it! Why has it taken all these years for damp to 'suddenly' appear? and why has nobody complained/sorted it out before?
There was a post about this a day or two ago (DIY forum?)and you should have a quick look at that. Depending upon the type of survey you had done, all the surveyor will do is detect the presence of higher than average damp readings via a moisture meter. He/she is not being paid to actually investigate what is causing the damp and the standard get out is to recommend further investigation. Unfortunately this usually means getting a damp treatment company to inspect and this vested interest does compromise impartiality! Inform yourself as much as you can about what causes damp and have a scout around the building yourself for evidence of the standard contributors - leaking guttering/downpipes, patios etc which are higher than the damp course, blocked drains, inadequate ventilation (sealed chimneys and double glazing for example), inappropriate internal and external decorations (vinyl wallpaper trapping moisture inside or cement based render outside). If it is an older property visit websites for information, for example the Victorian Society, the SPAB, the Period Property website and so on. If any remedial work is considered necessary then I would certainly ask the vendors to at least contribute to this.
Mel I think a lot of the old topics are no longer accessible, purged during the last forum 'improvements'.
There's a topic currently running on the subject on the DIY forum, which agrees (as I do) with all Mel says. If you get a damp co to quote, they will lumber you with a probably unnecessary chemical damp proof treatment. But if the mortgage company require it, you'll probably have to go along with it. What I have done in the past is to choose whoever gives the cheapest quote, then ask a trusted builder to diagnose the real problem, which could as Mel says, just be condensation, a leaking downpipe, or even non-existent.
My mother in law was getting problem damp around the window in the spare bedroom of her flat . As I live 250 miles away popping round to have a look wasn't feasible so she called in a damp company. They were excellent, no hard sell just straight forward advice.
Stop drying clothes on the bedroom radiators and invest in a tumble dryer!
She did just that and when I last visited the damp had gone.
Look for the cause then find a solution, which probably won't be expensive treatments.
