Grant For Home Improvement

cat_mad_4

I have an old house (1850's) - it needs £3000 :eek: of damp-proofing done - I am working and not in receipt of any disability benefits. does anyone know if there are any grants available for this type of thing ? my local authority can't help :mad:

Nile

Hello cat mad


Welcome to the MSE site.:wave:

cattie

No, you won't find any grants for damp proofing. There isn't such a thing, even for people on benefits.

raymond

No offence, but you are working and own a house so why should my tax money be used to fix problems with YOUR house ?

Paul_the_Painter

Who says it needs £3000 of damp proofing done? A free survey by a damp proofing company? Your surveyor when you bought the house?

If you look around the the bottom of the outside wall is there a 4"-6" tall layer of concrete (looks a bit like outside skirting board) if you do this was very popular in the 1950's,60's70's to tidy up Victorian houses, and a great way to bridge the the Damp Proof Course(a really bad idea). Also check you don't have any flower beds butting up against the house which do the same thing. Or dodgy guttering or overflows gushing water down the walls. Personally I've yet to see a house with "rising damp" that needed a chemical DPC, and have identified many problems, just by a bit of logical thinking.

helen21_2

I really dont want to hijack this thread but wondered if anyone can tell me what to do please - I live in a terrace and between me and neighbour is an alley and in the corner of my back room is a damp patch that is getting worse and i dont know who to call in and worried what they will say it will cost me any advice appreciated

Paul_the_Painter

helen, does the damp patch in your room go to the floor? IF you got what I said about Bridging have a look outside at the affected wall, is it wet? or is there anything that could transfer water from the ground to the walls? (Cement, flower beds, general junk?) before calling in anyone , remove everything aroung the affected area outside and leave the house to dry for a few months, chances are it is an easy solution.

Whoever you have come out (surveyor, specialist etc. make sure they want paying, ANYONE doing it for free will be trying to sell you a chemical DPC, or possibly chipping out brickwork/ mortar and putting in a new physical DPC.

helen21_2

Paul_the_Painter wrote:

helen, does the damp patch in your room go to the floor? IF you got what I said about Bridging have a look outside at the affected wall, is it wet? or is there anything that could transfer water from the ground to the walls? (Cement, flower beds, general junk?) before calling in anyone , remove everything aroung the affected area outside and leave the house to dry for a few months, chances are it is an easy solution.

Whoever you have come out (surveyor, specialist etc. make sure they want paying, ANYONE doing it for free will be trying to sell you a chemical DPC, or possibly chipping out brickwork/ mortar and putting in a new physical DPC.

There is nothing there, i have a patio layed to up to house and i can see the whats it called, the urrrm lining thing, but nothing next to the walls, i am worried maybe there is a water leek underground as the concreter aroung my back gate always looks damp some how

Outside It is all brickwork, no concrete/cement

Dont know if damp goes to floor as it is right on skirting boardbut i think it has got worse, im just hoping that if it iswas that bad surely the entire wall would be bad by now, it been like it for about 2 years

Poppycat

You can get grants if your working but it would depend on individual circumstances, and the criteria that the local council set. There are two types of grants available, renovation grant probably not applicable here and Home Repair Assistance Grants. But be warned you could wait ages (years) even when you fit the criteria and means tested.

Thsi is one council that has laid out criteria for Home Repair Assistance Grants

http://www.gateshead.gov.uk/People%20and%20Living/Grants/HomeRepair.aspx

Who is eligible?

You are eligible if you are:

* 60 years old or over - (or your partner is)
* AND own the property

AND receive one of the following income related benefits:

* Income Support
* Income based Job Seekers Allowance
* Working Family Tax Credit
* Council Tax Benefit
* Disabled Persons Tax Credit

Also shelter have some info

http://northernireland.shelter.org.uk/advice/advice-3621.cfm

B52

We are in the process of buying a house and the damp report comes back with a quotation of 2,400 pounds. We were shocked but when we looked at the quotation, we found that it consists of work such as ripping and replacing plaster boards and skirting boards that we can do it ourselves.

Called the firm and were told if we do those jobs ourselves, they will only charge about 500 pounds to do the damp treatment.

cattie

Paul_the_Painter wrote:

Whoever you have come out (surveyor, specialist etc. make sure they want paying, ANYONE doing it for free will be trying to sell you a chemical DPC, or possibly chipping out brickwork/ mortar and putting in a new physical DPC.

I disagree with this. In one of my previous properties where the surveyor had noted possible damp problems I eventually called out 2 different companies offering free reports & quotes. None tried to sell me anything & in fact both told me the problem was quite minimal & that I didn't need any remedial work doing.

As long as you stick with a reputable local company, a recommendation wherever possible, you have less chance of coming across somebody trying to tell you you need something when you really don't.

Always go for a firm that offers an insurance backed guarentee, these are generally between 20-30yrs.