Damp Survey...

Pinkfairywings

Hello any help on this and i would be really greatful!

My partner and I are currently selling/buying a house. We had a Homebuyers Report done on the new property which was fine apart from them finding high damp readings on one of the internal walls. We didnt think much of this but our solicitor advised us to get a damp specialist to carry out his own survey.

We had this done last week and it has come back that there is some of rising damp downstairs and patches of penetrative damp. Along with the flashings being gone on the chimney which has coused a leak in the loft room! All in all his quote comes to £3300! :eek:

Now the problem is that the estate agents have said because our mortgage valuation has come back at the price we are paying, and we have the mortgage offer they dont think the vendor will have/want to pay anything because of this! Our solicitor has also agreed with them. We were hoping for them to go 50/50 but what do you think our chances are? This is a massive amount of money and we were wondering if maybe things had just been blown out of proportion, does it normally cost this much? On all our viewings we noticed no damp smell or to look at. Also the original surveyor only noticed this one wall with high readings!

We are just really stressed and really want the house but really cant afford to do all the work ourselves

Thank you

candykisses

Would be interested to see replies to this as having a similar problem myself - posted a thread in this forum. Have just put £119500 offer in and the surveyor report valued at £100000, with damp detected on the ground floor walls and something about checking connecting timber.

As you said, Pinkfairy, when I went to see the property I didnt see or smell any damp in there either.

Btw, not hijacking your thread, just in a similar position and very stressed.

Wishing you the best of luck x

benood

Cut your offer to reflect the problem (£3300) and ask the estate agent to show you a few other properties on his books that suddenly look better value to you. Don't think there aren't other (better) houses out there - you just need to search them out, and make sure the vendors know you are. I think it's still a buyers market.

DeadCat

I agree with the above. Cut your offer by £3,300 to reflect the work needed. When it comes to doing the work, presuming you have bought the house, get another opinion/quote from another reputable builder.

wreck_fisher

There are several reasons/causes of the problems you mention:

How old is your property, is it cavity or solid wall. Rising damp can be caused by a breakdown of the existing dpc or because no dpc exists.

When they say the lead flashings are gone, did he actually go on the roof and inspect the lead, it could be that they just need rebedding.

Penetrating damp can be caused by defective render, the exterior ground level being higher than the internal floor level, or bridging of the cavity in newer properties.

What work has he actually quoted for, if rising damp is only in one wall that is the only one that would have to be treated, a vertical injection either side would create a 'cordon sanitaire' therefore isolating and treating the problem without further disruption. Has it previously been damproofed before you bought the property, if so the work would also carry a 25yr guarantee.

What type of dpc was offered there are several on the market, never accept a report of a so called specialist without a full explanation of the problems, what actually caused them and type of remedy offered,

TBeckett100

having been in a house with damp and knowing the knightmare of having the works done and redecorating steer clear. damp usually comes back and you will have trouble shifting the house again.

we spent thousands on damp works, replastering downstairs only to find several months later the readings were "amber"

avoid at all costs

wreck_fisher

If treated correctly damp will not return, with rising damp when it re-rendered sometimes people make the mistake of rendering down to the floor so that the damp will rise again. It should be left 25mm above to leave a breather space that cannot be bridged.

Canykisses, as I replied in an earlier post. If there is a suspended timber floor without adequate ventilation or damp in the walls the imbedded floor joist ends decay, it's not such a big deal for somebody that knows what they are doing and not that expensive.

axomoxia

There are some good articles here.

http://www.whatprice.co.uk/household/rising-damp.html (especially the last comment)
http://www.diydoctor.org.uk/projects/dealingrisingdamp.htm
and
http://www.buildingconservation.com/articles/risingdamp/risingdamp.htm

If you get a damp company that specialieses in chemical damp proof courses and offers free surveys, you can be quite sure that they will find a damp problem that will require a chemical damp proof course..... Theres supposedly a rising damp problem in my kitchen and downstairs toilet... Funny coz, I can't see any kind of tide mark or staining to the wall.....

Debt_Free_Chick

Pinkfairywings wrote: »

We are just really stressed and really want the house but really cant afford to do all the work ourselves

Thank you

Firstly, make sure that the work is absolutely necessary. Did you call in a company who sells damp treatment? If so, then it's possible they're suggesting work which is not strictly necessary. Get a second opinion, preferably from a surveyor and not a salesman.

I think the seller's EA is saying that the mortgage valuation confirms that your offer is "right" based on the condition of the property - and there's some merit to that view. However, your offer envisaged no damp issues and understandably you want to pay less for a property which in a slightly worse condition than you thought. But get a second opinion and then then consider revising your offer. It's all down to negotiation - it's not a "discount" for "shop soiled" goods