damp, damp and more damp

jaffs

tbs624 wrote: »

Many won't be put off properties with a report such as this - once you have repaired obvious contributory sources of damp and got a property heated and aired you'd be amazed at the difference it makes.

I'd disagree with anselld that black mould will always be present if the dampness is described by the surveyor as being due to condensation. Have rectified damp properties and this is not always the case.

To be honest, although i was shocked at the price quoted for the repairs, apart from the apparently extensive damp problem the house is a pretty good buy, the area i want, my price range, bigger than i thought i could afford etc.

At the moment we are waiting to hear what mortgage company say as they have held back until the damp report is in :eek:

To be fair i am hoping that the quote is over the top and onec the repairs are done (which i had already budgeted for) it will be mainly just a case of getting some heat and ventilation in there and ripping out any wood that is rotten.

The problem is that i cant really afford £9000 to do the damp repairs that were quoted so its a risk, do i continue with the purchase (subject to mortgage) and hope that it is mainly condensation and isn't as bad as the damp proof company would have me belive, or do i walk away, loose all my fees and look for something else?

Doozergirl

Get another company in!

You've got one quote which I am incredibly dubious about if your surveyor thinks it isn't a big deal. A £9000 bill for damp remedies is totally bonkers if it isn't a big deal. That kind of bill says to me that it's a big problem and it's immediately obvious when you go in. So you said the ceiling collapsed did you somewhere? That would look bad, I wonder if this guy is just taking advantage? I would expect condensation in the house if this shower leak had been untreated and the house unheated for a long time.

Tanking plaster that anselld describes is totally different to the tanking membrane you mention that you need. I'm totally at a loss as to why you need tanking membrane on a house that isn't partially below ground?

I'd seriously get someone in. If you give that £9000 report to the mortgage company, I suspect they will run a mile or give you a big fat retention at the very least.

tbs624

anselld wrote: »

Accurate calibration is not important in this instance. It is simply to establish if if there was a consistent drop in readings above a certain height which would indicate rising damp.

What is it that you think is being measured by one of these meters?

OP - you may be interested in this from the Building Research Establishment (BRE) Digest 245 , Jan 1981

"Rising Damp in Walls: Diagnosis and Treatment

Investigations have revealed many instances in which systems intended to combat rising damp have been installed in buildings where rising damp is not occurring. A frequent reason for this has been a wrong interpretation of high readings obtained when using an electrical moisture meter. Another reason was the failure to recognize other causes of the damp conditions."

So-called "specialist contractors" have been ripping the public off for years. As Doozer says, your best bet is to get a second report done, but this time use one of the independent professional damp surveyors. I would not be submitting that 1st report to a lender if it were my purchase.

anselld

I would imagine that "wrong interpretation" is deliberate in many cases in order to profit from unnecessary work. Indeed it sounds as if that is the case with the supposedly expert report here. That does not make a damp meter an irrelevant tool, in fact it could equally be used to disprove rising damp (and probably could in this case with correct interpretation)

jaffs

tbs624 wrote: »

So-called "specialist contractors" have been ripping the public off for years. As Doozer says, your best bet is to get a second report done, but this time use one of the independent professional damp surveyors. I would not be submitting that 1st report to a lender if it were my purchase.

Unfortunately the report has already gone to the lender, guess i will have to wait to see what they say, i have to say i'm not very hopeful:(

25rts

tbs624 wrote: »

What is it that you think is being measured by one of these meters?

OP - you may be interested in this from the Building Research Establishment (BRE) Digest 245 , Jan 1981

"Rising Damp in Walls: Diagnosis and Treatment

Investigations have revealed many instances in which systems intended to combat rising damp have been installed in buildings where rising damp is not occurring. A frequent reason for this has been a wrong interpretation of high readings obtained when using an electrical moisture meter. Another reason was the failure to recognize other causes of the damp conditions."

BRE 245 also states that electrical meters have a valuable role to play as preliminary surveying instruments and will identify areas where further investigation is required.

The problem arises when the meters are used in inexperienced or salesmans hands who fail to look for all other possible sources of moisture before considering DPC injection.

Suggesting that the meters always give a high reading when used on plaster is simply not true as photos shown here will confirm

http://www.independentdampsurveyors.co.uk/gallery

muskoka

I would seriously pay up & get an independant damp specialist in. I just bought a place that surveyor was concerned about damp. I got a specailist in- cost me £144 & he identified no damp, only condensation. House been empty, no heating, etc, etc so very similar. HOWEVER, we did find woodworm & live woodworm. Damp/woodworm specialist really helped us by giving us some & selling us some woodworm treatment & we've done it ourselves & know we've done a good job with suitable safety gear on. Very happy with house - still not moved in - way to much to work to do still.