Damp patches on concrete floor

Horizon81

As a FTB, I viewed a bungalow at the weekend, about 10 years old, looked in good order as you'd expect, but had been sitting empty for about a year.

Anyway, in a couple of the cupboards (side by side, accessed in different rooms) I spotted damp patches on the bare concrete floor. They weren't soaking wet, just slightly damp looking and felt a bit colder to the touch. Could it be something as inncoent as condensation or may there be damp under the bungalow? On such a new build I wouldn't expect the DPC to fail.

The rest of the building was carpeted or had laminate floor down so it was impossible to check anywhere else.

pararct

Doubt it's condensation if the place is empty and presumably not heated (or on a low setting).
Interior condensation is caused by persons living there and their washing, cooking breathing etc.

If you are considering buying it instruct your surveyor to examine the issue in detail..

alanmilstein

The best advice has to be to get an independent survey through a surveyor who is a member of an organisation such as the RPSA (Residential Property Surveyors Association).
The few hundred pounds spent on a thorough full survey will more than likely highlight any significant issues of the sort you mention, and any good surveyor should be able to give you a pretty good idea of what's going on.
Without seeing the damage and without being able to look at other aspects of the property it's impossible to diagnose where the wet patches are coming from. It could even be the roof above?
A survey should help to identify this and other defects that can, even in a 10 year old property, be quite significant.

DVardysShadow

If it has been sitting empty, it will still be cold from the winter and I would not be totally surprised at a little condensation on concerte in cupboards

crazybass

alanmilstein wrote: »

The best advice has to be to get an independent survey through a surveyor who is a member of an organisation such as the RPSA (Residential Property Surveyors Association)

I had a couple of these guys round, all said condensation and gave me remedies. none of them actually wanted to find the cause after that.

Maybe it was because the last thing they wanted to do was clear out the cavities.. 4" of solid crap in them.

luckily a builder friend knew what he was talking about when it comes to 1970's properties. cavities sorted and new DPC in place. Fingers crossed I will not need to redecorate in a hurry again!!!!