Thinking of buying but HR indicates "tide mark" (alarm bells?)

Lily73

Hi

We are thinking of buying a property but the Home Report indicates:

There is dampness affecting the lower wall areas. A tidemark is also visible at some locations

Googling this and tidemark could indicate rising damp? It says that it is only the lower walls in the hallway. It is an end terrace house and it is inside where the external wall is at the end (if that makes sense).

I always had the impression that rising damp is really expensive to treat so I am wondering if we should just forget it.

Thanks

Voyager2002

What I would do is get a quote from a company that specialises in dealing with damp. Then seek to re-negotiate the price, and see what happens.

Leif

You could get an independent damp specialist to examine the walls, and find out what is the cause of the damp and the marks. I would avoid a damp proofing company as they have a vested interest in selling you a product. Alternatively use the HBR to negotiate a cut in the price. A friend did just that, and got a few thousand off. I assume you have had an offer accepted on the house.

cootuk

Depending on contruction I would also try to look in the cellar/underfloor cavity to see what's under there.

murphydog999

Check where your water pipes are, it may not be damp at all, but a slowly leaking pipe. That's what we found - it was an old lead pipe that over time was slowly leaking along the outside wall. We were changing to our own supply anyway, so sealed it and created a new line - damp problem cured.

keystone

I'm more getting alarm bells that you are actually believing what the homebuyers report says. They are not worth the paper they are printed on as they are usually so full of CYA stuff as to render them utterly useless.

Rising damp is one of the most commonly misdiagnosed things there is. It may not have been rising damp at all, whatever it was may have been cured eons ago and whoever had the house was just shoddy at decorating.

If you are concerned get an independent damp surveyor in to tell you the true story.

Cheers

Lily73

Thanks everyone......I think an expert opinion would be wise.

We haven't put an offer in for the property as I wanted to be sure we weren't taking something on that is just going to cost us a fortune to fix in the first place. It is on at a really good price, it does need gutted from top to bottom but that doesn't bother us but I wondered if perhaps the mention of damp is making others give it a wide berth or just the amount of work that needs done on it. Like I say new heating, windows etc doesn't phase us but the mention of damp does scare me a little.

Thanks everyone again for your responses it is appreciated.

themull1

I personally wouldnt touch it, i'm far too cautious!!

Lily73

Themull1 that's what I am thinking i.e. should I just forget it!! I don't want to take something on that could end up being a nightmare. Mmmmm decisions......

gasmanmartin

walk away....

It could be an easy fix but you're going to have to shell out to find out what the problem is in the first place and damp can be a nightmare