how do I find a good damp specialist

dad62

noelphobic wrote: »

They both just said that they don't do jobs involving concrete flooring at all.

I have now had 2 people in to have a look and have had a price off one, awaiting one from the other one. The first guy seems to be advocating more radical work than the 2nd one but I haven't got anything in writing from either of them. They seemed to agree that there is a problem with the damp proof course in the dining room but differed in their opinion on what was going on in the kitchen. The 2nd one thought it was condensation but I can't see how it is. I have the windows open all the time when I am home and the dehumidifier on when I am out.

Someone suggested getting in touch with a PCA approved surveyor and I am coming round to that idea but there doesn't seem to be any in my area - although the PCA website isn't the best so I could be wrong. I asked for people/companies in the North West and they gave me details from all over the UK!

There is no point getting quotes for work until you know exactly what is causing the damp. A PCA Surveyor is a good option. I have to say I agree with you about the difficulty in using the PCA website and also find it annoying that they won't give out names of contractors or surveyors when you phone them (directing you instead to their useless website)

noelphobic

dad62 wrote: »

There is no point getting quotes for work until you know exactly what is causing the damp. A PCA Surveyor is a good option. I have to say I agree with you about the difficulty in using the PCA website and also find it annoying that they won't give out names of contractors or surveyors when you phone them (directing you instead to their useless website)

I will have another look at their website but couldn't find any independent websites within a reasonable travelling distance when I looked.

I think that it is a combination of rising damp and penetrating damp in the dining room and 'just' penetrating damp in the kitchen. I just don't see it being condensation at all in the kitchen, although I think the guy who said it was genuinely thinks it is. If he was in any way dishonest I am sure he would have said it was rising damp as there is more money to be made that way!

abankerbutnotafatcat

What about this one?

http://www.dampandtimbersurveys-csrt.com/

noelphobic

I think I did look at that one but was hoping for someone a bit nearer. I may give them a ring though.

The first firm that came out says in their advert that they have a CSRT surveyor. I know that obviously they would still have a vested interest in getting the work. Do you know if there is any way of checking if someone really does have the CSRT qualification?

dad62

If you email the PCA at [EMAIL="pca@property-care.org"]pca@property-care.org[/EMAIL] they will be able to tell you if someone has a genuine CSRT qualification.

oneburge

Have a read of Jeff's website, and some of the answers he has to other questions --> Link

Also provides damp specialists he recommends. Whatever you do don't let a company quote for a chemical damp proof course; it'll be a waste of time.

sasha.p

if your willing to try and seal it yourself you can buy silicone based sealant from b and q or online on e bay you drill holes into the wall and inject it into the cavity the silicone and moisture gets sucked through the walls cement and any porous surface where the damp usually spreads through and leaves the salt residue we live in an old cottage that has no damp proof membrane etc and its worked for us im not expert infact im a tree surgeon so nothing to do with the building trade but allow enough time for it to dry out before re plastering etc the silicone sets and creates an impenetrable barrier against the damp coming though,we have tried everything we dry lined our bathroom that worked well under the tiles they have been up now for 7 years no problems there but our hallway we have treated with the silicone against rising damp there are loads of methods apparently you can get like a bubble wrap product that dry lines the walls too and gets plastered over but mostly costly in comparision to the injection method good luck in finding a solution

dad62

oneburge wrote: »

Have a read of Jeff's website, and some of the answers he has to other questions -->

Also provides damp specialists he recommends. Whatever you do don't let a company quote for a chemical damp proof course; it'll be a waste of time.

Jeff Howell has some strong views on the subject of dampness. However his views on rising damp are at odds with the laws of physics and his book contains some terrible calculation errors as well as some stories that many people find hard to believe (e.g the one about successfully transporting a piece of Victorian masonry the size of a door across London and into his laboratory - which was in a basement - without breaking it in order to try and see if damp would rise through it). Rising damp is generally over-diagnosed, but to claim that it doesn't exist is ridiculous as any physicist will tell you.

noelphobic

dad62 wrote: »

If you email the PCA at [EMAIL="pca@property-care.org"]pca@property-care.org[/EMAIL] they will be able to tell you if someone has a genuine CSRT qualification.

I've now had a written estimate bearing the PCA logo. I checked on their website and could not find any trace of this person or company. I emailed the PCA and they said this company is NOT registered with them. They didn't say whether he does have a CSRT qualification so I have emailed again to ask them that. I very much doubt that I will use him now though, so back to the drawing board!

dad62

Sadly there are always people who will try and pass themselves off as accredited members of trade associations. Always check with the trade association in question. I would definitely not deal with anyone who tried to mislead me in this way.