How Bad Is This Damp Problem ?

thequant

Just before Xmas I had the survey back on the house I am buying which read like a horror story, basically it sounded like the house was about to fall down and there was a massive damp problem.


Fortunately over xmas I was able to speak to my sister I law who works in a surveyors, she was able to reassure me that most surveys read like this and they always flag up damp in form or another.


She said in all likelihood I probably had nothing to worry about, however I was told to check if the damp which is external to building had gone green or had moss growing on the outside. As this would indicate a long standing damp problem in which there would be potential for structural damage.


I checked the outside of the building today and there are indeed several patches of damp, all of which are a dark green with moss growing in between the brickwork. most of the cement in these areas has rotted away.


On one section of the wall which I was able to access the bricks they are all cracked, rotted and crumbling away. One brick which I opened up revealed a nest of slugs living inside the brick!


How bad is this ? Is it even worth paying for a structural survey or should I just walk away ?

G_M

Well it's not a good sign - but the question I'd ask is why is the brickwork so damp?

* How high from the ground is this?
* Is there a drainpipe nearby? Cracked/leaking?
* Or an internal leaking pipe?
* if near roof, is the gutter blocked/overflowing?
* is there anything piled against the wall breacing the damp-proof course? Soil? A raised path/drive?

In dealing with the problem:
1) how extensive is it? A few bricks in width/height? Or much greater?
2) simply replacing a couple of worn bricks and re-pointing (new cement in the joints) is a very easy/cheap job but
3) you have to identify/cure the cause - this too may be obvious/easy..... or may be a bigger problem

I_have_spoken

Walk away _pale_

thequant

G_M wrote: »

Well it's not a good sign - but the question I'd ask is why is the brickwork so damp?

* How high from the ground is this?
* Is there a drainpipe nearby? Cracked/leaking?
* Or an internal leaking pipe?
* if near roof, is the gutter blocked/overflowing?
* is there anything piled against the wall breacing the damp-proof course? Soil? A raised path/drive?

In dealing with the problem:
1) how extensive is it? A few bricks in width/height? Or much greater?
2) simply replacing a couple of worn bricks and re-pointing (new cement in the joints) is a very easy/cheap job but
3) you have to identify/cure the cause - this too may be obvious/easy..... or may be a bigger problem

I'm near 100% certain that it's due to run off from the flat roof however it looks like this has been going on a long time.


There several areas in this state of repair, the largest is approx. 3m x 1m spanning the 1st and second floors.

moneybags_3

I bought my house 8 years ago and I discovered damp in the kitchen - it had not been mentioned in the survey. I had to get damp proofing carried out in my very small galley type kitchen which cost me £2000. If you have plenty of money to sort the problems and you really want the house, then do ahead and buy it - but if it was me I'd look for another house.

G_M

thequant wrote: »

I'm near 100% certain that it's due to run off from the flat roof however it looks like this has been going on a long time.


There several areas in this state of repair, the largest is approx. 3m x 1m spanning the 1st and second floors.

In that case it' probobly a simple matter of guttering to capture the run-off and direct it down a drain. That cures the cause.

Then you just have to repair the damaged brickwork.