Who do you call to check damp problem?

curiosity101

We have a problem on our exterior kitchen wall. We reckon its penetrating damp but want a professional opinion.

What trade do we call to come and look at it?

Is it something where we'd pay for someone to diagnose it and then hire someone else to fix it or does it tend to be an all in one kind of thing?

suisidevw

A damp specialist who DOESN'T have a vested interest in it being 'rising damp' and then getting the work or passing it to a mate.....

curiosity101

That's kind of what I expected. Do they have a particular name or is it just 'damp specialist' ?

suisidevw

Damp Surveyor I believe....

spannerzone

If you haven't already done so, you can do some checks yourself such as check the ground level isn't above the damp proof course bridging it with soil. Leaking roof, chimney flashing, gutters allowing rain to splash down the wall, water dripping off gutter/roof onto concrete and splashing up against the wall, broken drains, exterior brick/motar damage or wear.

If it's damp in a kitchen it can be due to poor ventilation (no extrator fan), drying clothes indoors, leaking pipes indoors etc. cooking, breathing humans all add moisture into the air all possibly causing damp/mould etc.

http://www.heritage-house.org/managing-damp-in-old-buildings.html is worth a read.

tizerbelle

You can search for independent damp surveyors here:
http://www.property-care.org/PCSearch.asp

You need an independent surveyor as they aren't linked to a damp contractor so are likely to not only get an honest appraisal of the issue but may well (depending on the issue) advise how it can be fixed by yourself without needing to hire a contractor. At worst, you will know what to get a contractor in to quote for and avoid them increasing the scope of necessary works to line their pockets

curiosity101

We have checked ourselves.

When we moved in a year ago there was a patio that had been built right up to the exterior wall and above the damp proof course.
Our first thought was that all of the damp problems were probably stemming from that so one of the first things we did was bring the ground level right down to it's original level.

A year on we still have damp, and some patches are as high as 1m above the DPC.

So we had another look outside a few weeks ago, and on inspecting closer quite a number of bricks have broken facias - and this corresponds nicely with the higher patches of damp... plus the previous owners seem to have painted them with a red brick exterior paint (presumably in an attempt to fix the problem...)

Also there is a clear line of significantly worse damp from the DPC level + 4" or so.

Our conclusion is that the DPC is shot and that the exerior of the house could do with sealing with something like storm dry. Oh and a bit of repointing certaining wouldn't hurt in some places.

We've booked in with a damp proof specialist company (for an assessment and quote) and also with an independent surveyor. We'll be letting the company know we're getting an independent surveyor in as an incentive to tell us straight. If there advice and quote isn't for 'similar' work to the independent surveyor then we wont be using there services.

Swanlander

Let us know how you get on.

curiosity101

Well the damp proof specialist company person arrived today. His assessment was that it's because our pointing is really bad and the kitchen windows arent fitted quite right. He reckons that if we got that redone, stripped the affected plaster and get the windows replaced then replaster with 'damp proof plaster' then we'll be fine. Out of the 3 things he suggested he can supply the damp proof plaster.

I'll be interested to see what the surveyor says cause the idea of damp proof plaster makes me laugh... surely you should let the wall dry and then just use normal plaster once it's dry...

andydiysaver

yeah, specialist surveyor who is not connected to any "fix it " solutions, get an independent then fix it yourself depending on outcome. usually even if you have to sub out the work if you organise it not one of these companies, you're still up on the cash.