Damp Proof Course

nataliek5

Hello,

My partner and I are in the process of buying our first home. We have been advised that the house contains some damp and would need to be rectified before the mortgage will be issued to us.

We have had a survey done on the damp and received the following info:


Readings indicated that the listed walls tested had a highmoisture content, in our opinion and at the time of inspection these areas weresuffering the affects of rising damp.

All directions are as viewed from the front.

1. Front wall to the front lounge
2. Right side wall to the front lounge
3. Rear wall to the front lounge.
4. Right side wall to the rear lounge
5. Left side wall to the rear lounge.
6. Rear wall to the rear lounge.

The above defects can be rectified with the follow process:-

1. Remove skirtings
2. Hack of plaster to300mm above the last indication of damp
3. Drill and injectnew chemical damp proof course
4. Re-plaster in sandand cement incorporating a suitable waterproofing agent.
5. Supply and fit newtreated softwood skirtings as necessary.
6. Skim finish.

Estimated cost to carry out the abovework.......................£1995.00

Now, we already planned to remove the skirtings and replaster everywhere. My partner is a qualified plasterer.

Just wondering if you think we could do the works ourselves? And how much should a chemical damp proof course cost? Or would we need a professional to do this?

(Sorry I am completely naive to what most of this means so forgive me if I am misunderstanding anything)

Any advice would be great!

Thanks in advance

Doozergirl

Can you see evidence of damp in the house?

Thee are many reasons for higher moisture readings in a house and rising damp is only one. If you employ someone who sells DPCs to look at the walls, what donyou think they will recommend?

But of course you can do the majority yourselves and ask someone to simply inject, but I don't believe it. In order for there to be damp, there has to be a reason. Find the reason and fix it, then there is no need for an injection to stop it rising.

If there is no clear visible, sniffable(!) evidence of it, it is not rising damp.

nataliek5

Thanks for your reply. & I completely understand your reasonings.

Would you therefore recommend another survey for a second opinion?

The bank has asked for a survey to be done and all necessary works completed... So I don't think we could get away with saying that "there is no clear visible, sniffable(!) evidence of it".... What do you think?

Doozergirl

I don't think they check that the work has been done if they don't hold a retention.

I'd recommend actually living in the house for a while and seeing how it behaves before you start spending. Sticking two prongs in the wall to measure electrical conductivity does not prove the presence of rising damp. Employing. Damp specialist will only end in one recommendation.

nataliek5

Also, to reply to your question...

We have seen a slight evidence of damp but this is only in one area and appears to have been due to a leak somewhere, which has been fixed. There is a slight bit of damage to wallpaper etc and a little rot on the skirting board below.

No smell or evidence of damp on the lower walls as indicated in the survey letter.....

System

Doozergirl wrote: »

I don't think they check that the work has been done if they don't hold a retention.

I'd recommend actually living in the house for a while and seeing how it behaves before you start spending. Sticking two prongs in the wall to measure electrical conductivity does not prove the presence of rising damp. Employing. Damp specialist will only end in one recommendation.

be difficult to live in it when the bank won't lend on it surely?
although op, you need to find out what the deal is with the bank, is there any retention etc? could you get another survey carried out for a different opinion? (the lender would have to tell you this)
Who told you the mortgage wouldn't be issued?

Doozergirl

I think the OP needs to clarify, but something as vague as a meter reading wouldn't usually prevent the mortgage being issued at all. If they won't, then this is very much the vendor's problem, not the OP.

Usually it's put in as a condition, possibly with a retention, but from my experience it's just a condition that it's sorted after completion. In which case, they never check.

If prepared to damage plaster a little bit, I would hack back a small area past the skim and retest with the meter to see if the building fabric is conducting electricity.

If it's not visible other than where there was penetrating damp (for whicha DPC would be useless) then I'd be looking for cause of a bit of condensation, perhaps. Empty house, solid walls, no insulation, blocked air bricks if there's a sub floor.

TheCyclingProgrammer

If you want a second opinion, get one from somebody who's opinion is worth something - you'll need to pay an independent damp surveyor rather than a DPC salesman (which is all these free surveys really are - sales pitches).

Search online and on here and you'll find its a familiar story...some signs of some dampness (could be a number of things), surveyor recommends damp survey, "free" survey arranged and DPC salesman diagnoses "rising damp" (which some experts don't even think is a genuine phenomenon, certainly not the extent its diagnosed) and gives you an extortionate quote for injecting a DPC when the existing one (if there is one) is probably fine.

Obvious things to check are: high ground levels outside the property (patios, paths etc.) built up to the existing level of the DPC which could be causing bridging (the ground should be two courses below DPC level), leaking drainpipes or other damage that could be causing penetrating damp and how well ventilated the room is (a lack of could be an indicator of condensation issues).

When we had a quote from one of these damp conmen, the most expensive part was the re-plastering - something like £400 to replaster about a metre squared of wall!

Obviously if the work DOES need doing, your partner should be more than capable of doing the re-plastering himself but be warned that they usually recommend you leave it several months before you redecorate.

nataliek5

Thanks so much for all the replies, really appreciated.

To clarify on a few points -
When we applied for the mortgage we had a Home Buyers Report done which noted some damp. (This was in the kitchen ceiling - the surveyor stated that it appeared to be old damp, and that the cause seemed to have been fixed, although he recommended having a specialist damp survey).
When we received our mortgage offer from the bank, there was a section which stated that the solicitors must do local searches, etc (as usual) and that we must have a damp specialist report done and that all neccessary works to be carried out. - I understood from this that we must resolve any issues before the bank would be willing to send any money?

I have contacted my solicitor who said I should send the report to the bank and ask how they would like us to proceed.

Any further advice??

nataliek5

The cyclingprogrammer - why would we be asked to wait months before redecorating???

TheCyclingProgrammer

nataliek5 wrote: »

The cyclingprogrammer - why would we be asked to wait months before redecorating???

To let it dry.

http://dampdecay.co.uk/index.php/your-questions-answered/60-damp-plaster

Rather than sending your lender the free survey results, you may want to consider paying for a specialist survey from an independent damp surveyor who isn't trying to sell you something and then sending THAT instead. It might cost you £200-300 up front but might save you a fortune in the long run.