Rotten joists not identified on survey.

nomi01

Recently purchased our first home.
We had the homestart survey done which said some dampness to wall.
Had damp specialist go in and assess/quote for work needed. All done before exchanging contract.
Some damp identified on second survey, partial damp course recommended.
So, went ahead with purchase and work for damp course completed. Whilst doing it they found that the joists were rotten and need replacing.
When I asked why this wasn't identified previously, I was told the survey would not have picked it up.
Have to have the work done as floor is unsafe, I wondered if there is any comeback on the company that completed the damp survey.
Thanks in advance

brightontraveller

nomi01 wrote: »

Recently purchased our first home.
We had the homestart survey done which said some dampness to wall.
Had damp specialist go in and assess/quote for work needed. All done before exchanging contract.
Some damp identified on second survey, partial damp course recommended.
So, went ahead with purchase and work for damp course completed. Whilst doing it they found that the joists were rotten and need replacing.
When I asked why this wasn't identified previously, I was told the survey would not have picked it up.
Have to have the work done as floor is unsafe, I wondered if there is any comeback on the company that completed the damp survey.
Thanks in advance

Survey whats covered etc normally all in there T and C,s my suspicion would be no and that there milking the situation thats not too say they are not rotten just that there like many "Damp Specialists " ignore the obvious do the bare minimum if more's needed tell client at completion of each job rather than investigate further at the start , Get them to quote but get other also

peter_the_piper

Considering it was walls with damp would it not have been sensible to query the possibility of wood rot at the same time? Wood does rot in damp conditions. I'm nnot saying the OP should have done this but the damp people.

tonyh66

the floors would have still been down, the OP had not exchanged on the property, so the survey could not have pulled the floor up to see the rotten joists, the survey would have consisted of him going round sticking a damp meter into walls and taking a reading, thats it.

Keriou

Damp 'specialists' are not specialists as anyone would understand the term. They have done a 3 day course and are purely salesmen on behalf of chemical producers. If you want a building surveyed, speak to a building surveyor. The damp industry is rotten to its core.......
In a building survey, lots of evidence is gathered from external and internal conditions which indicate potential problems. At no time should a damp-proofing company be suggested as the remedy.