Work needed prior to purchase

Keezing

That's bad luck Thrugelmir.

I hope you've had the 'rising damp' properly investigated and diagnosed.

I know very experienced surveyors that would LOVE to see a real-life genuine example of 'rising damp'. They doubt they'll ever see one.

Keezing

So you've gone from saying it's "extremely common" to quoting an article that states it's "incredibly rare".

Now you're just confusing me. :-)

SG27

Don't let the vendor do it. They may just bodge it on the cheap just get the sale through. Aak for price reduction and do it yourself properly after.

Whistler23

I'm buying a house where a damp company quotes £12,000 to sort it. I said balls to that, got a specialist damp and timber report done. The only thing he agreed with was some new air bricks possibly.

All it actually will be is about 3ft of joist, 4 floor boards, 2ft of skirting board. Get the heating on and have windows open. One wall needs re-plastering but we are knocking that down anyway.

You could ask, but I'd be looking at getting a specialist surveyer in as it probably isn't the work you're thinking it needs.

Search on here for damp, there is a website something like independentdampsurvey.co.uk and I found mine on there. Cost £250, and potentially saved about £10,000.

Glad the cowboys asked so much, this was a quote from the previous buyer who we lost out to. They wanted all the money off. The vendor said half, the buyer pulled out. We made a bid which was accepted, and it was lower than the previous price sold, so happy days!

Nichola231

It was a damp specialist that done the survey and report for me.

At the moment I'm weighing up the options. Nearly all the houses within budget will require work. Just trying to figure out what I'm willing to put up with.

Keezing

Is the "damp specialist" the same company that has provided the quote for the remedial work and will do the work?

Nichola231

Yeah it is

Keezing

Nichola231 wrote: »

Yeah it is

A reason to be cautious about the credibility of the report.

Is there any chance you could share the relevant parts of the report with us? A photo would be sufficient or if it's digital you can use the snipping tool to cut out the relevant part.

I've read so many of these reports and they are almost always exaggerated or include non-committal phrasings such as "the inherent design of the property MAY create a susceptibility to damp" and of course they go on to recommend a chemical damp proof course at a cost of thousands of pounds.

Here's a classic from the last report I have in my inbox:

---

- The Problem -
High path levels noted can contribute to bridging of the DPC. Ground and path levels must have an adequate clearance of 150mm from the damp proof course. Levels were seen to exceed this height to various areas.

- Their Solution-
Installation of a chemical damp proof course to affected walls to give 25-year manufacturer product guarantee.

---

They didn't find ANY "affected" walls, yet they made this shocking recommendation at a cost of £3k.

Whistler23

Re-ready post above and get an independent survey done. Not one where someone will do the work for you, or 'sell'you their services.

The one I had done said there was no damp proof course....there is one, clear as day.