Damp works

lauraland

Hi,

I have some penetrating damp coming through onto one of the walls in my living room. The remedy is to remove the old plaster, apply a waterproof sand cement mixture, followed by a skim coat. The radiator needs to be taken off and reattached once work is complete, plus new skirting to be installed.

The wall area is roughly 13m2. I have been quoted £1400 for this work, not including removal of rubble. It seems very high too me, more than what I was expecting but I don't have a clue if this is the going.

Has anyone had similar work done and what did you pay?

FreeBear

First, a couple of questions...

Does this wall have a cavity or is it a solid brick wall (the age of the building may give a clue).

Was this work recommended after having a "free" damp survey ?

If this damp is coming through a cavity wall, then a waterproof render & plaster is not the answer - A brick or two needs to be removed to investigate the cavity and see if it has a build up of debris bridging the gap.

Should this be an old property with solid brick walls, the proposed "fix" will just push the damp elsewhere and cause further problems down the line. Lime plaster will go some way in helping to control the damp.

In either case, you would be better off investigating the root cause of the problem - External ground level above the damp proof course, a dripping gutter, damaged drain, or a leaking pipe are the likely culprits.

lauraland

Hi,

Its a solid brick wall, with pebble dash render. The render itself is well stuck on, although there are some very fine hairline cracks which we think is where the water is ingressing. The plan is to tackle it from inside first with the sand cement mix and also fill these cracks and paint the exterior to stop water getting in.

3 different buiders have recommended this course of action, I haven't involved any damp proofing companies. I know it is definately not rising damp so a dpc would be useless. I'm grateful for any other suggestions as I want this problem fixed, preferably a fix that doesn't cost an arm,a leg and a kidney! :rotfl:

ETA: The quote is for the internal work only

lauraland

Anyone had similar plastering work done?