Damp - vendor/buyer survey

Doozergirl

The grey line with the pebbles does look like the DPC. The pebbles should be two courses of brick below. It's not a major issue there - they've made some effort.

The rendering on the other wall could be likely to be a problem though.

Someone's also repointed with a very cementous mix, which can affect how the wall breathes.

Are there actually any visible/sniffable signs of damp inside?

BeattieOG

Doozergirl wrote: »

The grey line with the pebbles does look like the DPC. The pebbles should be two courses of brick below. It's not a major issue there - they've made some effort.

The rendering on the other wall could be likely to be a problem though.

Someone's also repointed with a very cementous mix, which can affect how the wall breathes.

Are there actually any visible/sniffable signs of damp inside?

So helpful, thank you. Can dig out below the DPC.
The rendering I think was done to manage the damp (I'm guessing as it's a solid wall)

Nope, no visible/sniffable signs of damp! Buyer panicking because surveyor said there were huge amounts of moisture in the walls

Smodlet

I am no expert and Doozergirl is but even I heard alarm bells as soon as I saw that render. I also think some repointing might be an idea. Wiser heads will be along to advise on that too, I'm sure.

Doozergirl

BeattieOG wrote: »

So helpful, thank you. Can dig out below the DPC.
The rendering I think was done to manage the damp (I'm guessing as it's a solid wall)

Nope, no visible/sniffable signs of damp! Buyer panicking because surveyor said there were huge amounts of moisture in the walls

It's a bit weird because people did render to avoid damp, but it can make it worse.

This is the problem. We can chat all day about there not being a problem - which I actually believe looking at those walls - most houses have some form of breach, or close to it. Your buyers are something else. People can get panicky about something that isn't even visible.

I cannot catch my breath at the way that damp is diagnosed with no real evidence, and even worse, that surveyors recommend DPC injections in their reports when, in the same report they're stating the potential cause! They perpetuate the entire industry of people who know far less than the surveyors, even, and cause problems where there weren't any, and cover up genuine issues on the inside, when the problems are still apparent outside.

I've just worked on a house where a patio had been built up with dirt underneath, no less than 5 courses above the damp proof course! They'd injected a new one above it, but what's that going to do?! It was tracking through the floors of half the house - and it was a big house! And the damp was above the 1 metre line of their waterproof render. It just continues to do damage, but hidden for a bit. :mad:

BeattieOG

Doozergirl wrote: »

It's a bit weird because people did render to avoid damp, but it can make it worse.

Smodlet wrote: »

I am no expert and Doozergirl is but even I heard alarm bells as soon as I saw that render. I also think some repointing might be an idea. Wiser heads will be along to advise on that too, I'm sure.

Thank you both so much for all your time and advice. The whole industry like you say Doozergirl is a head scratcher, and I think our buyer is not v experienced and just buying into the jargon.
We'll see what we can do to remedy but wait to see if he wants to get in an additional independent surveyor.

Thank you all! Will update if anything useful to add for future readers

Albala

Doozergirl and anyone else interested, an update -now we have the house, and we have had electricians knocking plaster off everwhere and going under the floors, we've looked under the floors and at the floorboards. No damp so far, just a *tiny* bit of rot on the end of one or two sub-sub floor beams sitting directly on the internal brick walls running under the house, and that's well inside the outer walls, so nothing to do with the DPC. Doesn't go up into the joists, as there is slate between.

It's becoming more likely that the cause of the damp was largely condensation due to lack of ventilation, possibly plus the idiocy of painting the bricks outside, and some old repointing here and there with what I think was the wrong sort of mortar. So much for ten-grand plus of DPC and entirely the wrong sort of plastering being necessary.....
With good ventilation, the house is drying out nicely already.



(The suspected 'dot-and-dab' wall turned out to be plasterboard rammed hard against the inner brick leaf - the brick behind is dry, well, where the electricians have been, anyway. We will probably have that taken off and replastered later with plasterboard + insulation, but no rush for that.)

BeattieOG

Just came back to update for any future readers!

After many threats, buyer eventually agreed to us paying half for an independent damp survey. Surveyor was really good and said all the things you all said :T: rotfl:
So basically :
- 'damp proofing' plaster which isn't allowing walls to breathe and need to be replastered in the lime stuff
- DPC bridged as external ground level too high (even though we've dug out 2 levels below the DPC now); he's recommending a French drain with the caveats of hey, might cause subsidence
- better ventilation (no extractor fans)

Approx cost of it all 4500.... So next stand off is the buyer asking for that off the cost and us figuring out whether we can/should do that :think:

Doozergirl

Thanks both for coming back to us