House repairs and maintenance - how to prioritise and get things done!

hatt55

I have a small terraced house. When I bought it it was in reasonably good shape, although hadn't been recently gutted or anything like that.

I have realised that I have a problem with being overwhelmed by how to approach repairs and maintenance, to the point where I just don't get things done. I need to change this because I know that I longer I don't fix things, the more expensive it will be in the long run. But I still can't do it.

This is my first home and I am not DIY minded. I have difficultly making decisions in general, so when faced with three different quotes about a thing, all saying that the problem is different, I end up just not getting anything done. I don't really know many people who work as builders etc. who could advise me and because I am the homeowner it is ultimately me that has to make the decision about anything,

For example, the back of the house has some damp issues (as I understand many terraces of this age do!). The garden is concreted over and a few tradespeople have suggested that taking up the concrete and installing french drains/aco drains could be a good first step. I've even had a quote for french drains. But now i'm getting myself tied up in knots - will installing french drains undermine the foundations of the house? Would a landscape gardener know about house foundations anyway? What if they damage the sewer pipe? Should I get a general builder instead and get more stuff fixed in one go? What is I spend all this money and it doesn't solve the problem? I end up with all of these questions and talk myself out of doing anything, even though I know that something needs to be done.

So this isn't really a post about a specific DIY or home issue - its asking whether anyone has any advice on how to get over these challenges that I'm having. How do I approach all these little things that need doing and prioritise work? I made what I think was a good first step in booking an independent damp surveyor to come in, but that only relates to the damp issues. 

Any suggestions would be great. I really want to make some progress but I'm struggling with where to start!

mebu60

Are you able to obtain any personal recommendations for a trustworthy and competent local general handyman/person? They could assist assist with prioritising and doing some of the more necessary tasks. If it's something that will require regular maintenance or likely to need doing again or elsewhere, ask them to show you what they do. I did that at my first house several decades ago. I also did it again the other year when a chap was sorting out a window. 

Hopefully the damp surveyor will provide you with a suitable steer on next steps for the damp. 

Ambyth

Hi Hatt,
Your first few paragraphs sound very similar to me when I bought my home, so I had to comment 

I can't give advice to your building queries (still asking the same myself!) and I'm sure someone else more capable will leave some helpful advice.  Though the first contractor I got out was for damp as well - his suggestions did help ease the damp/cold issue - my back yard is on a slight slope (towards the house) and was patio paved right up to the house.  He removed the row running along the house as they were causing the water to pool against the house and drain away too slowly.  Then he dug a little trench, lined with membrane and filed with gravel.  Seems to have worked - I don't have pooling water anymore.

Rooting for you as I know it is so stressful buying that first home!  Good luck 

FreeBear

mebu60 said: Hopefully the damp surveyor will provide you with a suitable steer on next steps for the damp. 

If he, or anyone else suggests chemical injection DPC and waterproof plaster/render (tanking) on the inside, give them a swift kick up the backside and have nothing further to do with them. Cutting away the concrete up against the house and creating a gravel filled trench (say 200mm wide by 150mm deep) is a good idea. Most builders will turn down the job as being too small, so a decent handyman should be able to do it.

You do need to be careful not to get a charlatan - The latest clown to pay me a visit under the pretext of doing a thermographic survey went up in to my loft and claimed he could put his hand down in to the cavity. Praise be the Lord, a bluddy miracle worker !!!

Solid 9½" brick walls up there, and no cavity. He refused to believe me, and then started on a sales pitch for spray foam insulation. At which point, he was invited to leave by the most direct route, if necessary, aided by a well placed boot.

markin

Thanks to forums you have loads of experienced people to lean on.


The are many doubts about injected damp courses working but some mortgage provides will insist on it being done if it comes up in a survey when buying.

hatt55

Thanks for the replies. Its an odd thing for this to feel like a burden - I know that I'm privileged in being able to own a house, but this just isn't something I really gave any thought to and I didn't realise how difficult I would find it.

To answer a few of the specific questions. I picked an independent damp surveyor in the hope that they didn't just try and sell me a chemical DPC. I think the issues are more complicated than that and having done some research I'm not sold on that being the answer. Though it does confuse me a little bit that some old houses did have some form of DPC, so reinstating it (if necessary) makes some kind of sense.

I don't have a handyperson that I've used, but it would be a good idea to find one and see if they would be able to teach me some stuff along the way. 

Since posting this I've also been in touch with a friend who has offered to try and work through a list of things and help help work out a plan of action. They are also not a DIY expert, but maybe just having someone else to talk it through with and help with the decision making will be good!

FreeBear

hatt55 said: Though it does confuse me a little bit that some old houses did have some form of DPC, so reinstating it (if necessary) makes some kind of sense.

The Victorians would typically use slate or a hard engineering brick as a DPC - These do not fail in the way some of those damp "experts" would have you believe. yes, you might get a crack or two which may lead to a thin finger of damp forming above, but no along the entire wall.

Later on, bitumastic (either felt or poured) would be used, and very occasionally, you might find a thin sheet of lead. More recently, plastics have replaced the traditional materials. Again, none of them will "fail" along the entire length of the wall. A build up of exterior ground levels that breach the DPC is far more likely as the cause of damp in older properties.

Green_hopeful

There is a helpful group on Facebook where you can ask for recommendations as to work and what is best to do. They will give advice on what not to do. https://www.facebook.com/groups/1023449561785486/ You will have to join to see the posts. They like photos of the problem. Sometimes they can recommend contractors.