Damp survey- need basic info please

velvetti

Hi All,
 I’m buying a house and had a full structural survey done, which identified the need for a damp survey. I’ve got some questions regarding damp survey:
1) Should I be present during the survey? The seller are reluctant to let me in during survey ( they have been fine during two viewings though). I just want to make sure they check everything instead of just saying “oh we couldn’t check this wall due to furniture” etc, because the structural surveyor did say things like that and I’m not happy about that. Tell me if it’s unreasonable of me to want to be present there.

2) I’ve read in many MSE posts that say that damp survey should be done by “independent “ companies and not by those trying to sell a damp proofing course etc. The company I’ve hired are damp proofing and remediation specialists (“Able Damp &Preservation Specialists”, Bournemouth). Is this the right kind of specialist?

Thanks in advance for your help 

cymruchris

It's not normal for a buyer to be hanging around and trying to sway the surveyor when completing a professional report. So for that part of the question - generally no you wouldn't be present. You'd be paying a professional to complete the job on your behalf. You could ask them beforehand would they do X and would they do Y to make sure the things you wanted to be looked at were looked at.

I can't comment on your choice of provider - but have you researched their feedback? There may of course be multpiple fake reviews - but at least if there's a long list of feedback over several years, you're likely on the right track.

the_lunatic_is_in_my_head

velvetti said:

 The company I’ve hired are damp proofing and remediation specialists (“Able Damp &Preservation Specialists”, Bournemouth). Is this the right kind of specialist?

They'll find damp, suggest you inject some useless cemicals in the walls, hack off all the plaster and use different plaster instead. It will cost a fortune and do little, if anything, to stop damp (other than hide it for a few years, the insurance offered is worthless).

Damp either comes from living conditions (lack of ventilation and/or heating, lack of extraction in bathroom/kitchen, drying clothes on rads, etc) or is getting in from somewhere, raised ground levels, knackered guttering/downpipies, expired pointing, leaking pipe in the walls or such.

The moisture meters used to test damp aren't for walls but for wood, you'd need to send off a core sample for a true test of dampness in a wall.

Do have any specific info on where the damp is, what is on the other side of the wall and what material the house is built from?

tacpot12

The lunatic_is_in_my _head is correct on all counts. You really need an experienced builder to help you identify if you have any of the structural problems. If your lender wants to see the damp proof report, I think I would engage “Able Damp &Preservation Specialists” to provide a report as cheaply as possible, but don't use Able to do any of the work they say is necessary. 

You might find some value in Able's report, but I would definitely ask an experienced builder to help review their findings and check for structural poroblems to create of the list of work that actually does need doing. Then you can find the best contractors to do the work, based on personal recommendations. 

FreeBear

the_lunatic_is_in_my_head said: The moisture meters used to test damp aren't for walls but for wood, you'd need to send off a core sample for a true test of dampness in a wall.

No need to send samples off to a lab (they may well dry out before getting there). A carbide meter is small & portable, so no excuse for not having one in your tool box if you're claiming to be an expert. Trouble is, you need to drill in to a wall to collect a sample. Most vendors would refuse any destructive testing.

In the right hands and with a modicum of thought, an electronic meter can be used to indicate areas that need closer examination. But you need to consider the materials used in the construction of the wall (including paints) and not use the absolute readings as conclusive proof that a wall is damp.

Able Damp & Preservation Specialists claim to have a combined 20 years of experience - Four people that have been in the business for five years each adds up to 20. Or they might have 20 people with just one year of experience each... Only been on CheckaTrade and Facebook since 2023. No TrustPilot reviews... Not listed at Companies House (unless registered under a different name). No contact details on their web site beyond a phone number & email address... Not a company I would want to deal with.

the_lunatic_is_in_my_head

FreeBear said:

the_lunatic_is_in_my_head said: The moisture meters used to test damp aren't for walls but for wood, you'd need to send off a core sample for a true test of dampness in a wall.

No need to send samples off to a lab (they may well dry out before getting there). A carbide meter is small & portable, so no excuse for not having one in your tool box if you're claiming to be an expert. Trouble is, you need to drill in to a wall to collect a sample. Most vendors would refuse any destructive testing.

I see I seem to recall the "insurance" for such works required sending off samples for proper testing in the event of trying to make a claim so assumed that was the only way.

propertyrental

velvetti said:

......

2) I’ve read in many MSE posts that say that damp survey should be done by “independent “ companies and not by those trying to sell a damp proofing course etc. The company I’ve hired are damp proofing and remediation specialists (“Able Damp &Preservation Specialists”, Bournemouth). Is this the right kind of specialist?

Thanks in advance for your help 

Have you actually taken note of your own post?

youth_leader

Did your survey say to inspect the sub void and joists?  Was woodworm mentioned too?   

If so, your vendor needs to get a carpenter to take up some floorboards so the joists can be inspected. 

My buyer's mortgage lender asked for a damp/timber survey and I booked it, the young lady that took my payment made no mention of me having to take my victorian boards up, and the report was thrown out as useless.  Do check. 

monkeycat25

I was recently given sight of a "report" written by this company. I looked up the "surveyor" on Linkedin. Despite signing off as a surveyor, his only qualification listed is an NVQ in carpentry... I would not touch with a barge pole and this is what I have advised the person who commissioned their survey!