London Damp Proofing and Damp Surveyors: Expert Solutions

Many properties around London have undergone cover-ups or quick-fix work, making a professional damp survey essential. If work hasn’t been carried out properly in the past, there is a chance that any damp issues have been getting progressively worse. When a job is rushed or not carried out properly, the interior of a home often looks fine for a few months, but after that, the dampness will start to come back worse than before. This can lead to expensive repairs and even the need to vacate the property only months after moving in.

Unfortunately, London homes are susceptible to damp due to the soil type on which they are built. Additionally, if you live in or are looking at an old property, it is likely that effective and long-lasting damp roofing measures weren’t implemented when it was built. Our team of qualified and experienced damp proofing experts use state-of-the-art equipment and methods to ensure any damp is identified and any risks of potential dampness are highlighted.

Our damp survey will give you a detailed report on any work that needs doing to eradicate dampness and ensure it doesn't come back and any work that might be worth considering in the future to prevent dampness from attacking your property. Catering to every area of London, you won't find a better service. We will also give you a no-obligation quote if we notice any immediate concern, leaving all decisions in your hands.

When we conduct an independent damp survey, we want to ensure everything runs as smoothly as possible. You can book us to visit at a time that suits you, and the entire process is fairly short and straightforward. If you have identified damp already, you can expect us to be done within 30 minutes, but if you want a damp survey to assess dampness hidden within the walls, it can take a little longer. The length of time will also depend on the package you choose.

We will send one or more highly skilled and fully equipped damp surveyors to the property who know how to carry out the job with absolute precision. Using state-of-the-art kit, we not only assess the surface of the interior and exterior walls, but we also look inside them to measure dampness, humidity, and any other areas of concern. We will also check for any areas of damage that could lead to possible damp.

Our approach is extraordinarily thorough, measuring air flow, humidity, and moisture in several locations, assessing the depth of dampness in structural timber, identifying areas of concern in the bricks and mortar, windows, doors, and roof, and taking aerial photographs of the property to ensure we have looked into everything.

There is nothing worse than hiring a tradesperson, but the prices are unclear. That is something you will never have to deal with when you choose us. We offer an affordable, tiered pricing guide for all services provided, and if you identify areas of concern, you won’t be obliged to use us for the work. Nowhere else in London will you find a solution to your damp problems as transparent as ours.

Furthermore, our team are all qualified and highly experienced with damp issues in the London area, making us your number one choice. They will also explain everything in a way that you understand. We are committed to supporting you in every way we can, whether that means guiding you towards the best companies for building work or offering our expert service at competitive rates.

Another commitment that every specialist in our team shares is preventing damp from recurring. Unlike some companies that might steer towards quick fixes, we like to address the root cause of a problem to ensure it stays away. In fact, we are so committed that we can stop the dampness from coming back; we offer a 30-year guarantee on every bit of work we do. You’ll be pushed to find a deal as good as that in the London area.

Once we have carried out a comprehensive damp survey on your property, we will complete a full report of the moisture, humidity, and airflow in various areas of your property. This report will also highlight any areas of concern, such as damaged brickwork, missing roof tiles, leaking pipes, gaps in doorframes, and so on.

With our report, you will have a detailed understanding of any work that needs to be carried out on your property to prevent damp and a list of the best local companies to go with for other work. On any work needed that directly relates to damp, we will provide you with a no-obligation quote, enabling you to choose whether or not you want us to go ahead and make your property completely damp-free.

Due to the clay-like soil type in London, rising damp is a concern for every property owner. Thankfully, if it is identified, we have the tools and skills to sort it out. However, if rising damp isn't addressed immediately, it can lead to some very serious issues. Our damp surveyors will be able to locate the source of the rising damp, as well as every area it has affected. This enables us to develop a tailored solution for each property. With our help, every sign of rising damp will be removed, and the problem will vanish from your home for good. If you own or are looking to buy a property in London, you couldn't be in better hands.

If rising damp is something you think you might have, there are some telltale signs to look out for:

Tide Marks
Damp Patches
Peeling paint or wallpaper
Musty odour
Damaged Skirting Boards
Salt Deposits
Deterioration of render or plaster
Black mould
Crumbling Mortar

If any of these issues appear in your property, you should reach out to a damp proofing specialist straight away. Rising damp may not appear to be much when it shows itself in your home, but beneath the walls, it is causing all sorts of problems. It begins with water making its way up the brickwork, carrying salts. Eventually, bricks and mortar begin to erode, and the water gets into structural beams and roof timbers, causing wood rot and creating the perfect environment for woodworm. In addition to damaging the property, rising damp also leads to mould, which can cause or exacerbate several health issues.

If we identify rising damp in your property, here is the work we will most likely need to carry out:

We will need to remove the affected area, which might involve plaster, render, and skirting boards
We will then install a damp-proof course
We might take measures to enhance the drainage and ventilation
We will replaster and render the areas where we used DPC injections
We will apply a waterproof seal

We are committed to ensuring London property owners can take care of their investment. With our rising damp survey, we can locate the source of the problem and get it fixed promptly. The work we carry out will never break the bank, but it has the potential to save you thousands of pounds. We will also offer you a 30-year guarantee on any job we do in your property to show you how confident we are that the mould won’t come back once we are done.

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An issue we see a lot of in London properties, especially the slightly older ones, is penetrating damp. Penetrating damp can enter a property through several areas, such as exposed or damaged brickwork, missing roof tiles, aged pointing, gaps in doors and windows, and leaking pipes. When this issue gets bad, it can be highly destructive to our property, causing a lot of structural damage and leading to several health issues. If you notice that the walls in your property are becoming damp, it is worth giving us a call so we can check it out.

Our expert team offers numerous treatments for penetrating damp, but it is essential to carry out a penetrating damp survey to ensure our action plan is tailored to the needs of the property. During a penetrating damp survey, we also look out for penetrating mould and woodworm to help determine the structural integrity of your property and the severity of its dampness.

Here are some signs that you might be dealing with penetrating damp:

Black mould
Peeling paint
Crumbling plaster
Dry rot and wet rot in woodwork
Woodworm
Structural damage
Unsound floorboards
Ineffective central heating

Regular water appears on the walls and ceiling

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Depending on the severity of the penetrating damp in your property, the way we deal with it will be different. However, this is the sort of thing you can expect when we start to eradicate the damp and ensure the problem doesn’t come back any time soon:

An assessment of the exterior walls, repairing damage as we go
Repointing bricks where necessary
Removing damaged or damp plaster to eradicate the moisture beneath
The application of salt neutralisers to dissolve salt that has travelled with penetrating moisture
Apply wall tanking to bond damaged brickwork and enhance water resistance
Apply waterproofing sand and cement
Fix up the interior plaster
Waterproof the exterior of the building with sand and cement
Fix rendering where necessary

Something that impacts most homes in the UK is condensation. Usually, condensation becomes a bit of an issue in the colder months of the year, but it tends to go away without the need for specialist treatment. If condensation persists and a property is experiencing an unusual amount, it is best to call an expert to carry out a condensation survey to address any potential issues with the property. Too much condensation can damage the structural integrity of a property and pose several health risks to people living there.

When we carry out work to take care of condensation in a property, we do far more than cover up the impact it has. We use the latest tools and tech to find out why your property is struggling with condensation and deliver a property specific solution to ensure the issue doesn’t come back again. If the windows and doors in your property are regularly covered in condensation, even when the inside of the property isn’t particularly warm in comparison to the outside, it may be a sign of a much bigger problem.

Our condensation survey professionals can remove and replace damaged plaster, apply salt neutralisers to get rid of salt buildup brought in by travelling moisture, install waterproof tanking, and waterproof the exterior of your property to make it extra safe from damp. Additionally, we are so confident that we will get the job done right that we will give you a 30-year warranty. Should anything go wrong in that time, we will be over to sort it out with no questions asked.

Regular condensation will lead to black mould, which can cause or worsen several respiratory illnesses, and the dampness can easily spread to the property, damaging its brickwork and timber. Using our condensation survey will allow you to live healthily and save money on extensive property repairs.

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Most older properties in London rely on timber to maintain their structure. When the timber is compromised, it can lead to the need for excessive repairs and become incredibly dangerous. We carry out an extensive timber treatment survey to assess properties for wood rot and woodworm, enabling us to tackle minor issues before they become big problems. If you have damp in your home or haven’t had the timber checked in a while, it is definitely worth giving us a call.

Our team will be able to identify any areas of concern with the timber in your home. We conduct a comprehensive timber treatment survey to locate the damp and measure how deep it is. After the survey, we will be able to provide all the guidance you need to ensure your home is safe.

If the timber in your home appears brittle, moist, warped, damaged or contains holes, it is worth booking a timber survey straight away. We will find the source of the damp problems in your property and ensure it doesn’t come back again.

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If your London property has a cellar, it is essential to get a basement tanking survey. Most London properties would have been built with measures in place to prevent dampness from entering. However, considering how old most of these homes are, it is likely that they are no longer working at maximum efficiency. With our specialised basement tanking survey, we can address all dampness issues in your basement and develop the perfect waterproofing solution.

If you have an underground space that is susceptible to damp or simply aren’t using it to its full potential, we can put that right. Our basement tanking service means you can open up another living area in your home. Or even consider making some extra cash off a new tenant.

Our basement tanking process consists of three primary stages:

Preparation – This is where we remove all damaged plaster and render to assess what we will need to repair. We then give it a deep clean and locate all potential weak areas where moisture might get in.

Application – We then apply the membrane to the walls, ensuring there are no gaps. The membrane consists of several layers to ensure it is completely waterproof. Once the membrane is applied, your cellar will be entirely waterproof.

Curing – The tanking membrane is then left to dry, forming a solid barrier that moisture will not get through. Once the curing is over, plaster and paint can be applied, making a once-damp cellar an extension of your property.

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What is the role of an independent damp surveyor?

Why should I choose an independent damp surveyor over other options?

How long does a typical damp survey assessment take?

What’s the difference between rising damp and penetrating damp?