A £100 prize to charity for info. ref the first DPC's instal

[tim00]

The dating of when DPC's were first installed in any kind of UK housing stock seems to be a contentious issue. If you disagree, and think that it's a cut and dried matter, then please post and say why?

I'd be willing to offer a £100 prize to any charity nominated, for anyone supplying the earliest date ( with evidence ) that DPC's were installed, in any material or by any method, in UK housing stock.

 

[JohnD]

I have a house built in 1905 with a double slate dpc set in lime mortar.

I have no reason to believe it is particularly early.

 

[^woody^]

The Public Health Act 1875 is commonly cited as the enabler for DPC's but there is nothing actually in it specifically. What this Act did, was enable Local Authorities to set various Bye-Laws related to public health, and 157 of this Act stated

"Every urban authority may make byelaws with respect to the following matters"

(2) "With respect to the structure of walls foundations, roofs and chimneys of new buildings for securing stability and the prevention of fires, and for purposes of health"

It took time for the requirements of this Act to filter through the land, as the meaning and requirements were unclear - and there may be no evidence of DPCs being used right after the passing of this Act

It was a bit of a boom time in the cities, and the Model Building Bye Laws of 1877 mentioned the requirement for a DPC of suitable impervious material (lead, slate, asphalt). These bye-laws were optional though, so local councils could choose whether to adopt them or not

So nationally, it was the Building Act of 1878 which specified that a DPC should be used in new housing.

How soon after that DPC's were actually used is anyone's guess

 

[JohnD]

... the Model Building Bye Laws of 1877 mentioned the requirement for a DPC of suitable impervious material...

If there was a law in 1877, I would think that the technology and building practice must already have existed before then.

 

[^woody^]

Most likely, but it will most likely be undocumented and very hard to find out where and when

 

[stuart45]

I've got a first edition roll of Hyload dated 1845 passed down from my great grandfather.

 

[^woody^]

That wont count Stuart, as it has obviously not been used in a house

 

[Nige F]

I've got a first edition roll of Hyload dated 1845 passed down from my great grandfather.

I`ve got a roll of Astos - I thought it was coeval with the work by Alex. Dumas
Astos, Porthos and Aramis.

 

[gregers]

i worked on a house in bolney west sussex nr brighton iirc(the biggest 1 there and oldest)about 20 years back,and apart from having a few strange wall concepts there was also physical dpc installed,but i have no idea how old the house/walls are.

 

[Nige F]

i worked on a house in bolney ,but i have no idea how old the house/walls are.

You sure it wasn`t the house on Fulking Hill

 

[peekay53]

A lot of early victorian terraces in liverpool have a slate dpc also early victorian with bitumen dpc these ones used to run down the brick when chemical dpc's were injected so in my opinion 1830's through
peekay53

 

[OwainDIYer]

I'd be surprised if, like many things in building, the Romans hadn't done it first.

However, here's 1873 documented:

The buildings were commenced in 1873 to a plan by a Mr Griffiths of Stafford. The standard of workmanship was extremely high and the design contained innovations way ahead of the time, such as a blue brick damp proof course, laminated Weymouth pine trusses and a separate drainage system for storm and foul water.
http://www.apleyestate.com/History.htm

 

[gregers]

i worked on a house in bolney ,but i have no idea how old the house/walls are.

You sure it wasn`t the house on Fulking Hill

 

[tim00]

john d, thank you, correct it's not that early!

woody, thank you for the citations. Now we have a bench mark date. Stefan Methesius in his "English Terraced House" claims that DPC's were introduced in 1850, and that all housing stock in Manchester and elsewhere, invariably had DPC's installed by 1890. Hence, most claims that "no DPC is present" on Damp reports are lies.

stuart, thank you, thats interesting; could you post pics of the Hyload?

peekay, thank you, the early references are to bitumen ( and lead and slate ).
The aggressive solvents in injection fluids did indeed cause, perfectly sound, bitumen DPC's to "melt". What ignorant vandals the damp and timber companies were - and are.
The Romans certainly used pitch, sheet lead and concrete to great water proofing effect, eg the Parthenon roof/dome. Perhaps you could find out more?

nige and gregors, all a bit of a fulking mystery?

I'll let this run a little longer and see what turns up. Richard Rogers has described terraced housing from the 1760's, and i'm sure that Hermione Hobhouse in "Thomas Cubitt" ( the great London builder - 1815 - 30 ) shows detail specs of a DPC. Perhaps someone can find out more?

 

[tim00]

Well, not much movement in this post so i'll let it run a bit longer, and then ask for nominations for a charity. I do hope you all realise that this means the wife must go back on nights at the chippy?