Damp on survey

[Kev1985]

Hi,

Had an offer accepted on a house it’s a 3 bed end of terrace in Scotland, the home report was not available until after the short closing date. The report states high moisture readings in localised parts of the kitchen wall near to patio doors and a damp/timber specialists advice is sought.

The owner has has a damp survey and it has come back with rising damp and a chemical DPC will be needed, the owner is paying for this.

I spoke with the owner and asked more about the damp, the company suspects it’s a cold wall as there is an unheated, old conservatory which is failing that leads off from the patio door where the damp is evident. I noticed today that half of one of the air bricks is covered by the conservatory substructure.

I have been stung before with a timber frame house having damp and the smell was horrible, although this was not picked up on the survey.

Im looking for advice on the information provided so far, does a chemical DPC sound like the best option, will it resolve the issue? I intend to pull the conservatory down in the summer, if I do this would that help with the ‘cold wall’ experienced?
I’m very nervous and considering pulling out of the sale.

 

[footprints]

Well if they are solid walls an injected DPC should do it. Timber framed houses or to give them their proper name "Sheds" are a different kettle of fish.
Check they are stripping the internal plaster and reinstating or the problems may persist. All assuming there are no leaking pipes or poor render.

 

[bobasd]

under your legal conveyancer's supervision:
why the rush - its not an auction?
discover why reports were late?
if possible, dont let the seller pay for the DPC or any other repairs listed in the D&T Survey or the Home survey.
have the amounts they claim to be paying out for, paid to you - for you to do the works to your satisfaction.
of course, all their claimed costs must be realistic prices in terms of any surveys or reports.

if the inside wall is timber framed it cannot be injected, and given its a cavity wall then what purpose would injecting the outside wall achieve?

platform timber frame housing is an excellent form of residential construction - successfully built in millions all over the world for the last 150yrs.

British timber framing attempts have been very poor due to poor supervision, ignorant design, and piece work labour.

 

[Kev1985]

How bad is rising damp? If the conservatory which is believed to be contributing to the damp and a chemical DPC is injected should this be enough to stop it or would there always be an issue on that particular wall?

I have called my solicitor this morning and told him to hold off until the damp specialist get back to me and I have another look in the property.

From the report it does suggest a localised section of the wall and the conservatory is looking in a poor state with lots of cracks on the slab and brickwork it’s built up on, I’m assuming there is water ingress which is caused the rising damp

 

[JohnD]

Damp in the kitchen eh?

Kitchens are notorious for containing water pipes, sinks, waste pipes, washing machines, boilers and steamy kettles. Any of these can be a source of damp which chemical injections will do nothing to solve.

Look for leaks and ventilation first.

If you ask a person who sells chemical injections, he will tell you to buy chemical injections.

 

[bobasd]

op,
exactly, what was the D&T surveyor instructed to inspect - local inspection, full house, out buildings etc.
who instructed him?
without pics of inside and outside the area in question, and copies of any reports we are in the dark.

i notice that 6 months ago in your first timber framed house questions thread, that you disappeared from your own thread leaving questions from posters hanging?

are you flipping houses?

 

[Nige F]

Hi,


I have been stung before with a timber frame house having damp and the smell was horrible, although this was not picked up on the survey.

I’m very nervous and considering pulling out of the sale.

Was that 6 months ago ? Once bitten, twice shy ?? Walk away ???