1920s terraced

[Effy66]

Hi all,

We've got a damp problem in the house we're looking to purchase - ground floor above skirting board, and we've had an independent damp survey carried out. Causes seem to be salt contaminated plaster, lack of sub-floor ventilation, air bricks are covered up, and gutters without stop end so water going towards property. Works recommended are to strip that affected plaster back to the brick and replaster in recommended salt-retarting plaster.

So there's some building and plastering to be carried out. With the plaster however, bearing in mind the age of the property, is there likely to be any asbestos in the property? Would an asbestos report be needed?

Thanks.

 

[ETAF]

air bricks are covered up, and gutters without stop end so water going towards property.

how have the air bricks been covered up
you may have rot in the timbers under the floor
also gutters - any cracks in the wall, water pouring out of gutters onto walls and then soaking the brick, if then freezing can calls issues. Also around the bottom of walls , foundations with continuous water floor when raining,
NOTE not trade just a DIYer , but those would be the things i would be looking for based on previous experience looking at older houses 1904 was my oldest purchase

 

[Effy66]

how have the air bricks been covered up
you may have rot in the timbers under the floor
also gutters - any cracks in the wall, water pouring out of gutters onto walls and then soaking the brick, if then freezing can calls issues. Also around the bottom of walls , foundations with continuous water floor when raining,
NOTE not trade just a DIYer , but those would be the things i would be looking for based on previous experience looking at older houses 1904 was my oldest purchase

Ground level is higher than the air bricks so we've been advised to have the ground level in the front reduced to expose these and additional air bricks added to increase sub-floor ventilation.

Yes, in a couple of places of the guttering there is no stop end so those will have to be replaced.

 

[ETAF]

Ground level is higher than the air bricks so we've been advised to have the ground level in the front reduced to expose these and additional air bricks added to increase sub-floor ventilation.

Yes, in a couple of places of the guttering there is no stop end so those will have to be replaced.

It was more about the damage that may have been caused because of those issues, rather than how to fix them.