Damp Proof Course and Tanking in a Basement Flat...help!?

[MattT]

I am currently looking at buying a basement flat (Victorian building) and have had a damp survey carried out.

The survey suggests that horizontal/vertical DPC and tanking is required thoughout the majority of the property. I basically want to check if they have over quoted me!

I have been around the property myself with a damp meter, this particular meter goes up to 2.0% before it says the levels is too high with the symbol "ol".

The vast majority of the walls are in the 0.6-0.8 range however (from top to bottom):-

1) 1 wall is showing over 2.0% and thus "ol" this is all the way up from 30-40cm above the visible floor level (but only in the left hand corner) - this is clearly damp. How do I tell whether this requires DPC/Tanking or both?

2) Another wall oddly has a 2cm circle spot in the middle of the wall, this is clearly tanking.

3) Another wall has damp up to around 15cm from the inside floor level to where there damp is registered as OL, above this point the meter shows around 0.8-1. Is this likely to be a third party DPC that has been installed 15cm above inner ground level?

Basically I want to make sure that the quote is fair, as it could potentially stop me proceeding with the property.

Thanks all

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

Is this from a surveyor or a damp expert or a quote from a 'damp expert' or what?

A 'survey' carried out by a 'damp expert' who has a vested interest in selling to you will never ever be unbiased.

 

[MattT]

Is this from a surveyor or a damp expert or a quote from a 'damp expert' or what?

A 'survey' carried out by a 'damp expert' who has a vested interest in selling to you will never ever be unbiased.

It is a company that is PCA accredited along with a load of whole other qualifications, but yes they do also sell the service and hence my hesitancy to accept the survey on face value Along with the near 10k quote for a small 2 bed flat. (However this includes putting it back to how it is now and all paint e.t.c)...but still!

The figures I provided above are entirely based on my own findings using a Kamasa 55961 damp meter.

They do appear to have provided a blanket DPC/Tanking quote (admittedly they haven't covered the entire property, but near 80% of the walls).

Do you have knowledge regarding the above readings I have given? There are definitely some walls with more than 2% moisture (assuming that level is high for a painted wall? guess it must be as the paint is bubbling off at these points), just no idea where you would expect a presumably retro fitted DPC to cut in on a Victorian property, as the majority of the discovered damp does appear to run up to around 15-20cm from the floor level then drop to a reading of 0.6.

Just trying to filter fact from fiction :/