Damp

[john306]

Hi, my daughter has a problem with damp on an external wall of a 3 bed semi.
She bought house 2 years ago and just looked at previous survey that said "May need damp proofing in the future but not at this time".
It was quite damp in places last winter, since the weather has turned is a lot worse on virtually the whole wall, wallpaper wet and peeling off, mould appearing.
No sign of leaking gutters or anything but rain getting on the wall.
She got someone in to give her a quote, it was basically strip inside wall to brick, inject DPC, drybase, 2 part bonded system, install 27mm thermal vapour dryline, then plaster. £4000.
Shes shocked at the price, but if thats the best option to cure she will get it done as they have not long had a son and dont want him living in any potential health hazard.
Can you tell me if this is a decent option and price befor she giver the go ahead please?
Thanks.

 

[Notch7]

A bit more information would be helpful:

1) how much wall are we talking about -every external wall, ie 3 sides of the property

2) is it solid wall construction or cavity?

3) can we rule out condensation: ie have you turned down heating, drying clothes in the house etc

4) is the quote from a damp specialist -drybase is a professional damp proofing system

 

[john306]

Hi, thanks for reply.
1) It's gable end wall, and slightly on rear wall, nothing to front.
2) Cavity. Unsure if insulation in there, she thinks not.
3) Not condensation, penetrating damp daughter just text me.
4) Damp proof specialist she said

Oh and it rendered on all outside walls

 

[^woody^]

Never rely on the opinion of a person that works for a firm that will carry out the remedial work that they just happen to recommend.

Get an independent diagnosis of the cause, and the correct remedial work. The presence of black mould is almost always a condensation issue

BTW, "May need damp proofing in the future but not at this time" is a complete nonsense statement.

 

[john306]

Yes I told her to check survey to see if anything mentioned about damp.
What they wrote is a decent get out.
Thanks I'll tell her about independent diagnosis.
Ok got an independent damp specialist lined up. Thanks

 

[tell80]

OP,
Why not post pics of the interior - and the outside of the walls from ground to roof?
How do you know its penetrating damp?
Why not make sure about any CWI?

 

[blup]

Go for a building surveyor with demonstrable experience.

Get the ventilation of the floors checked- as tanking the walls, if its to be done - should include consideration of the flooring condition/ventilation as part of the overall solution.

Blup

 

[blup]

If the external walls are rendered that could be trapping moisture/damp. Tanking the inside as well could prevent the walls from "breathing" so need to consider implications of that too.

Blup

 

[john306]

OP,
Why not post pics of the interior - and the outside of the walls from ground to roof?
How do you know its penetrating damp?
Why not make sure about any CWI?

Don't forget it not my house it's daughters. I'm just trying to make sure she's not ripped off as seems excessive, could be wrong though.
Penetrating damp was said by the bloke who did the quote..
CWI, she doesn't know. Would that help if installed/not installed or too late now?

 

[tell80]

Why would I ask if it wasn't helpful?

 

[john306]

If the external walls are rendered that could be trapping moisture/damp. Tanking the inside as well could prevent the walls from "breathing" so need to consider implications of that too.

Blup

Thanks.
Yes read that on another post about damp, with render trapping moisture causing problem.
But whether it's got to the point of wrecking internal plasterboard/plaster whatever is under the wallpaper we don't know, it's just putting wallpaper and black mould at present.

 

[blup]

Here's three youtube video links with different approaches to with rising/penetrating amp, they don't seem to be mutually exclusive, it seems to depend on what you set out achieve as well as the fabric and structure of the property:

Blup

 

[^woody^]

Why would I ask if it wasn't helpful?

Where do we start .......

 

[Notch7]

BTW, "May need damp proofing in the future but not at this time" is a complete nonsense statement

Maybe it was written on a hot summers day

 

[jeds]

John, get your daughter to slow down. This sounds very much like condensation. Penetrating dampness in masonry walls is vanishingly rare. Black mould does not flourish in dampness caused by rainwater or rising ground water because the minerals prevent black mould from growing. Black mould loves purified water which comes from condensation. It is not impossible to have a combination of the two but, as I said, I have tested (properly) for penetrating dampness on hundreds of occasions and it always turns out to be condensation.

Photos of internal and external would be very useful.