Penetratind damp

[dulciepreston]

Hi,
I have a 1890’s house with solid brick suffering from penetrating damp in the upstairs walls. With the bad weather we’ve had in the UK this winter, the problem has been worse than ever with damage to the internal decoration. The entire upstairs level is sand/cement rendered and painted with Sandtex, the downstairs is painted brick. There are no problems with the guttering or around windows and the tiled roof extends well proud of the walls giving maximum protection to rain getting in at the top.
I’ve had a builder take a look and he is of the opinion that the existing render is solid and does not need replacing and the damp is the penetrating type and not condensation. He suggests that the driving rain must be getting in through hairline cracks in the render. The Sandtex paint is beginning to lift off the render in a number of places. His diagnosis is to apply 2 coats of IKO PRO SYNTHAPRUFE LAC waterproofing paint over the existing painted render and repaint.
My question is, is this a good diagnosis or should I be looking elsewhere??
Thanking all in advance.

 

[ree]

You have been helped a number of times with this same problem, and mostly you dont respond to the advice that you are given, neither do you tend to answer the questions that are put to you. You simply disappear from your own thread after putting well meaning advisers to the trouble of answering your complaints.

 

[joe-90]

Your builders an idiot and will make it worse.

 

[blackbirdxx]

Thanks Joe, that is what I thought.
I notice the upstairs walls have been patched with render from floor to a point about half way up the window. Strangely, the damp on the inside reflects pretty accurately where the new render has been applied. My limited knowledge thinks that this could be a sand cement render and is trapping the moisture from getting out. Is it possible that removing these patched areas and re rendering with a lime based mix may help the situation as I’m running out of ideas? If so, what mix would you suggest?
Thanks again…..