How we deal with damp

What work do we do?

Six kinds of job, all starting from the same question. A damp survey, often for someone buying a house. Condensation and mould, which is behind a great deal of indoor damp. Penetrating damp from gutters, chimneys, render and worn joints. Rising damp, where testing proves it. Woodworm and rot in floors and roofs, and cellar and basement waterproofing.

Why is the diagnosis written before any price?

A wet patch can have more than one cause, and paying for the wrong remedy leaves the real one in place. Ventilation won't cure a split downpipe; an injected chemical barrier won't cure a bedroom that is too cold. The report sets out the source, the proof, and the sequence of repairs, and the quote follows from that.

How do we handle old walls?

With materials that let them breathe. A lot of Oxford was built with solid walls, lime mortar and lime plaster, and the city council's guidance cautions against sealing such walls with cement or impermeable coatings. On a listed building we raise the question of consent at the start, not after the work. The old and listed buildings guide sets out the reasons.

What will the report contain?

The areas inspected inside and outside, the readings and samples and where they were taken, the likely cause with the evidence behind it, which damp is current and which is old staining, and the recommended work in order. Anything better done by another trade is named. A second opinion before you commit is something we would support.