Key takeaways
Damp Surveys in 2023: These are critical in identifying potential structural moisture issues. Their cost varies based on factors such as property size, location, and the level of detail required. Prices usually range from £150 – £500.
Value of Expertise: While DIY kits are available, opting for professional surveyors often ensures a comprehensive and accurate analysis. The expertise of the surveyor can greatly influence both the cost and the quality of the survey.
Long-term Perspective: Investing in a thorough damp survey can lead to substantial savings by preventing costly future repairs and structural damages, even if initially expensive.
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A damp survey is a valuable tool to check the dampness in a house, whether on the inner walls or the outer.
The survey is the best fit for both new house buyers and house owners who have just spotted some dampness in their house and want to get to the root of it. A damp or timber survey in these situations can make things clear and direct you towards a better resolution of whatever the situation may be.
Often underrated, a damp survey is ignored by many house owners. They think of it as a way to waste money. But when they face a considerable number of losses when dampness affects their houses inside out, a damp survey proves how worth it would have been if it had been done earlier.
If it’s all about the damp survey cost, there isn’t much to worry about. It is less than the rising damp repairs you might face, but how much is it? That’s what this post is all about. So, let’s find out what damp proofing costs.
First, Why Get a Damp Survey Done?
There might be several reasons behind getting a damp survey done. Maybe you are purchasing a new house and don’t want any loose ends to ensure everything is defect-free. Or perhaps the mortgage lenders from whom you took the mortgage have the policy of getting a damp survey done.
The most straightforward reason can be that you have noticed a patch of dampness in your house, and you can’t shake it off your brains. You just want to get to its roots and fix it as soon as possible. But for that, what’s a good start would be? Yes, a damp survey.
It can help you find the underlying structural issues that are causing rising damp patches in your house, and once you have caught those issues, you can come up with solutions to fix the dampness. Furthermore, damp surveys are of several different types, mainly a generalized one, a timber survey, or it can be a combined damp-timber survey.
You should get a damp survey done as soon as you see the wet patch in your house. The later it gets, the more unseen damage and the repair cost will rise.
So, How Much Does a Damp Survey Cost in 2023?
It depends. Many factors are involved in laying out the final cost structure of a rising damp survey. A house that is larger in terms of area has more rooms, and other areas might cost more when getting it surveyed for dampness. However, a two-BHK leasehold flat might not cost that much when surveyed for dampness. So, the cost of getting a survey on a leasehold flat will depend on how big it is, the number of rooms in it and its area.
When talking about rough numbers or the approximate starting cost of a damp survey, it is from £200 in the United Kingdom. But if you want an exact quote, contact a damp specialist or a company that deals in damp surveying. They will ask for details of your house such as its area, number of rooms, floors, additional areas, etc. Based on that, you can find out the exact cost of the penetrating damp survey.
Also, remember that various regions of the United Kingdom have different damp survey costs. North England tends to have a lower cost of rising damp surveying, but in South-East London, the damp survey cost is higher. Further, it depends on the type of damp surveyor used, too. A general damp survey is cheap, while a combined timber-damp survey is costly. Therefore, when asking how much does a damp survey cost, make sure you take into consideration the factors that affects the final damp survey cost.
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Who Carries a Damp Survey?
An expert damp surveyor who knows the ins and outs of how dampness works gets the rising damp survey done. They are trained experts and have access to the necessary equipment to carry out the survey. Humidity measurement is another factor that plays a vital role in finding potential dampness in the house.
Not just penetrating damp or rising damp, the underlying root cause of the dampness is what a qualified professional looks for. Maybe it’s the lack of ventilation, or broken roof tiles, crumbling plaster or tiles, damaged brickwork, or a damp-proof requirement.
As soon as the damp problem is identified, the professional makes a list of recommendations to solve the problems, whether repairs or replacement. Along with that, an estimated prices of damp repair is also provided.
What is Involved in a Damp Survey?
It is a particular, professional, and specialized process. The professional damp surveyor who is an expert in damp surveying will spend a considerable amount of time inspecting the property. How much it would take will depend on how big the property is.
They will come with all sorts of equipment, too, that will aid in rising damp surveying and help measure the dampness in the house. Be it the kitchen, rooms, window frames, skirting boards, interior walls, etc., various locations of the house will be the inspection targets of the qualified professional.
To your surprise, there’s some evidence collection also involved in the survey. They will take pictures or videos of the penetrating damp issues that might come to their notice. Once the inspection is done, the survey report will be prepared.
The report will involve all the issues and suggestions for future action. Received via in-person mail or e-mail, the report will also have the estimated prices for the damp repair.
What Signs Indicate that You Need a Damp Survey?
Numerous signs might point towards the need to get a rising damp survey done. Some spots might look wet and feel cold to the touch, or the damp walls and ground floor might cause a foul smell in the entire house.
Or maybe the house has rotten or damp plaster, wet skirting boards, mould spores around window frames or doors, damaged plaster, decayed timber, etc. The reasons for this can be endless, but there is only one cause – dampness.
If one of the above signs can already be seen in your house, there is a damp problem, which needs to be confirmed and acted upon by a professional as soon as possible.
What’s the Main Cause Behind Dampness in the House?
Dampness in a house can be due to many reasons. Maybe a cold-water pipe in your house isn’t properly insulated and is causing warm air to cool on its surface only to leave condensation, eventually resulting in mould spores.
Another reason for damp present might be a broken tile from the roof. The rainwater may be seeping through it, thus causing dampness. Damaged outside damp walls or damage to damp-course might also be among the potential reasons behind dampness in a house.
Reasons can be endless and sometimes mind-boggling such as if there are no appropriate ventilations within the property, even that might cause dampness on internal surfaces. The solution to fix that is windows with latches and exhaust fans.
Therefore, it is essential to find the leading cause behind the dampness on a property before moving on to fix it. This way, the right solution can be implemented, thus getting rid of penetrating damp patches.
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Are Damp Patches Harmful? What are the Risks Involved?
If left untreated, damps can be harmful both in the short term and long term. Various health concerns can show up in the short term. Family members might suffer from cold-like symptoms, asthma, or even eczema.
In the long term, damage to the house property can happen. An increase in the amount of mould occurs if dampness is not treated. This mould gets so ingrained on the surfaces that it starts damaging the wood, walls, and damp-proof course of the home. If left for a long time, the damage becomes irreparable and might need replacement, which would cost thousands.
Damps are often overlooked and are tried to be fixed by repainting the damp walls or applying peeling wallpapers. However, it won’t solve the root cause of it. All these are short-term fixes, and the underlying one needs to be fixed first.
A full damp survey is recommended to find the leading cause of dampness. When known, take the help of local damp surveyors and experts to eradicate that problem and fix the rest of the defects.
Like for a Damp Proof Course, is a Professional Required for a Full Damp Survey?
Damp surveying is not easy and is a little expensive, too. People often think of themselves as damp experts and rule out all the possibilities of dampness in their property with a light wall check.
However, that’s not what professional damp surveyors do. They are experts in their field for a reason and can spot even the tiniest problems that might be the root cause of dampness in your house. Their eagle-like eyes find them all from dark mould growth to cold damp walls.
Damp experts come with particular equipment devices that help them detect damps, even hidden ones. Above all, they know which type of damping needs what kind of fix.
And, because the root problem is different, the solution must also be other. That’s why only a professional damp specialist should conduct a survey of the damp-proof course of your house.
How Much Time Does It Take to Complete a Survey?
A full damp survey will take only 2-3 hours if undertaken by professional damp surveyors. They will complete all their inspections within that period. However, the size of the property and the higher number of problems might increase this period.
If the property is minor and fewer issues are there, it might take even less than an hour. But if there are damps spotted in various places already, more time might get consumed in finding the root cause and checking the damp-proof course of the house.
Nonetheless, an appropriate amount of time must be given to the experts so that no hidden issues are left. With no time limits on their heads, professionals will present you with a complete and trustworthy damp survey report, which can be acted upon afterwards to make the house damp-proof.
What About Mortgage? Does a Damp Survey Impact That?
Actually, it does. When someone buys a house, various aspects need to be surveyed. One such is the damp survey. The damp survey carried out is undertaken by a professional who would easily find the damps and other problems in specific areas of the house.
If the problems are considerable and dampness is high, the mortgage lenders would refuse to mortgage the house. Therefore, you might not be able to buy the house. But on the positive side, you won’t be buying a house that is already damaged.
How Long Will You Have to Wait for Damp Surveying Service?
A damp specialist sometimes might not be able to provide same-day services. There are seasons during which these services are in high demand. However, not constantly. During summers, damp surveying sees a decline in the same day service demand, and you might call them up at that time.
So, if a damp specialist is accessible, they may come the same day to your property to survey it, and if they are busy, they will not down your request and visit a few days later. Furthermore, if the property survey report comes out with potential repairs on it, they will definitely take a longer time.
What’s a Timber Survey? How is it Different from a Damp Survey?
A timber survey is similar to a damp survey, which checks the house’s damaged areas. However, one significant difference is that the timber survey only assesses the timbers within a property.
When a wet rot timber survey is undertaken by a professional, the goal is to find dry rot on timber floors, walls, or other timber furniture. They will not look into other parts of the property but areas with timbers.
A combined damp and timber survey is suggested to inspect other parts such as wall plastering, wallpapers, kitchen cabinets, etc. Most of the time, the cost of a combined damp and timber survey is similar to the simple timber survey cost, but some suppliers may also do it at a lower price.
It would take some of your negotiating capabilities to come into play. The recommended one out of all is a combined damp and timber survey, which can make the house damp-proof.
Which One is Preferred – a Damp Survey or a Timber Survey? Can Damp and Timber Survey Be Combined?
Again, it depends. A timber survey would be enough for those looking to get the timbers in the house inspected. However, if more than just timbers need expert attention, go for a complete damp survey.
Sometimes, damp problems are hidden and can’t be seen with the naked eye. In these cases, a damp survey is the best possible solution out there. It can outline the whole rising damp scenario and propose solutions accordingly.
And don’t worry about the money here. A little extra pounds for a complete damp survey that combines both damp and timber survey also won’t hurt much because it will get the job done better than you might expect. When combined, a damp and timber survey can find and investigate everything that is hidden in the property and make it damp-proof.
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Conclusion
A damp survey is potentially the only way to get an idea of how much dampness is in your home. Further, it allows you to get to the root cause of all the penetrating damp chaos, which will help eradicate the damp problem once and for all.
But despite all the benefits, people tend to overlook damp surveying. The damp survey costs might be one of the reasons behind that. However, it does not prove to be that expensive as it also saves you from spending a lot on long-ignored rising damp repairs in future.
The damp or timber survey costs usually depend upon the size of the house. Also, the number of floors might affect the pricing. Ultimately, the benefits outweigh the expenses, so getting a professional damp survey done to make your house damp-proof is worth it.
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