Buying an old house is never easy!

[Tania]

I am in the process of attempting to buy a grade II mid terrace (1850) in Newbury and have hit the rising damp stumbling block. The normal obligatory mortgage company recommended surveyor requested a BWPDA damp and timber report. The mortgage company obviously returned with 'the report and all recommended works must be undertaken prior to completion'.

When I offered on the property I cunningly, or so I thought at the time, made mention of the possibility of damp and made any damp investigation or related work to be undertaken a condition on the seller as part of the overall price. The seller, under advice from his estate agent, commissioned a 'free' damp & timber report ... surprise, surprise, the report has returned with a rising damp diagnosis and an estimate for inserting a chemical damp proof course. The walls they are suggesting inserting this into are party walls both sides So I now need to serve notice on the neighbours (2 months prior to any work being undertaken) and get LBC to get work completed that I really do not believe is necessary and will leave me with more problems then it will solve!

I've been searching both this site and SPAB, BWPDA, PCA and English Heritage for a BWPDA conservation-friendly independent surveyor in Berkshire who specialises in 'rising damp' - I just can't find one. Has anyone out there any recommendations for a surveyor who covers Berks?

 

[skier-hughes]

Contact SPAB, I always do when I need someone and normally same day get a list of people in or close to me.

 

[Tania]

Contact SPAB, I always do when I need someone and normally same day get a list of people in or close to me.

Do I need to be a member to do that? Not a problem if I do as I was going to join anyway

 

[skier-hughes]

I joined because they help anyone, I wasn't a member when I asked for my first help, but the help they've given has been excellent.

Graham

 

[Tania]

I joined because they help anyone, I wasn't a member when I asked for my first help, but the help they've given has been excellent.

Graham

Thank you for the advice. I have joined and mailed them so hopefully they will come back with a name.

There does seem to be lots of really good surveyors in the north of the country but in Berks they all appear to be damp proofers in disguise

 

[Schoolmarm]

Lets hope you succeed, as if you fail you will end up harming both houses on either side.

 

[Penners]

in Berks they all appear to be damp proofers in disguise

Not just in Berkshire, Tania. However, there are ethical, responsible damp consultants out there, so don't lose hope.

 

[Tania]

Lets hope you succeed, as if you fail you will end up harming both houses on either side.

I can only hope that the neighbours haven't installed the damp proofing their sides! I raised the party wall issue to the estate agent earlier and he, whilst having a good chuckle, told me not to worry about that as no one took any notice of it when it was just a little bit of damp proofing.

 

[Tania]

in Berks they all appear to be damp proofers in disguise

Not just in Berkshire, Tania. However, there are ethical, responsible damp consultants out there, so don't lose hope.

Thank you for the kind words. I feel pretty stressed about it at the moment. I have spoken to one really sympathetic surveyor but I fear I won't be able to use him as he doesn't have the necessary BWPDA affiliation Maybe I can slip his report in to the Mortgage company and they won't notice.

 

[Penners]

I have spoken to one really sympathetic surveyor but I fear I won't be able to use him as he doesn't have the necessary BWPDA affiliation

Sympathy is great, but professional ethics are better! Your chap may have both, but how will you know?

Remember the old saying: "Sincerity is the important thing. Once you can fake that, the rest is easy". :wink:

Cynical? Moi?

 

[Tania]

I have spoken to one really sympathetic surveyor but I fear I won't be able to use him as he doesn't have the necessary BWPDA affiliation

Sympathy is great, but professional ethics are better! Your chap may have both, but how will you know?

Remember the old saying: "Sincerity is the important thing. Once you can fake that, the rest is easy". :wink:

Cynical? Moi?

*laughs* Very true.

The best thing would be a personal recommendation from someone who has used a particular damp & timber surveyor in this area but I haven't managed to find that yet. I'll just have to cross my fingers.

 

[skier-hughes]

Where's matt when you need him.

Maybe try pm'ing or emailing Matt Green
http://www.periodproperty.co.uk/forum/memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&u=34


Or here's his last lot of employers
http://www.ridoutassociates.co.uk
I'm sure they travel.

This worries me
estate agent earlier and he, whilst having a good chuckle, told me not to worry about that as no one took any notice of it when it was just a little bit of damp proofing

As damp proofing can be terrible news for old houses, how would you like it if someone just wrecked your house?

 

[Penners]

Where's matt when you need him.

Pay attention at the back of the class, skier-hughes.

Matt posted some weeks ago that, due to a job change, he probably won't be able to post here any more. Great shame.

 

[Moo]

But he dropped a tacit hint that he might return under a pseudonym, so we must all live in hopes.

 

[alison]

Has anyone mentioned Paul Carter of Premier Heritage? He did a survey for me on a cottage in Oxon and all went fine. Travelled up from Dorset I think. He's posted on here before (and been recommended on here before too which is why I think it's OK to name him). Good luck.

http://www.premier-heritage.co.uk/

 

[skier-hughes]

Where's matt when you need him.

Pay attention at the back of the class, skier-hughes.

Matt posted some weeks ago that, due to a job change, he probably won't be able to post here any more. Great shame.

Yes, you must, naughty old man......... :wink:

 

[Tania]

Where's matt when you need him.

Maybe try pm'ing or emailing Matt Green
http://www.periodproperty.co.uk/forum/memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&u=34


Or here's his last lot of employers
http://www.ridoutassociates.co.uk
I'm sure they travel.

This worries me
estate agent earlier and he, whilst having a good chuckle, told me not to worry about that as no one took any notice of it when it was just a little bit of damp proofing

As damp proofing can be terrible news for old houses, how would you like it if someone just wrecked your house?

I have read Mr Green's posts with a great deal of interest and gained some valuable insights from his words. I have decided to use McCall & Company, based in Hungerford. After speaking to them I feel that they will give me objective advice, it might not be what I want to hear but it will, I feel, be fair.

The estate agents comment regarding the party walls worried me too. I would be extremely upset if my neighbours damp proofed shared walls. Though I do fear that the problem with the mid terrace I am buying could have been caused by the neighbours doing exactly that. If they have, I fear, that my options may be limited by the damage they have already done.

 

[Tania]

Has anyone mentioned Paul Carter of Premier Heritage? He did a survey for me on a cottage in Oxon and all went fine. Travelled up from Dorset I think. He's posted on here before (and been recommended on here before too which is why I think it's OK to name him). Good luck.

http://www.premier-heritage.co.uk/

Thank you for the link. I've found an independent closer so I'm crossing fingers, legs and toes that this time I'll get advice I can live with!

 

[Tania]

On a slightly different note I've been reading all I can about damp proofing, different ways of managing damp and came across this product ... http://www.paintsandcoatings.co.uk/sales/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=3&products_id=9&zenid=4e2a9ff51eca5e8263a87bba69ada24d ... I had been leaning towards lime render and earthborn's clay paint but this may be a better, if more expensive, option.

 

[Nemesis]

It says 'lime based'. It doesn't say what else it contains, and I doubt it's a better option than the real thing. It sounds another of those products, like Limelite Renovating Plaster (cement based) which is trading on people's lack of product knowledge.

'PC' at Premier Heritage will give sound and impartial advice on damp. He is not a general building surveyor. He is a member of BWPDA. I have read his many posts here over a number of years and would trust him to not rip anyone off, indeed he has on many occasions saved clients a gret deal of cash, and to have an understanding of period buildings.

Removal of plaster and injection of a DPC is damaging (and possibly not required) and should require LBC.

Ensure any building surveyor has the appropriate expertise re period buildings from RICS. Not all have, despite being RICS members.

http://www.wcp-surveyors.com/surveyor.asp

http://www.wcp-surveyors.com/

That's one firm which can be relied on.