Damp in Victorian house - conflicting advice..HELP!

[FamilyWiggs]

They are only planning to replace wood and pit chemicals on what they replace. I think i will get a proper RICS surveyor come in and spec the work so i have more chance of a builder doing what is needed not what they want to do. No matter what I say they all want to do different things and all i want is what everyone on here has confirmed…lower path below dpc, clear under floor, replace wood and add air bricks.

I'm confused - you're the paying client and nothing happens unless you say so. Your job is to instruct the trades (albeit based upon their advice if you trust it). If they are not happy with this approach, then find someone who is.

As others have suggested upthread, my advice would be to 1) sort the cause of the problem and then 2) address the symptoms:

1a) lower path to below DPC, and make sure you have enough air bricks so air flows under the floor.
1b) remove soil under the floor enough so that air can circulate freely.

2) Replace the damaged timbers. No need for chemicals if you have successfully completed 1).

Good luck

 

[Willsa]

I can't see any rot or damp for that matter?

Like someone mentioned upthread - it's some beetle activity on the floors most likely.

I'd definitely start with clearing out the debris from under the floor.

Identify if the insects are still active.

An additional air brick wouldn't hurt.

Replace the damaged wood only. Please have a good look yourself which ones are truly gone. Don't trust the trades - they'll replace all the floor (unnecessarily so) if you're happy to pay.

Then concentrate on the damp wall. And that will be an issue to do with the concrete floor/ damp proof membranes /tanking /gypsum plasters and plasterboarding /vapour membranes / vinyl paints - any combination of those.

How are the skirting boards faring in the location of the damp wall and concrete floor? Can you poke with something sharp and see if the wood gives easily?

 

[SimonM]

You do wonder what people think when the "damp specialists" hack plaster off to 1m high internally, then render with cement render with a waterproofing admixture. Problem is your average Joe doesn't think - they trust. Of course all the "specialist" is doing is locking damp in the wall and hiding it behind a waterproof layer.

It's happened here in the past, in my lounge, when it's pretty obvious the cause was deteriorated pointing on the brickwork outside plus a leaky porch roof. All now sorted under my tenure. The internal render I've left, as all seems bone dry now it's low on the list! At least I escaped the dreaded row of drill holes for an injected DPC.

Thanks for this as it is exactly what has been done to my daughter's Victorian terraced house in Oxford. The issue is that on two walls that have had this done are now showing signs of damp but the wall above with lime(?) plaster is dry. I suspect that there is (and has been for some time) an issue with inadequate ventilation. The situation may have been made worse by an external cement render being applied to the outside wall of the property but not to the adjoining properties.

I would welcome advice on the best path of action to establish the root causes and then eliminate/control the issue.

 

[Lacan07]

The row of holes drilled in to the bricks will advertise for ever more that inappropriate work has been done. At best, the cement filled holes look ugly.

Well that depends if they drilled externally or internally. If internally they usually remove plaster up to 1 meter, drill and apply, and then re-plaster. No holes to be seen.

 

[TO50]

I'm confused - you're the paying client and nothing happens unless you say so. Your job is to instruct the trades (albeit based upon their advice if you trust it). If they are not happy with this approach, then find someone who is.

As others have suggested upthread, my advice would be to 1) sort the cause of the problem and then 2) address the symptoms:

1a) lower path to below DPC, and make sure you have enough air bricks so air flows under the floor.
1b) remove soil under the floor enough so that air can circulate freely.

2) Replace the damaged timbers. No need for chemicals if you have successfully completed 1).

Good luck

Thanks. Its a challenge getting trades to come and quote as their so busy. Perhaps as everyone tightens their belts i might get lucky. Ive decided to get boards changed etc as i cant live in that room as the smell closes my lungs up. Once done i will then get path lowered, below excavated enough so air can flow. Whilst a bit back to front i cant see any other way. I have managed to get through to another builder who will quote. Even though i am paying client i so think that perhaps because i am female they dont want to listen and do what they think is best. That may be a tad controversial but feel like i am speaking to brick walls when i bang on about root cause! I suppose rectifying root cause doesnt all the cash cow damp specialist to come back again!

 

[Willsa]

Thanks. Its a challenge getting trades to come and quote as their so busy. Perhaps as everyone tightens their belts i might get lucky. Ive decided to get boards changed etc as i cant live in that room as the smell closes my lungs up. Once done i will then get path lowered, below excavated enough so air can flow. Whilst a bit back to front i cant see any other way. I have managed to get through to another builder who will quote. Even though i am paying client i so think that perhaps because i am female they dont want to listen and do what they think is best. That may be a tad controversial but feel like i am speaking to brick walls when i bang on about root cause! I suppose rectifying root cause doesnt all the cash cow damp specialist to come back again!

Save the money, don't change the boards (apart from the really, really knackered ones). They won't be the cause of the smell, not once ventilated anyway. Promise.

The smell will be all that stuffy, dank rubble sitting below the boards. "Excavate" is a big word for the floor void. Get some rubble sacks, don some gloves and scoop out all the loose matter. That might make all the difference. Unless you know for a fact that someone has poured a skip-load of compacted earth in there?
Seeing the void rubble-free would be a good start in avoiding being conned by the trades anyway.

I'm saying this as a woman who just saved a smidgen under 10k by going on my roof. I've never been on a roof before. I'm scared of heights a great deal... But there were massive leaks suddenly springing everywhere and roofers (yep, plural) refusing to fix anything unless I go for a new roof. Apparently a new roof is needed. Apparently the leaks can't be fixed. Apparently it's "real bad".

I totally bought it. Booked a re-roof.
Until I saw the roof for myself.... All the leaks - upstairs, downstairs, on the walls, in the ceilings were caused by...... A single terminally blocked gutter! It took me 5 seconds to spot the issue and 6 painters buckets of mud (and a soup ladle ) to sort.

Bloody criminals-they all would have known the real issue straight away!! New roof my a*se!

The roof and the chimneys are getting the actually necessary works right now. It's 30% of the initial quotes and only because of me getting up there. I'm so angry.

Get to know your floors. Don't panic, fact check. Take photos. Take some more photos. Ask on here. Start yourself, start small, start slowly and DIY at least the basics. Only hire once you feel you have the full picture.

 

[Lacan07]

Save the money, don't change the boards (apart from the really, really knackered ones). They won't be the cause of the smell, not once ventilated anyway. Promise.

The smell will be all that stuffy, dank rubble sitting below the boards. "Excavate" is a big word for the floor void. Get some rubble sacks, don some gloves and scoop out all the loose matter. That might make all the difference. Unless you know for a fact that someone has poured a skip-load of compacted earth in there?
Seeing the void rubble-free would be a good start in avoiding being conned by the trades anyway.

I'm saying this as a woman who just saved a smidgen under 10k by going on my roof. I've never been on a roof before. I'm scared of heights a great deal... But there were massive leaks suddenly springing everywhere and roofers (yep, plural) refusing to fix anything unless I go for a new roof. Apparently a new roof is needed. Apparently the leaks can't be fixed. Apparently it's "real bad".

I totally bought it. Booked a re-roof.
Until I saw the roof for myself.... All the leaks - upstairs, downstairs, on the walls, in the ceilings were caused by...... A single terminally blocked gutter! It took me 5 seconds to spot the issue and 6 painters buckets of mud (and a soup ladle ) to sort.

Bloody criminals-they all would have known the real issue straight away!! New roof my a*se!

The roof and the chimneys are getting the actually necessary works right now. It's 30% of the initial quotes and only because of me getting up there. I'm so angry.

Get to know your floors. Don't panic, fact check. Take photos. Take some more photos. Ask on here. Start yourself, start small, start slowly and DIY at least the basics. Only hire once you feel you have the full picture.

That's an excellent save!! I think roofs are so damn tricky for obvious reasons and roofers aren't the most trustworthy people in the world.

And as you say often it pays to stand back and get to know a subject.

 

[Drayton]

Excellent advice - but it is probably not wise, even if possible, for the OP to do the work if her breathing is affected by being in there. So, how to find someone to do a small job like that?

But since the outside is going to be done in due course anyway that's the job to tackle immediately - and clearing the rubble can then be part of that bigger job. Let it dry out (if that solves the problem) before considering the floor itself.

Meanwhile a dehumidifier might help a little with the air quality?

 

[FamilyWiggs]

Thanks. Its a challenge getting trades to come and quote as their so busy. Perhaps as everyone tightens their belts i might get lucky. Ive decided to get boards changed etc as i cant live in that room as the smell closes my lungs up. Once done i will then get path lowered, below excavated enough so air can flow. Whilst a bit back to front i cant see any other way. I have managed to get through to another builder who will quote. Even though i am paying client i so think that perhaps because i am female they dont want to listen and do what they think is best. That may be a tad controversial but feel like i am speaking to brick walls when i bang on about root cause! I suppose rectifying root cause doesnt all the cash cow damp specialist to come back again!

It’s definitely worth waiting for a decent building rather than rushing to get something, anything, done.

Rather than tell them what you want. Ask them to tell you the problem and their proposed solutions/order of works. Then just ask questions based upon what you’ve learned on here. You’ll soon sort out the cowboys.

With a damp issue, it’s never worth just treating the symptoms. Because you’ll just be doing it all again shortly.

Good luck