property purchase, damp issue, but not the ususal.

[Roger440]

Hi, im new herenot posted before, but i will get stuck straight in

Im in the process of buying a 170 year old barn conversion. Stone and brick with rubble infill.

Mortgage comany have been round and done the usual, "must have a specialist in etc". I just nodded in agreement with no intention of taking any notice.

I have also engaged the services of a surveyor experienced in such buildings. There were a couple of areas of concern, but the main one is where the soil level outside is too high on one wall and also, that the underfloor heating doesn't work correctly in all rooms. Strangely enough, the ones with evidence of damp. From my research (facebook has its uses!) it hasn't worked properly for some years. It has also been uninhabited for considerable periods over the last few years.

Surveyor recommended getting moved in, getting heated sorted etc and see how it goes. All good i thought.

In the meantime, my solicitor asked the vendors solicitor about damp. The reply was something along the lines of, it had damp injection at time of conversion (12 years ago) but there is no paperwork.

This is ringing alarm bells for me. I too have had a good look at the building as well as my surveyor and there is no evidence of any holes / drilling.

My thoughts are, either, the vendor is just saying that because thats what they "think" i want to hear, (though have given a name of the company)

or they have actually done it. In which case, how long does this stuff work for? When i say work, i mean cause problems?

I have searched this very useful forum, but cant really find any suggestions as to what i should be doing, aside from speaking to my surveyor.

Any thougts or observations welcomed on what others would do in this situation.

 

[LadyArowana]

Hello and welcome, I can't really offer any useful advice, just bumping this up to the top of the list of topics for you. New members have their first few posts moderated, and then when they show up in date order they are quite a way down the page. I'm sure some knowledgeable people will be along to help.

 

[Lime]

It is good that you cannot see any sign of the injection scars that often mar otherwise good looking brick and stone.
Maybe it was injected in the mortar joints?.. which were repaired afterwards.

How long does it last?
Well I don't think it lasts for very long at all IME.
I bought a job-lot of damp-proofing pressure injection cans filled with the fluid many years ago because I wanted the cans, not the fluid, for undersealing under pressure parts of my Land Rovers.
I didn't know what to use the silicone fluid for (except for waterproofing sparking plugs etc.) so for several years I sprayed the fluid on to a very weathered part of my wooden shed just before winter approached.
The wood used to soak it up and remained dark for several months. Rain ran off it like from off a duck's back.
However come Springtime the rain would wet the wood.

IME there are at least two types of injection method. One uses a silicone fluid the other uses a mortar-like paste.

If you can see no sign of the injection process you should be very pleased and forget it happened IMO.
The biggest problems are not the injection process itself (because it doesn't work) but the damage done injecting and also the other "remedial" work associated with it. e.g. plaster removed inside and replaced with cement.

 

[MatthewC]

In the meantime, my solicitor asked the vendors solicitor about damp. The reply was something along the lines of, it had damp injection at time of conversion (12 years ago) but there is no paperwork.

This is ringing alarm bells for me. I too have had a good look at the building as well as my surveyor and there is no evidence of any holes / drilling.

My thoughts are, either, the vendor is just saying that because thats what they "think" i want to hear, (though have given a name of the company)

or they have actually done it. In which case, how long does this stuff work for? When i say work, i mean cause problems?

Hi Roger

Welcome! In the days before I understood anything about old buildings, I had an injected DPC on my brick and lime mortar 1930 semi. When I sold it 16 years later I still had the guarantee but in fact it was only for ten years so it was worthless even if the company was still around. If you have no signs of drilling be thankful, and yes, the vendor probably did say it because they thought you wanted to hear it.

But you need to get the high ground sorted if you possibly can, as the natural solution is always better than a modern one!

Matthew

 

[Flyfisher]

Whether or not it is true what they are saying, if it satisfies the mortgage company such that they don't insist on a similar treatment then it could be a blessing in disguise.

 

[mattice]

Hi Roger welcome,

Is the underfloor heating wet or electric and what are the floors made of?

The previous owners at our place injected a damp course about 5 years ago. It's failed because the cause of the damp wasn't addressed. It's still under guarantee but lowering ground levels, sorting drains, ventilating and heating is well on the way to sorting it! I'm in strong agreement with Matthew...

 

[Roger440]

It is good that you cannot see any sign of the injection scars that often mar otherwise good looking brick and stone.
Maybe it was injected in the mortar joints?.. which were repaired afterwards.

How long does it last?
Well I don't think it lasts for very long at all IME.
I bought a job-lot of damp-proofing pressure injection cans filled with the fluid many years ago because I wanted the cans, not the fluid, for undersealing under pressure parts of my Land Rovers.
I didn't know what to use the silicone fluid for (except for waterproofing sparking plugs etc.) so for several years I sprayed the fluid on to a very weathered part of my wooden shed just before winter approached.
The wood used to soak it up and remained dark for several months. Rain ran off it like from off a duck's back.
However come Springtime the rain would wet the wood.

IME there are at least two types of injection method. One uses a silicone fluid the other uses a mortar-like paste.

If you can see no sign of the injection process you should be very pleased and forget it happened IMO.
The biggest problems are not the injection process itself (because it doesn't work) but the damage done injecting and also the other "remedial" work associated with it. e.g. plaster removed inside and replaced with cement.

Been off line for a few days (visit to hospital) but thanks for the replies.

Interesting that it didn't even last a year, even if it wasn't its intended use. Good to know.

 

[Roger440]

In the meantime, my solicitor asked the vendors solicitor about damp. The reply was something along the lines of, it had damp injection at time of conversion (12 years ago) but there is no paperwork.

This is ringing alarm bells for me. I too have had a good look at the building as well as my surveyor and there is no evidence of any holes / drilling.

My thoughts are, either, the vendor is just saying that because thats what they "think" i want to hear, (though have given a name of the company)

or they have actually done it. In which case, how long does this stuff work for? When i say work, i mean cause problems?

Hi Roger

Welcome! In the days before I understood anything about old buildings, I had an injected DPC on my brick and lime mortar 1930 semi. When I sold it 16 years later I still had the guarantee but in fact it was only for ten years so it was worthless even if the company was still around. If you have no signs of drilling be thankful, and yes, the vendor probably did say it because they thought you wanted to hear it.

But you need to get the high ground sorted if you possibly can, as the natural solution is always better than a modern one!

Matthew

Thanks Matthew. Yes, sorting out the ground is high on the list of early jobs to do. Overall it doesn't need much doing.

 

[Roger440]

Hi Roger welcome,

Is the underfloor heating wet or electric and what are the floors made of?

The previous owners at our place injected a damp course about 5 years ago. It's failed because the cause of the damp wasn't addressed. It's still under guarantee but lowering ground levels, sorting drains, ventilating and heating is well on the way to sorting it! I'm in strong agreement with Matthew...

The underfloor heating is a wet system. The floors i believe are concrete. No evidence of them being timber. Its tiles throughout as well. And they were stables once in the dim and distant.

 

[philpjuk100]

Just been doing a "standing buildings survey" with an archeology group and the owner of one listed building told us that the injected damp proof course she has had done was done from the inside of the property at the insistance of the consevation officer.