I am currently trying to buy an 1890 three storey semi in Kent, vacant since August. It needs a lot of work, due to neglect and poor/ inappropriate maintenance, all of which I’m fine with. My problem is the dreaded ‘D’ for Damp word, which I have no experience of.
The external (left hand) wall of the lower ground floor is below ground. This cannot be changed as it adjoins a pavement. The ground then slopes down hill, so the right hand wall (adjoining next door) is fully above ground. Both kitchen (back) and dining room (front) on lower ground have sash windows and the ground level does not meet the front wall, but does meet part of the back.
Damp has been diagnosed on the upper two floors (fully above ground) due to cracked/ poorly patched render. This should be correctable by rerendering. I don’t know what the current render is, but assume replacement should be lime?
The surveyor has also diagnosed damp in the lower ground floor. He says this is “penetrating lateral damp which will be difficult to eliminate” and rising damp around the bay window at the front (but he also said the bay roof is in poor condition). He recommends “complete basement tanking including renewal of the floor screed and damp proof membrane”. The bank now requires a ‘specialist’ report by a BWPDA person, who (from what I’ve read on this site) is likely to recommend the same. The damp seems worst (judging by bubbly. peeling paint) in the kitchen around the chimney breast (in which the owners had, bizarrely, put their gas cooker).
I have read all the posts on here relating to damp in basements and assume tanking is not the answer. The trouble is I’m not sure what we should do. I want to do the right thing for the house and think it does have potential (with a caring owner).
Do we buy and then monitor? Get a proper specialist in to take a look? Run away? Any suggestions gratefully received.
The external (left hand) wall of the lower ground floor is below ground. This cannot be changed as it adjoins a pavement. The ground then slopes down hill, so the right hand wall (adjoining next door) is fully above ground. Both kitchen (back) and dining room (front) on lower ground have sash windows and the ground level does not meet the front wall, but does meet part of the back.
Damp has been diagnosed on the upper two floors (fully above ground) due to cracked/ poorly patched render. This should be correctable by rerendering. I don’t know what the current render is, but assume replacement should be lime?
The surveyor has also diagnosed damp in the lower ground floor. He says this is “penetrating lateral damp which will be difficult to eliminate” and rising damp around the bay window at the front (but he also said the bay roof is in poor condition). He recommends “complete basement tanking including renewal of the floor screed and damp proof membrane”. The bank now requires a ‘specialist’ report by a BWPDA person, who (from what I’ve read on this site) is likely to recommend the same. The damp seems worst (judging by bubbly. peeling paint) in the kitchen around the chimney breast (in which the owners had, bizarrely, put their gas cooker).
I have read all the posts on here relating to damp in basements and assume tanking is not the answer. The trouble is I’m not sure what we should do. I want to do the right thing for the house and think it does have potential (with a caring owner).
Do we buy and then monitor? Get a proper specialist in to take a look? Run away? Any suggestions gratefully received.
