Independent Damp Surveyors

Our independent damp survey service is one of the most comprehensive examinations of London properties, identifying areas of concern regarding dampness, humidity, moisture, or mould. The process involves a deep look into the age of the building, building materials, previous work carried out, moisture and humidity levels, exterior and interior inspections, and other methods that allow us to gather accurate measurements of moisture to develop a tailored solution for your property.

When browsing the market for properties, it is likely you will come across hundreds of quick-fix jobs and walls touched up with a lick of paint. When work like this is carried out, it causes the dampness in the walls to worsen over time. Usually, the signs of damp won't be visible for a few months after these jobs, but before you know it, you'll likely have issues with condensation, salt stains on walls, and mould growth. If you buy a property unaware of issues with dampness or mould, you may need to vacate the premises within months while costly work is carried out. With our independent damp survey, this is something you won’t need to worry about.

It is also worth considering London's clay-like soil. With these foundations, homes are much more susceptible to rising damp. Our experts use high-tech gear to measure the humidity and moisture levels in and around your property and determine any potential risk.

With our report, you will develop an in-depth and transparent understanding of any damp or potential risks to your property. We will also provide a no-obligation quote for any work that needs to be carried out, and we can recommend other tradespeople in the area to assess any potential risks. We service every area in London, so if you need a damp survey, get in touch today.

Our expert damp survey is designed to be as convenient as possible. You can book via telephone, an online form, or email, and we will visit the property when it suits you. Then, our surveyors get to work by inspecting the exterior and interior walls, floors, and ceilings of the property.

If you have contacted our surveying team due to spotting damp, the process won’t take long. Simply show us the signs, and we will conduct a comprehensive assessment within 30 minutes. However, if you want an independent survey to look for signs of damp you don’t know about, it can take a little longer to check the entire property.

Our approach covers everything from checking the airflow of ventilation systems and moisture levels in the air to thermal imaging of inside your walls and aerial photos with a drone to assess external damage. We like to make sure that nothing is overlooked and the process is entirely non-invasive.

When you choose us for your damp survey, you won’t just be getting a brilliant deal; you will receive a service provided by skilled professionals who know just about everything there is to know about damp in London properties. We also use hi-tech equipment to ensure you are investing in a thorough survey that gives you the information you need. Once your independent damp survey is complete, we will develop a personalised plan of action with a no-obligation quote. Plus, if you need work done beyond our capabilities, we will guide you towards the most suitable solution, and if there is work needed regarding damp, you will never be pressured into choosing us.

Additionally, our pricing is clear and transparent, and you will never pay for a service until it has been completed. If additional work needs to be done, we will also provide a highly competitive rate. Our seasoned surveyors will be able to explain everything to you in layman’s terms and ensure you are made aware of all available options before moving forward with any work.

If you decide to go ahead and eradicate the damp in your property, know that we are committed and confident. We will do precisely what it takes to ensure the damp and mould don’t return, and we will provide you with a 30-year guarantee on the work. If you want an unbeatable service all around, you can count on our workmanship, ethics, dedication, and professionalism.

Our work extends far beyond the initial damp survey. We are also committed to providing expert post-survey aftercare and support to all our clients. Once our comprehensive survey is complete, you will receive a detailed report that outlines all the assessments we have made. We will also come up with an action plan for what needs to be done next and help in any way we can.

Of course, we will offer a no-obligation quote on work regarding damp, but we will also recommend reliable and cost-effective companies for any additional work we think should be carried out to remain safe from future damp invasions. We will do everything it takes to find the issue, address it, and ensure it doesn’t come back. If you want comprehensive aftercare that puts you in complete control, you are in the right place.

One of the most significant damp issues we see in many London homes is rising damp. This is usually due to the soil on which a property is built and its general area. If rising damp goes untreated, it can lead to structural damage to the property and pose several health risks. Our damp survey will diagnose and locate the issues, enabling us to come up with the perfect solution tailored to the specific needs of your property. Being able to address the cause of the problem, you can rest assured that you are in safe hands.

If you are concerned about rising damp, there are several ways to tell if it is impacting your property. Here are some signs that you might be dealing with rising damp:

Peeling wallpaper
Plaster blistering
Damage to skirting boards
Visible tide lines
Damp spots and salt deposits

If you see any of these, it may suggest that water is rising from the ground and up through the brickwork of your property. If this is so, it is something that needs to be addressed as soon as possible. Over time, rising damp can make its way through an entire building and into the structural beams and roof timbers. When we conduct a survey, we will accurately measure the extent of rising damp to ensure it will be taken care of.

Here is what you can expect from our rising damp treatment. Of course, our services are always tailored, so the work carried out will depend entirely on the extent of the problem.

Plaster removal
DPC chemical injections to repair the damp proof course
Salt neutraliser to get rid of the salt carried up through the damp
Wall tanking to create a highly waterproof barrier
Application of waterproof cement and sand
Replastering

Our main aim isn't getting rid of rising damp; it is ensuring your investment is structurally sound and that your property poses no risks to your health. Over time, rising damp can destroy a property, and when it spreads, it creates mould, which can be detrimental to long-term health. Our dedication to the job and attention to detail will ensure these are things you don’t need to worry about with your property. If you want the job done properly and a 30-year guarantee on all work carried out, request your independent survey today.

Book an inspection

Another big problem in London homes is penetrating damp. This is a highly invasive and destructive issue that needs to be taken care of professionally. Without the proper intervention, it can be highly detrimental to your property. This problem occurs when water makes its way into the property through defects such as damaged plaster, aged pointing, crumbling brickwork, gaps in windows or doors, missing roof tiles, and leaking pipes. Each of these has the potential to make our walls damp.

Thankfully, we offer a number of specialist penetrating damp treatments that can be tailored to the severity of each case. We will also take care of any mould, dry rot, wood rot, and woodworm that has occurred as a result of the penetrating damp. If you spot damp in your property, it may be penetrating, so call us today, and we will take care of it, ensuring it never comes back again.

If your property has penetrating damp, it may present the following:

Black mould
Damaged paint
Plaster blistering
Wood rot
Woodworm
Structural damage
Ineffective heating
Excessive water damage on walls and ceilings

How to Take Care of Penetrating Damp

After completing our penetrating damp survey, you will receive a report and an action plan to resolve the issue. This process will likely include the following:

Assess and repair all exterior cracks
Repair pointing in areas with deterioration
Remove plaster that has been damaged
Use a salt neutraliser to eradicate salts that have travelled in with penetrating water
Apply a liquid coating/tanking that bonds damaged brickwork and creates a waterproof barrier
Apply waterproof sand and cement
Reapply plaster
Waterproof the exterior with sand and cement

Book an inspection

Condensation is an issue that impacts most homes at some point. However, it is something that should not persist. Buildings of all ages and types are susceptible to condensation, and when it appears again and again, it can begin to look and smell pretty bad while creating an unhealthy environment. When you ask us to survey your condensation issues, we won’t just cover up the symptoms; we will address the cause to ensure it never comes back again.

Condensation affects most properties during the winter months. It is caused when it is cold outside, but there is warm air on the inside of a building, and usually builds up on the inside of doors, windows, and other cold exterior surfaces. If condensation occurs too often, it can potentially lead to mould growth and even begin to impact the structural integrity of certain areas of the building. Though there are plenty of good temporary measures, such as ventilation, they often fail to address the root cause.

If you are dealing with consistent condensation in your property, it might be time to call our team. We can conduct a comprehensive analysis of your home and locate the real cause of condensation. Once we build a report, you will know precisely what to do to ensure your damp walls, doors, and windows don’t come back any time soon.

Our qualified team can remove the damp, damaged plaster, apply neutralisers, install advanced tanking, and waterproof the render to give you and your family a healthier home to live in. We can also arrange for advanced ventilation systems to be installed, which can help eliminate dampness and black mould. Whatever we do, we promise it will be cost-effective, and we will ensure your home remains free from condensation in the future.

Choosing us for your condensation survey means you will receive a professional service carried out by some of London’s most qualified damp proofing experts. You can always trust us to ensure dampness doesn’t invade your home again.

Book an inspection

If you have an older property in London, we highly recommend a timber survey. A significant percentage of homes in London are built using timber, so it is worth checking that every inch is structurally sound. Our timber treatment survey is designed to ensure there is no dry rot, wet rot, woodworm, or other damage caused by damp.

Our damp surveyors are highly skilled at identifying issues in timber and devising effective solutions to ensure it remains in good condition. Our methods use the latest tools, technology, and materials to combat any issue we find and ensure your timber is free from any destructive element.

One of the most invasive things that can happen to structural timber in damp and humid conditions is woodworm. Woodworm are small larvae that bore deep into the wood, and you will usually notice them by multiple tiny holes on the surface. Additionally, these little critters tend to leave a dusty residue and cause joinery to crumble. If this is something you have noticed in your home, call us right away.

Wood rot comes in two forms: dry and wet. Dry rot is when wood appears brittle, soft, and dry, and wet rot is when wood comes into contact with high-moisture areas, weakening the wood and causing mould to spread. Both of these conditions are incredibly dangerous to your property and should always be addressed immediately.

If you suspect the timber in your property might not be in perfect condition, why don’t you give us a call today? We will provide you with a full report of what needs to be done to fix the problem, provide a no-obligation quote, recommend companies for additional work that is needed, and offer a 30-year guarantee on any work we do.

Book an inspection

One of the most crucial processes that most London properties should undergo, if they haven't already, is basement tanking. Our independent damp surveyors specialise in waterproofing basements and cellars to create additional spaces to hang out, store valuables, or even rent to a tenant. With the right basement tanking solution, we can transform your home and breathe life into spaces you may have long forgotten about.

Most basements would have been designed with external tanking, but over time, these systems tend to become obsolete. Underground structures are prone to damp, so a new approach is essential to keep them dry. We will conduct a thorough analysis of your basement and come up with a cost-effective and actionable plan to ensure you can start using your underground space as soon as possible.

The basement tanking process consists of the following steps:

Preparation – This is where we remove existing coats of plaster and paint and clean down every surface. We then address all potential weak spots where the tanking is even more necessary.

Application – We then apply the tanking membrane, which is sometimes referred to as a slurry. This is applied to every wall, leaving no gaps whatsoever. Once we have applied multiple coats, you will be left with a thick, waterproof layer.

Curing – The tanking membrane is then left to cure, forming an impermeable barrier. Once the membrane is dry, it can be finished with a fresh coat of plaster, paint, or wallpaper.

Book an inspection