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Frequently Asked Questions
At Damp Pro we aim to make sure that every client obtains the information they need from their damp and/or timber survey/report. In many cases, our clients will be submitting their report to a mortgage lender and so certain areas must be covered within the survey and report. It may be requested that a ground floor only inspection is carried out, or perhaps it is essential that all floors are investigated. In other instances, a damp and timber survey may be required on a property that is already owned and so perhaps only certain areas are requested to be investigated by our surveyors such as, chimney breasts, roof voids or beneath the floor (sub-floor survey). It is for these reasons that we do not issue a ‘one price suits all’ as one property may have three floors, converted loft space and a basement, and another may be a two bedroomed terrace property. To give you the best price for a damp and timber survey we need to know as much information about your property and requirements as possible.
In most circumstances we will endeavor to provide you with your damp and/or timber report within five working days. This can be determined for you on the day of enquiry once we have all relevant information regarding your property or requirements for the survey. We understand that during the purchase of a property most clients are keen to know the findings of the survey as soon as possible, therefore we can arrange for the surveyor to contact you on/after the survey to discuss the findings. Again, for a speedy process, we send out all our damp and timber reports via email unless requested otherwise.
The chance that your property is suffering from rising damp is slim. There is a lot of moisture that can be found within a building not all of it is rising damp. It is very important that a damp survey is carried out to determine whether or not rising damp is present before you go down the route of damp proofing a wall.
A damp proof course is a horizontal barrier inserted into a wall/structure to prevent the movement of upward capillary action (rising damp).
You may have a damp or timber decay problem, however to what extent is the question!! There has been many times when our certified damp and timber surveyor has been instructed to carry out a damp and timber survey and found no problems at all, after a “market leading company” or builder has carried out a damp and timber survey and has quoted hundreds even thousands of pounds of unnecessary work. So the top tip is… Avoid “commission based surveyors” and builders posing as damp and timber specialists. Have a damp and timber survey carried out by a CSRT qualified damp and timber decay specialist surveyor (not on commission) to give you peace of mind and save yourself hundreds even thousands of pounds on unnecessary damp proofing and timber treatments.
No one works for free in this world today unfortunately. Our qualified damp and timber surveyors are providing a specialist service to you which is chargeable. The surveyor will provide you with second to none knowledge in regards to damp and timber problems followed by a damp and timber report. It costs damp proofing and timber treatment companies to send a qualified CSRT surveyors to you. For example, to name just a few overhead costs of a vehicle, fuel, insurances, time organising the survey and time compiling a damp and timber report not to forget the surveyors salary as well as office staffs wages who take a key role in the preparation of surveys and reports. So one would have to wonder how damp and timber companies offering free damp and timber surveys manage to do it!? The simple answer is by selling a product or make up problems that do not even exist.
The correct identification of wood destroying organisms and the causes of dampness are essential for correct diagnosis and specification of a safe and cost-effective remedy. Surveyors must have a detailed knowledge of the insects and fungi that attack wood, the types of wood used in buildings and their characteristics, building structures, the characteristics of wood preservatives and damp-proofing materials and equipment and their safe and effective use together with the legal obligations of the surveyor and his company to name just a few of the requirements. The PCA has developed a professional qualification for surveyors which assesses these areas and which is achieved only after rigorous testing of a candidates knowledge, skill and practical ability. Two separate qualifications (Certificated Timber Infestation Surveyor – CTIS and Certificated Remedial Damp Surveyor – CRDS) have now been amalgamated with an assessment of law, health and safety aspects into a single qualification – the Certificated Surveyor in Remedial Treatment – CSRT. Member companies of PCA employ qualified surveyors to ensure that property owners get a reliable survey which correctly identifies the problem and states whether any treatment is required. If your property needs Timber Treatment or Damp-proofing… Be Safe, Be Sure, Be Certain.
Look out for the PCA logo on their website/ paperwork and cross reference their name/unique membership number with the Property Care Association Website. Or simply ask to see credentials of the company. Any PCA member, damp proofing and timber treatment company would be proud to present credentials as it is an honour to be part of the elite in the industry and very hard to achieve due to strict policies.
Choose a Property Care Association (PCA) Member and ensure the surveyor carrying out your damp and or timber survey holds the CSRT qualification. Please remember that there is only one national damp proofing, woodworm treatment and Dry Rot Eradication Governing Body and that is the Property Care Association (PCA). Formerly known as the British Wood Preserving and Damp Proofing Association (BWPDA).
Initially, it would be the cost, a damp and timber survey can be carried out at a fraction of the price of a homebuyer’s survey. Most properties in the UK are constructed of brick/stonework and timber therefore a damp and timber survey will look at the property as a whole subject to instructions and inform you on any damp and timber issues that may be present. Normally a damp and timber survey is one of the last things to be carried out during the purchase of a house after paying for full structural and/or homebuyers’ surveys. These two surveys can be very costly and may only partially inform you of the cost/implications of what may be wrong with a building. It has become a common issue when people are in the middle of purchasing a property to have these costly surveys carried out followed by a specialist damp and timber survey to then find out that there is more than meets the eye. Dry Rot outbreaks, dampness and woodworm infestation for example, which can be costly to rectify. Often, once a potential buyer has found out about the damp and timber issue they may decide to pull out of a sale or in the worst case scenario not be able to obtain a mortgage on the property subject to the damp and timber report. This can be a costly situation for a property purchaser which could have been brought to their attention by just having a damp and timber survey carried out at the start of the purchase process, instead of paying for costly structural reports and homebuyers’ survey.
Top Survey Tip… If you are buying an older house, consider a damp and timber survey first. It could save you ££££’s on unnecessary surveys and at the end of the day prevent heart ache if a property falls through after weeks and months of planning the big move.
- If you are a Homeowner with a damp and/or timber decay/infestation problem, our expert knowledge will diagnose the source of the problem and recommend treatments.
- If you are a Homeownerselling your property, our CSRT qualified damp and timber surveyors will issue you with a report and quotation for any necessary works.
- If you are a Landlord in need of a correct diagnosis of damp ingress or timber decay/infestation problems in your property, we will provide you with expert knowledge on all forms of damp proofing and/or timber treatments to rectify the problem.
- If you are in the process of buying a property, and have been instructed by a building surveyor to have a specialist damp and timber report survey carried out, we will arrange access to the property and liaise with vendors and estate agents to carry out the damp and timber survey.
- If you are a Letting/Estate Agent seeking specialist advice on any form of dampness or timber decay/infestation in a property, we will provide you with the correct diagnosis, along with any possible recommendations.
- If you are a Builder in need of specialist knowledge or treatment only, we can provide you with an onsite diagnosis and a quotation for the necessary treatment(s).
- If you are Re-mortgaging your property (equity release scheme) and have been instructed by a lender to have a damp and timber report survey carried out, we will provide you with the damp and/or timber report and carry out the treatments necessary which will be backed by a 20 year guarantee so that the lender will release the equity.
No is the simple answer. Our specialist damp and timber surveyors are providing a service and do have salaries which need to be paid for their expert advice and knowledge. Paying for a damp and timber survey will provide you with accurate, honest advice which could save you hundreds even thousands of pounds on unnecessary damp proofing and/or timber treatments. Something to be aware of in the damp proofing and timber treatment industry is that, many companies send out commission based surveyors to carry out specialist damp and timber surveys. These damp and timber surveys are carried out with “end of month survey targets and commission bonuses in mind.” So you can image what the surveyor is thinking before he even enters your property to carry out a damp and timber survey for free! Over the years we have had an increase in clients that have had damp and timber companies in free of charge to told they need a new chemical damp proof course. In over 90% of cases this has been unnecessary due to a phyical damp proof course being bridged. What is free in the world nowadays… unfortunately nothing! So please be aware of the free survey!
