London has some of the highest land prices in the UK, for obvious reasons and this means you are planning to make a significant investment in a bricks-and-mortar building, which is a very serious decision to have to make. Buying a century-old townhouse, for example, means you need to have the structure inspected for damp, mould and timber rot.
Rising damp
The biggest threat to London homes is damp that rises up from moist ground and the damp proof course can easily be compromised, even by age. Signs of rising damp can easily be concealed with plaster and paint; the only way to know with any degree of certainty, if a building is under attack from damp and mould. Moisture rises with capillary action, much like a sponge would draw up water and a damp survey uses cutting-edge equipment to determine whether damp is present.
Timber rot
Many London homes have old timber sash windows and they can easily become a victim of rising damp; Thames Valley is a clay basin that holds water and any real estate purchase should be accompanied by a damp survey. Should the inspection reveal damp issues, you can negotiate with the seller and have them pay for the damp-proofing; at London Damp Surveys, we understand the need for timely service and a full inspection can be arranged within days. Timber can be treated with special chemicals and in some cases, replacement is the only option.
Penetrating damp
A leaking roof is the number 1 cause of penetrating damp; all it takes is a few broken or missing roof shingles to allow rainwater into the internal roof structure. Blocked guttering is another cause of penetrating damp, with rainwater seeping down the exterior walls. Defective masonry, render or mortar will also allow damp to enter the building, if tell-tale signs of penetrating damp are ignored, repairs could run into the 1000s of pounds, which is a very compelling reason to arrange for a pre-purchase survey.
Woodworm, wet and dry rot
Timber rot thrives in damp conditions and an essential part of our survey is inspecting timbers for signs of dry and wet rot, as well as woodworm. Timber can be treated to prevent woodworm; in some cases, timbers need to be replaced, depending on the nature and severity of the issues.
Pre-purchase damp survey
We offer 3 levels to our pre-purchase damp survey and an add-on service for plaster lab analysis, where up to 10 rooms are sampled. This accurately measures the moisture content in the interior walls, then repairs can be recommended; while we at London Damp Surveys do not offer damp-proofing services, but we do have a working relationship with top contractors that cover London and surrounding counties.
Call us on 0207 305 5997 or complete the online form and arrange to have a potential purchase surveyed for the presence of damp, mould and timber rot. We are ready and waiting to inspect a property that you wish to purchase.
