The word “damp” makes many homeowners cringe. Even though it is a prevalent issue in UK residences, dealing with it is never a pleasant experience. It looks destructive and poses serious health risks if exposed to dampness for too long.
You should get a professional damp survey done if you discover any signs of dampness or if you’re buying a home. Damp problems can range from minor damage, such as a few patches of water stains or mould, to significant damage, such as structural decay and crumbling plaster.
What is a Damp Survey?
Damp is a frequent problem in homes all around the country because of the UK’s climate. A skilled professional conducts a damp survey to discover any damp places on your property. They will do a comprehensive inspection of the property and utilise specialised equipment to assess potential wetness.
There are various sorts of dampness, and each one necessitates a somewhat different approach. A damp survey will determine whether you have damp in the first place, what type of damp you have, and how to treat it.
Ensure the surveyor is a Certificated Surveyor of Timber & Dampness in Buildings or CSTDB qualified professional who will inspect the property for symptoms of dampness and assess the extent of the damage caused by the dampness and estimate the cost of any remediation work that may be required.
A general property survey will look at the overall state of the structure, whereas damp surveys will look at the type of damp present and the damage it has caused to the property.
What does a Damp Survey Involve?
A damp survey aims to map the moisture patterns within the walls and their effect on the wood. The resulting ‘map’ will show how moisture moves through the walls, where salts accumulation has occurred, and where problems exist.
The map developed during the damp survey will not be sufficient in providing all of the information required to find a solution to any possible issues. A general home survey should be done in conjunction with the damp survey to help capture comprehensive details of the structure and faults with the property.
How Long Does a Damp Survey Take?
Typically, a damp survey can take anything from 3-5 hours to complete.
The time of a damp survey, on the other hand, is determined by several factors, including the sort of damp survey you receive, the size of your home, and the severity of the issues discovered. A thorough and exhaustive damp survey may take up to 5 days, whereas a less thorough one may only take a few hours.
How Much Does a Damp Survey Cost?
The surveyor will use a damp metre to go through the house and search for telling visual clues. They’ll look for wet plaster and wood above doors, above skirting boards, and around windows, but they can also inspect at the floors. Finally, they’ll prepare a report that includes recommendations.
The size of your home usually determines the cost of a damp survey. The more rooms and the larger the home, the longer the damp survey will take and the higher the cost.
A damp survey for a two-bedroom property will cost around £200. The damp survey will cost roughly £400 if you have a three-bedroom terraced house. And depending on the conditions, a damp survey for a larger 4-bed detached house may cost around £600.
Apart from the size of your house, other factors influence the cost of the damp survey. Certain parts of the UK are more expensive than others, and where you live will have a significant impact. For instance, London and the South East of England will be more expensive.
Besides, if you want to have a damp emergency survey for the same day, you can pay extra bucks for the service and the standard fee.
A ‘PCA damp and timber survey is also available, which some mortgage lenders may require you to complete. The damp and timber survey will set you back roughly £200 to £300.
Based on the figures mentioned, you could be forgiven for supposing that damp surveyors get paid so much for one or two hours’ labour. Fortunately, this is not the case. The surveyor will spend around a day producing a report once they get the information from the damp metre and know what type of structure you have. They then send this, along with other data, to whoever ordered the inspection.
Moreover, if you want to hire a completely qualified and certified surveyor, you will almost certainly have to pay a charge for the survey. Once the survey is complete, you may realise that you need some redecoration doing to the walls. There will be experts out there, such as Advanced Painters, who can transform your property.
To Conclude
You should now know what a damp survey is and how much it will cost you. You don’t want to find out about damp in your home until it’s too late. The expense of repairing serious damp-related concerns can run into hundreds of pounds. That is before you include in the cost of restoring skirting boards, replacing or repainting wallpaper, and fixing other damp-related issues.
A thorough damp survey can help you prevent these problems in the future.