The majority of damp caused in homes is a result of poor maintenance, a lack of adequate ventilation and often in older properties, high ground levels can result in the lack of an effective damp proof course.  Modern properties often have very little natural ventilation and combined with multi occupation and poor use of heating can result in condensation damp. Older houses may have been constructed without a damp proof course or those built with one, may find this is no longer effective due to changes in ground levels, damage from building renovations or often with properties built on sloping site and hills, the older damp proofing measures are no longer working well enough to meet our modern day standards.

The most common causes of damp in the home are;

• Leaks
• Defective rainwater goods
• leaking roofs
• Condensation from poor ventilation
• High ground levels

A DPC is a ‘Damp Proof Course’ which is a barrier inserted through the bottom of the wall to prevent water rising from the soil in to the wall. Older properties were not normally built with one, however the were introduced generally from around 1875. Older DPC’s were often made from slate however in modern construction they are now made from plastic. When a new damp proof course is installed as a remedial measure, this is normally installed by drilling into the walls and injecting a waterproof liquid or cream which forms the new damp proof course by creating a waterproof barrier through the wall.

One of the main concerns with damp walls is that timbers in contact with the walls are susceptible to decay. Advanced levels of dampness may also spoil decorations and damage plaster work.

Every damp problem will be unique is terms of the extent of works required and the size of the problem / damage that has been caused. If you wish to obtain a guide price and know the areas that are affected by rising damp, use our damp proof estimator calculator to cost.

Yes, we guarantee that all of our damp proofing methods and solutions will work. We will provide details of the guarantee once we have inspected the property and provided our solution. Our damp proof courses and guaranteed for 20 years. We provide a 10 year guarantee on tanking and waterproofing. Our condensation systems are guaranteed for 2 years, following which we offer servicing for the ventilation units as required.

Our woodworm and dry rot treatments are guaranteed for 20 years.

We provide various methods of damp proofing in order to provide you with the specific cure for the problem. The type of damp proofing you need will depend on the cause of the problem, the type of construction originally ie brick or stone etc and the arrangements of ground levels and drainage etc.,

We carry out damp proof injection using silcone injected dpc and thixotropic damp proofing creams.

Our waterproofing rendering system is an excellent salt barrier and overcomes problems of salt damp in masonry.

Our tanking and waterproofing systems include Kenwood Structural waterproofing system (SWS) and Kenwood Basement Rapid which can even set under water.

Our cavity membrane systems utilise drainage channels and sump pumps to discharge water from behind the membrane.

Non vinyl emulsion paint can normally be used after approximately 3-4 weeks. Impervious type wall coverings such as vinyl and washable papers or paints should not be used until walls have fully dried out. Full drying out may take up to one month for each 25mm thickness of wall. Drying times are dependant upon various factors such as the ventilation provided during the drying period, the room temperature and the extent of dampness initially.

Most properties are likely to have had some form of damp treatment carried out previously, however this may no longer be sufficient to meet our modern day standards and often alterations carried out during renovations will damage existing damp proof courses and / or remove previous waterproofing.

The addition of new driveways and patios etc often bridges old damp proof courses as ground levels are raised.

Many basements and cellars are now being upgraded into usable space where previously these rooms may have been coal stores or left empty.

If you are unsure whether or not your property has adequate damp proofing systems installed book a survey here.

Once we have carried out a survey within your property, the quotation provided will be valid for three months. After this time we would need to review the quote however very often the cost will remain the same for much longer. If you have any particular concerns and wish to discuss the quotation, just give us a call and speak to a member of our team.

We cover most parts of London and the South East, including areas of Hertfordshire, Middlesex, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Surrey, Essex and  Kent.  If you wish to know more about the services we provide in your area, don’t hesitate to call.

• London | 020 8950 9070 | Watford | 01923 242441 | St. Albans | 01727 846949 |Slough | 01753 511154
• Luton | 01582 726565 | Reigate | 01737 226633

Our Surveyors have extensive experience in dealing with dampness and timber decay problems.  Many of our surveyors and operatives have worked with the company in excess of 20 years and we are proud to have a fabulous team of people who work to ensure you receive the highest standards of quality and service. We have been established for over 30 years use exclusively our own skilled surveyors and operatives who are highly experienced with damp proofing, timber defects and basement waterproofing.