Please take the time to read this advice before booking a "Free Survey"
Alpine Property Group LtdDO NOT BE FOOLED BY FREE PROPERTY SURVEYS
Maintenance on properties can be very costly, and therefore it is always a positive to keep costs down. Unfortunately, the cheapest does not always work out to be the most cost-effective.
There are many damp proofing companies offering "Free Surveys", however, they have only one intention, and that is to sell you some form of material that will apparently "resolve all problems". It is a fact that such materials very rarely resolve damp issues, but do trap moisture into the wall and cause further erosion to the pointing and brickwork.
Most "Free Survey" companies will put a cheap damp meter into the wall at a low level, and tell you that you have "Rising Damp". This is completely incorrect as the vast majority of properties were built with a DPC, it is rare that they fail, besides, moisture does not rise up a structure.
Many damp proofing companies will try to have you believe that “Rising Damp” is a genuine issue within your property, and that you need a new chemical DPC and vertical membrane to stop it. The truth is that you do not need such damaging chemicals applied to your valuable property, and "rising damp" is a complete myth, as confirmed by the previous CEO of the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors.
Rising damp is a myth, says former RICS chief
Before reading what you should and shouldn’t do below, please take a moment to look at the two photos of these bridge structures. These structures along with thousands of others in the UK are submerged in water, and have thousands of gallons of water passing them, and penetrating into them on a daily basis. If “Rising Damp” really exists, why are these structures dry above the water line?, why have they not collapsed?, and why do they not have useless and damaging chemical DPC’s inserted?… The answer is evident, Rising Damp does not exist, and therefore please do not accept that it does from somebody who is trying to sell you their useless product.
Please Do:
- Check that the company is fully equipped to undertake the survey using a suitable Relative Damp and Moisture Content Survey Master, a Thermal Imaging Camera as a minimum.
- Ask them to take a series of Relative Damp levels above 1m from floor level to ceiling level, and prove that it is dry throughout.
- Ask them to show you using Thermal Imaging the origin and spread of the moisture, and demonstrate that it is from the ground up.
- If they say that the DPC has failed, make them prove it, as the DPC will almost certainly be acceptable and effective.
Please Don't:
- Agree to pay for a new Injection Damp Proof Course without evidence that it is originating from the ground. We never advise a new DPC, and that indicates how often they are required.
- Agree to remove the plaster to a height of 1m, and thereafter apply a vertical DPM, as this may stop the damp from showing, the moisture remains behind the DPC slowly deteriorating the pointing and brickwork... Solid walls need to "breathe"...
Yes, Alpine Damp charges a fee for our surveys, however, the fact is, we have saved numerous clients thousands of pounds by not having useless damp proofing. With Alpine Damp you are guaranteed the following:
- A company that has no interest in financial gain from remedial works, whether it be £10 or £10,000, and only wishes to resolve your damp issues accurately.
- A company that remains totally independent of all other contractors.
- A fully equipped Surveyor with a minimum of 28 years of relevant experience.
- A thorough and accurate investigation of your property.
- You will receive a detailed report of our findings and true recommendations for the rectifications. (samples are on our site) 6. A guarantee that if our recommendations are incorrect, we will return FOC and re-survey the property if required.
- Peace of mind that you are only spending what you need to spend.
Before taking the Free Survey route that is likely to end up costing you thousands, please give us a call, and please take a look at our customer feedback on our website and www.checkatrade.com