Pre-purchase Damp and Timber Survey
You’re buying your dream home, you’ve agreed a price with the vendors, your mortgage company have sent the chartered surveyor to inspect and value the property, you wait for the report with trepidation and then you are informed that you need a damp and timber survey.
What is a Damp and Timber Survey?
A pre-purchase damp and timber survey carried out by Damptech will cover the following;
- Inspection for rising and penetrating damp
- Inspection of wooden floors for dry rot, wet rot and woodworm
- Assess whether sub floor ventilation is adequate
- If specifically instructed, inspect the roof timbers for dry rot, wet rot and woodworm
- If specifically instructed, Pass comment on the visible condition of roof coverings and rainwater goods
- Inspect the property for signs of any condensation black mould-related issues
- We can also inspect the property for cavity wall tie failure, for an additional fee
All the above are of course subject to your instruction and requirements. The most important aspect for any damp and timber survey is whether access within the property is available, surveys will always be limited by things such as dry lining, laminate floor coverings, carpets, kitchen units, furniture etc. However we use an array of surveying equipment including; mini cameras, endoscopes, ladders, dual mode moisture meters, mirrors and even binoculars to try and see as much of a property during a survey as we possibly can.
But I’ve already had to pay for a survey!
The chances are that you’ve had to pay for a mortgage valuation, (this is for your bank or building societies benefit), or you might have paid for a chartered surveyor to carry out a ‘home buyers report’. If a damp and timber report has been requested as a result of these reports this is because the surveyor has identified a potential problem that needs further investigation by a specialist damp and timber surveyor. A suitable example is that you go to your GP with a problem, if he or she isn’t sure how to deal with it they will refer you to a consultant who specialises in the specific problem.
Do you charge?
Nothing in life is free! So In a word YES, we charge a fee. We charge for the simple reason that if there isn’t a problem we will tell you. Our reports are totally unbiased and our fee allows us to spend the time and effort to supply our customers with an honest appraisal of the property. A damp and timber survey can take upwards of an hour or so on larger properties and another hour or so to type up, the fee simply covers our time dealing with the survey…we have no need to ‘find’ work to cover our time as this has been covered by our fee. Free damp and timber surveys more often than not lead to work which is not necessary or appropriate and extremely costly. We can, if requested, supply a quotation for any remedial works (if any are needed) to correct problems uncovered during the survey. Quite often, but not always, we can advise simple measures undertaken by yourself or builder to correct building defects found during the survey.
Can you really afford not to have an independent damp and timber report carried out? Considering the average property price in the North East is over £100,000, is it really worth penny-pinching, bearing in mind the cost of installing a full new damp proof course could easily exceed £4,000 and may or may not be necessary?
Why use Damptech?
- We cover the whole of the North East
- We have an in-depth knowledge of the different types of housing stock in the North East region
- Rapid 24hr reports available
- We carry Professional Indemnity insurance
- We have many years experience, having installed our first damp proof course in 1999
- We use the latest surveying equipment to correctly assess your property
- Most importantly, if we think a job does NOT need doing, then we’ll tell you!
Pre-purchase wall tie report
We can also combine a damp and timber report with a wall tie report. Please contact us for costs.
What to do next?
Fortunately, this bit is simple! If the property you want surveying is in the North East, Newcastle, Durham, Sunderland, Gateshead or Northumberland, either complete the survey request form, or contact us on 0191 4159471. If your property is out of the above areas, please call us to discuss.