damp

[Steve]

I looked round a house I might want to buy. In the kitchen I noticed a potential damp patch (discoloured and slightly bumpy surface, and very very cold to touch). The wall in question faces a public footpath and roadway (the house is on a corner), and its on the corner with the wall facing the back garden.

Against the house wall on the pavement is a green cable TV box, about 4ft wide by 4ft high. Could this cause damp by allowing damp to sit against the house wall? Its not attached, but the gap is small.

Might it need a damp course? The house is early 1900s, but, oddly, has concrete floors downstairs. Not sure if this was a later addition to replace wooden floors. I have a feeling it might be a whole big can of worms.

Worth mentioning the vendor moved out a month ago and the heating has been on a frost stat.

 

[Blagard]

Sounds as if it would be worthwhile asking the vendor if they mind having a reputable damp-proofing company check the house over. You ought to be able to get this without charge as they want some work, hence the need to use a reputable one so the survey is nearer the truth than might otherwise be!

As for the Box I think it unlikely to be part of your problem

Really dampness - (and I have been on the courses that Protim used to run) can only really be established with a proper inspection. An empty unheated house will feel damp this time of year pretty quickly a frost stat is only to help avoid frozen pipes, so not really doing any real heating

Replacement floors in old properties are fairly common but no guarantee they have been done correctly. One can only hope and the damp survey may be helpful in this respect to.

Any house of the early 1900's is likely to need some work on it as an ongoing maintenance issue. How much depends upon the scope and quality of improvements already done.

As for the DPC - again part of a dampness survey, many properties of that age never had a "proper" DPC and there are different aftermarket remedies to deal with them. Injection DPC's being one very popular and usually visible.

 

[hotrod]

Might it need a damp course? The house is early 1900s, but, oddly, has concrete floors downstairs. Not sure if this was a later addition to replace wooden floors. I have a feeling it might be a whole big can of worms.

Possibly could need a DPC but may have a slate one which could still be effective. The concrete floor will not be original. It will be a remedial floor which can in certain circumstances introduce its own problems - introducing excessive moisture into the building fabric and pushing internal walls out are the obvious issues. Not normally a problem, if done correctly, but you need to be aware of potential problems. Have you got any pics of the damp?

 

[Steve]

That is the house. On for £77k.

No pictures of the internals. I'd say the patch of damp was no more than 2 square foot on the wall. The kitchen floor was tiled and seemed sound to walk on. Under the stairs was bare concrete. IIRC, there was no skirting in the kitchen.

I would get a damp report done on the house, as I know houses this age often have problems. How much would an injected damp course cost, roughly on this property?

 

[Blagard]

looks like a fairly decent building seems to be sitting nice and true to.

Have you got a photo of the house walls at low level ?

I'm guessing but it looks like a re-roof done as well, windows and front door have been replaced.

 

[stuart45]

Damp can often be caused by the external ground level being too high in relation to the DPC. It could also be condensation, as the bottom of the wall is usually the coldest part. Is it a solid or cavity wall.
BTW if they inject your walls they will also hack off the plaster round the bottom M.