It’s the moment that every first-time buyer dreads; you have found the home of your dreams and then the Home Buyers Report shows that there is damp.
Your initial reaction may be to panic but the good news is that there are solutions and they may not cost as much as you may think. It would make sense to action this sooner rather than later so that your sale isn’t held up; so, what should you do?
- The Home Buyers Report may give a general indication of damp readings but a specialist Surveyor can identify what is causing the problem and how much it would cost to resolve the issue.
- Damp surveys are very easy to arrange. You simply need to call a specialist company, such as Preservation Treatments, with the property address and the contact details of the estate agent and we can make the necessary arrangements to carry out the survey.
- It is important when choosing a remedial company to carry out the survey / works that they are members of the PCA (Property Care Association) PCA is the Trade Association providing accreditation and support to companies in relation to Dampness / Structural Waterproofing / Timber Treatments / Condensation etc. As a member the company is vetted regularly, ensuring that their Surveyors are qualified i.e. CSRT (Certified Surveyor Remedial Treatments), together with health and safety, on site checks, etc. As members of the PCA companies are also able to offer Guarantee Protection Insurance (GPI). These are designed to protect customers in the future and provide peace of mind.
- If you forward the Home Buyers Report to us then our Surveyor will know what areas you are particularly interested in but we can always carry out a full damp survey if you need one.
- Once the survey has been carried out a report will be prepared and emailed over to you. This will explain what damp related issues were found, their cause and how they will need to be rectified. It will also outline the costs.
- The main types of damp that may be mentioned are rising, penetrating and lateral damp, but condensation may also be an issue.
- Once you are aware of the cost of putting the problem right then you may decide that you want to go ahead or perhaps you can negotiate on price with the seller. Sometimes vendors choose to have the work carried out before the sale, so this may also be an option.
- If you do decide to go ahead with the purchase then you can give us a call when you complete and we will be happy to book the work in for you.
Although damp can initially appear daunting it doesn’t have to be if you get the right advice and information along the way.
Why not take a look around our website for more information?
