Damp proofing failed?

H3485

New Member
Hi, I’m looking for a some advice. As a single female living on her own, I’m wanting to avoid being fobbed off or stitched up.
A bit of info. My house in a terrace, built in the 1830’s, and yes, I know, I will definitely be prone to damp!
The house was gutted before I moved in and renovated. They moved out 3/4 years later.
I noticed in my fireplace recess, there was salting and paint coming off above the skirting board and a bit of bubbling on the right cheek on the fireplace above the skirting (It a gas log burner effect fire in the recess). Looking back, I should have just left it as it was ‍♀ As you can see from the photo at the bottom of this post, it was minor.
I had a survey and got a damp proof course done on it in April 2021 on the inside and 2 front cheeks of it. They used the vertical damp proof membrane plaster system.
By August, this had appeared on the front right cheek (see where I drew the pencil like it and expanded!) this was quiet alarming as before I had any work done, i didn’t have patches like this.
0B079583-D8D6-44C1-BD16-1F12396BD1D8.png
3B941215-7505-44B2-86A6-C92F51B3C16D.png
So they came back out in September to re do both front sides of my fireplace.

It’s now July and I’ve noticed another blob appearing in a similar area to last time (above the high tide mark at the bottom of the wall.
07452A5B-686D-4E00-9342-045E15B2B551.jpeg

I loosely drew that pencil line around it last Sunday 24th July and it has expanded.
I contacted the sub contractor who works for the company and came to re do the front sides and he just told me to put stain blocker paint on it and said because it’s an old house, it’s expected.
Why is it appearing when it wasn’t there before I had the work done?!
So I sent photos to the company and they then spoke to the sub contractor and said it’s due to the age of the property and humidity.
So why didn’t these spots appear while I was living there 2 years before the work was done?! Why are they appearing now AFTER the damp proofing?!
They asked asked me if I had followed out the other works they suggested I do when I had my survey. Such as stop drying clothes in the house (I have a tumble drier in an outhouse anyway) they suggested installing an efficient extractor in the bathroom upstairs (I have done and had a roofer put a vent in my roof as it turns out the previous owners had allowed the extractor to just blow out of the tubing into the loft with nowhere to go) and the survey also suggested that i install an extractor fan in my kitchen wall as they are better than over hoods. I admit, I haven’t done this.
So, I’m not sure what to say to them. If I tell them I have only carried out the works in the bathroom, they’re going to actively say it’s my problem and not their damp proofing.
They said I can have a survey come out, but it will cost £75.
Sorry for waffling… can anyone help?!
Thank you
FYI I’m in Yorkshire.
 

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Hi there, the longer I plaster for the less I believe in damp proof experts.

Damp can only be penetrative or a condensation issue/hot meets cold/lack of ventilation.

Ask 20 different plasters about damp and you may well get 20 different answers.

The only thing I’m sure of is that houses like to breathe. It all comes down to finding the source of the problem and the materials you use.

My go to in properties like yours is limelite renovation plaster. It breathes and has thermal qualities. In 12 years I’ve not yet had a call back to say it didn’t work.

Swaddling/blocking/damming up the walls will only cause them to sweat and the water still has to go somewhere

I doubt not having a fan in your kitchen is causing these damp spots in your living room
 
Yeah there plastering is shite
You’re not wrong. Is there anyway to make it look less slap dash before I eventually get round to re painting the room?

I mean, the lad thought I was acceptable to re attached the skirting board after hacking it off to do the work. This is what the back wall of the recess looked like. I lost my s**t and complained and they replaced it all as a gesture of goodwill… this was before they had to come back out again a few months later to re do the front sides of the fire place.
DC0BA4B2-2C4B-4F93-A419-601C8C08DC0F.jpeg
 
I just did some limeliting last week. The report for damp from another company and the solution to fix it was madness imo

1F45006D-5F36-4E5B-A758-9F49596A3137.png


Sbr slurry. Sand cement. Injections. Breathable renovation plaster over all that non breathable stuff. Then skim finish. Makes no sense

:confused:
 
I just did some limeliting last week. The report for damp from another company and the solution to fix it was madness imo

View attachment 70888

Sbr slurry. Sand cement. Injections. Breathable renovation plaster over all that non breathable stuff. Then skim finish. Makes no sense

:confused:
I straightened some damp work out. Told him to ask what I can use on top of it. They said don't use browning but hardwalls OK. Said be hard for browning as they don't make it anymore. Straightened it out showed customer who was Well pleased. Texted me few weeks later fridge wouldn't fit in lol.
Then sent a pic when it was decorated with fridge in . Sure he was trying to chip price down
 
Hi there, the longer I plaster for the less I believe in damp proof experts.

Damp can only be penetrative or a condensation issue/hot meets cold/lack of ventilation.

Ask 20 different plasters about damp and you may well get 20 different answers.

The only thing I’m sure of is that houses like to breathe. It all comes down to finding the source of the problem and the materials you use.

My go to in properties like yours is limelite renovation plaster. It breathes and has thermal qualities. In 12 years I’ve not yet had a call back to say it didn’t work.

Swaddling/blocking/damming up the walls will only cause them to sweat and the water still has to go somewhere

I doubt not having a fan in your kitchen is causing these damp spots in your living room
Hi.
Yes, I’m not sure having an extractor put in my kitchen wall would have stopped this localised patch that has come through. I keep windows open. I haven’t responded back to the company yet about if I have done the works they suggested. As far as I’m aware, the work they have done as failed?! A neighbour let me use his damp meter reader and in the centre of this patch it is reading 17.5 and the rest of the front of the fireplace is reading 5.
83F8D7AA-E91F-43CD-B729-6F44A2EAB83F.jpeg

Obviously, I don’t have a clue what I’m dealing with, but it’s not even a year since they re did this area and it’s coming through again.
 
I straightened some damp work out. Told him to ask what I can use on top of it. They said don't use browning but hardwalls OK. Said be hard for browning as they don't make it anymore. Straightened it out showed customer who was Well pleased. Texted me few weeks later fridge wouldn't fit in lol.
Then sent a pic when it was decorated with fridge in . Sure he was trying to chip price down
If you’re using s/c then I don’t see the problem using hardwall over it as the s/c/waterproofer is blocking the damp.

I just may not have used s/c personally. It has its place. I just rarely, if ever, come across a damp situation where I’d use it.
 
Part of yourkshire...........




Is chimney capped off
I’m in West Yorkshire.
The chimney stack runs vertically along mine and my neighbours roof. 4 pots in a row and all capped. I’m assuming the front 2 are mine and the other 2 are his.
The second pot the row is cracked….
 
If you’re using s/c then I don’t see the problem using hardwall over it as the s/c/waterproofer is blocking the damp.

I just may not have used s/c personally. It has its place. I just rarely, if ever, come across a damp situation where I’d use it.
Not.sure what they used. Animals and charged a fortune
 
Hi.
Yes, I’m not sure having an extractor put in my kitchen wall would have stopped this localised patch that has come through. I keep windows open. I haven’t responded back to the company yet about if I have done the works they suggested. As far as I’m aware, the work they have done as failed?! A neighbour let me use his damp meter reader and in the centre of this patch it is reading 17.5 and the rest of the front of the fireplace is reading 5.
View attachment 70889

Obviously, I don’t have a clue what I’m dealing with, but it’s not even a year since they re did this area and it’s coming through again.
I’d check your small print. These companies mostly seem to have guarantees that you could highlight to them….. God knows why….

Bit cheeky to try charge you for another survey in my opinion.

@malc is normally good at knowing the legals for stuff
 
I’d check your small print. These companies mostly seem to have guarantees that you could highlight to them….. God knows why….

Bit cheeky to try charge you for another survey in my opinion.

@malc is normally good at knowing the legals for stuff
They have asked for £75 for the survey. If they need to re do the work, I get it back. If they don’t re do the work, I get part of it back. Still not confirmed with them what I’m doing yet.

I checked the paperwork and in the conditions of sale, it states they will issue a ten year guarantee for the damp proofing.
However, in the body of my survey it only offered a guarantee for a treatment to my exterior walls which I declined.
When I queried if I had a guarantee, their response was

There was a guarantee offered for the StormDry treatment, this element of work was not accepted.

But if you do have any issues with the works please do not hesitate to get in touch
(June 2021)


Looks like I’m snookered!

Thank you for your help.
 
Sovereign finishing plaster is white. not pink it looks like you have been flob off with pink thistle multi finish plaster a lot cheaper material.
I doubt if the backing plaster is sovereign / limelite renovation plaster either.
 
Sovereign finishing plaster is white. not pink it looks like you have been flob off with pink thistle multi finish plaster a lot cheaper material.
I doubt if the backing plaster is sovereign / limelite renovation plaster either.
I don’t know if they used sovereign for this lady’s house. That report/quote was for a customer of mine from another company
 
Can anyone give me any advice then, before the surveyor comes out from the company who did the damp proofing? I’m not accepting that this patch in one area is due to humidity in the house when there was no issues on that wall before i had the damp proofing. What is all that mottling and tiny holes?!


Currently looks like this.

4DCA854A-BF7C-46A8-824F-CB12259C6EB3.jpeg

Edit to say, I’ve had a roofer to come out and he’s checked my roof/chimney and says it bone dry, so cant be rain coming down the chimney.
 
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Can anyone give me any advice then, before the surveyor comes out from the company who did the damp proofing? I’m not accepting that this patch in one area is due to humidity in the house when there was no issues on that wall before i had the damp proofing. What is all that mottling and tiny holes?!


Currently looks like this.

View attachment 71269
Edit to say, I’ve had a roofer to come out and he’s checked my roof/chimney and says it bone dry, so cant be rain coming down the chimney.
it's just a piss poor job pal simple as that.... you've had ur pants down by a chancer
 
I'm not convinced that patch is even damp at all. To me the wall just looks like a fatty mess, but that area has been ground down tight to the basecoat.
In every photo the plastering is absolutely abysmal.
 
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I'm not convinced that patch is even damp at all. To me the wall just looks like a fatty mess, but that area has been ground down tight to the basecoat.
In every photo the plastering is absolutely abysmal.
Too right .... @chancersparadiseplastering (& not a single mention of a moon finish )
 
I'm not convinced that patch is even damp at all. To me the wall just looks like a fatty mess, but that area has been ground down tight to the basecoat.
In every photo the plastering is absolutely abysmal.
It’s reading 17.5 when a damp meter is against it… the rest of the fireplace reads around 3%…. It’s been a year since the work was done, surely the plaster would have dried out by now?!
 
It’s reading 17.5 when a damp meter is against it… the rest of the fireplace reads around 3%…. It’s been a year since the work was done, surely the plaster would have dried out by now?!
How could it possibly be damp after the summer we've just had? There'd have to be a leaking pipe for sure.
 
Hi there, the longer I plaster for the less I believe in damp proof experts.

Damp can only be penetrative or a condensation issue/hot meets cold/lack of ventilation.

Ask 20 different plasters about damp and you may well get 20 different answers.

The only thing I’m sure of is that houses like to breathe. It all comes down to finding the source of the problem and the materials you use.

My go to in properties like yours is limelite renovation plaster. It breathes and has thermal qualities. In 12 years I’ve not yet had a call back to say it didn’t work.

Swaddling/blocking/damming up the walls will only cause them to sweat and the water still has to go somewhere

I doubt not having a fan in your kitchen is causing these damp spots in your living room
Damp can also be capillary also.
 
Can anyone give me any advice then, before the surveyor comes out from the company who did the damp proofing? I’m not accepting that this patch in one area is due to humidity in the house when there was no issues on that wall before i had the damp proofing. What is all that mottling and tiny holes?!


Currently looks like this.

View attachment 71269
Edit to say, I’ve had a roofer to come out and he’s checked my roof/chimney and says it bone dry, so cant be rain coming down the chimney.
The s**t on that bead
 
Hi there, the longer I plaster for the less I believe in damp proof experts.

Damp can only be penetrative or a condensation issue/hot meets cold/lack of ventilation.

Ask 20 different plasters about damp and you may well get 20 different answers.

The only thing I’m sure of is that houses like to breathe. It all comes down to finding the source of the problem and the materials you use.

My go to in properties like yours is limelite renovation plaster. It breathes and has thermal qualities. In 12 years I’ve not yet had a call back to say it didn’t work.

Swaddling/blocking/damming up the walls will only cause them to sweat and the water still has to go somewhere

I doubt not having a fan in your kitchen is causing these damp spots in your living room
Houses are not emotive, they don't care either way.
 
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