Damp Proofing-Kenway Ltd

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Permalink Reply by jane on August 4, 2015 at 15:44

Hi Emma

I don't have any experience of them, although they were suggested to me by an estate agent just this week, when I said that the house we were buying had damp.  The estate agent said they'd do a FREE damp and timber report, which raised my suspicions.  I wouldn't recommend getting a damp survey from a company that would profit from selling you a damp-proof course, for the simple reason that they have a vested interest in the outcome of the survey.

I then heard from a colleague who'd had such a survey done when he was buying his house, only to find that the damp report's recommendations became a condition of sale, even though he (my colleague) disagreed with them.

Do you know that you have rising damp?  Often the course of damp is due to rainwater penetration or other factors. 

I've had dealings with a guy who's written a book on the subject (Ralph Burkinshaw), and he reckons that cases of rising damp, where a new damp proof course is needed, are much rarer than we're led to believe.  Obviously he might be wrong. 

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Permalink Reply by Rob B on August 4, 2015 at 21:42

I agree with Jane 100%. The "damp proof" industry is 95% a scam, drilling holes in people's brickwork, injecting chemicals that somehow magically restore the damp proof course. 

Damp, of course, does exist - but it can be caused by a number of reasons that should be properly identified. I have used Keith Gardener http://independentspecialistsurveys.co.uk/  before for a very reasonably priced independent damp report. 

Read around the subject a bit online before you rely on a report done by someone who is trying to sell damp-proofing works! They have a bit of a vested interest...

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Permalink Reply by Hugh on August 4, 2015 at 22:31

You could try our damp speciaists advertiser. I've often heard it said that if you pay for a damp survey, you'll get a much more thorough - and most importantly - much less self-interested assessment of what's needed. It may be worth a chat. 

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Permalink Reply by Sarah on August 7, 2015 at 11:34

Hi

I agree on damp proofing - there is a big question about whether rising damp exists or not, the frustrating thing is no one seems to really know but be careful not to spend money when the issue is actually something else - gutters, rendering, outside holes etc..

In regards to Kenway I wouldn't recommend them from my experience. I looked into this when buying my flat on the ladders, I was recommended them by the estate agent and got them to do a quote before I bought and negotiated money off only to find out when I got a comparative quote after moving in that they hadn't quoted for all areas that another company said needed doing.  I got Kenway back and they re-did the test without prompting and pointed out all areas the other company said plus more - it pretty much seemed like the whole flat needed doing which was getting expensive!

Being sceptical as one wall connect to next door (so it didn't make sense) and another to the bathroom (which of course is going to have moisture in) I paid for Keith Gardener http://independentspecialistsurveys.co.uk/ like Percy Pig to do a survey also and he pointed out issues with the gutters and external issues that would help resolve it.  He only charged £125 and it gave me piece of mind about not getting the damp proofing done and gave some direction on what to do.  That said I have worked out issues myself as I have gone along.

I did go ahead and have a couple of walls damp proofed with an alternative company as was putting in a new kitchen so did it for piece of mind however I was proven right about the connecting wall with next door the issue was that there is leak in the roof which is dripping down to the ground floor, getting wetter after rain gave it away ;-)

I still have a few damp issues but I believe these need to be fixed by sorting out roof, rendering and holes etc.  If your house is rendered it doesn't allow the bricks to breath properly and the moisture is retained.  Definitely worth checking out all options before spending money on damp proofing. 

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