Pre-purchase damp surveys
Pre-purchase damp surveys for home buyers.
If your mortgage valuation or home survey says “damp noted” or “further investigation recommended”, we’ll find out what’s really going on before you commit to buying.
Backed by guarantees of up to 30 years.
Why “damp noted” isn’t enough
Why mortgage surveys often just say “damp noted”.
Mortgage valuations and general home surveys cover the whole property, and the surveyor usually has limited time in each room. If a meter reading is high, the standard response is to note damp and recommend a specialist looks at it. They’re not being unhelpful. It’s simply outside the scope of that survey.
That leaves you with a vague warning and no idea whether it means a quick gutter repair or a major job. Some lenders also ask for a specialist damp report before they’ll go ahead.
What we do
What a pre-purchase damp survey covers.
It’s the same thorough inspection as our standard damp survey: moisture readings, the pattern of the damp, an outside inspection and a check on ventilation. We focus on the areas flagged in your survey and look at the rest of the house for any other signs.
Your report explains what’s causing the damp, whether it’s rising damp, penetrating damp, condensation or a combination, and what it will take to put right. We include a quote for any work, so you have a real figure to take into negotiations rather than a guess.
How it differs
How it differs from a standard damp survey.
The inspection itself is the same. What changes is that you don’t own the property yet, and you’re working to a deadline:
- Access through the seller. We arrange the visit through the estate agent, and we can’t move heavy furniture, lift floor coverings or remove plaster in someone else’s home. The report is clear about anything we couldn’t see.
- Faster turnaround. Your report is with you within 3 days, so it fits around your mortgage offer and exchange dates.
- Written for a buying decision. The report sets out what the damp means for the purchase, with a quote for putting it right that you can share with the seller, your lender or your solicitor.
Timing & access
Turnaround and arranging access.
Property purchases run to tight timescales, so we aim to get your written report to you within 3 days of the survey.
As the property isn’t yours yet, we’ll need the seller’s permission to visit. Usually the easiest way is for you to ask the estate agent to arrange access, and we’ll work around the time they give us.
A pre-purchase damp survey costs £119. If you buy the property and go ahead with our quote for treatment, the £119 is deducted from the cost of the work.
One firm for the whole job
We do the replastering and making good ourselves.
If you go ahead with the purchase, we can carry out the work in the report once you own the property, including the replastering and making good. That often fits well alongside other renovation work you’re planning before you move in.
That means one firm, one point of contact and one price, with no gap between the damp work finishing and a separate plasterer or decorator turning up. See our plastering and decorating services for more on that side of the work.
Before & after
What it looks like before and after.
AI-generated illustration
AI-generated illustration
Images marked “AI-generated illustration” show typical damp problems and repairs. They aren’t photos of our own work, and we’ll replace them with photos from real jobs as they’re completed.
Related services
Other damp problems we deal with.
Buying a property with damp?
Send us the address, the relevant part of your survey and your timescales, and we’ll arrange a visit. Reports within 3 days.
Backed by guarantees of up to 30 years.
Any treatment we carry out once you own the property comes with a written guarantee. Guarantee terms.
Frequently asked questions
Pre-purchase damp survey FAQs.
My survey says “damp noted”. Should I pull out of the purchase?
Not necessarily. Many damp problems have simple causes and straightforward fixes. A specialist survey tells you what you’re dealing with, so you can decide with the facts in front of you.
How quickly will I get the report?
We aim to send the written report within 3 days of the survey. Let us know your deadlines when you book.
Can I use your report to negotiate on price?
The report includes our findings and a quote for any work needed, which many buyers share with the seller or agent. How you use it is up to you.
Do I need to be at the survey?
No, though you’re welcome to come. We need access arranged through the seller or estate agent, and we’ll talk you through the findings afterwards.