I need to have an inspection and possibly some remedial work to address
some evidence of damp where an outdoors shed adjoins the house.

Has anyone had experience of a company called Preserva in Nottingham?

Any horror-stories, praise etc?

Not heard of that company but suggest you make sure they are members of
an association that offers a guarantee on behalf of its members.
British Wood Preserving and Damproofing Association or British
Structural Waterproofing Association both have websites.

Notice they offer gaurantees on behalf of their members. A guarantee
from a contractor himself is only good for the time he is in business.

Good luck

I used them about 8 years ago and they were OK and the damp proofing
worked with no probs. Not cheap but they did the job. Am awaiting a
quote from them at the moment on another job, the chap they sent seemed
to know what he was talking about - will let you know the outcome
On the other hand the building I'm on at the moment had another Notts
firm dealing with damp and dry rot called Bagguley & Jenkins.
Everything they did was appalling - a completely failed expensive bodge
rip off. Don't touch them with a barge pole - you'll get dry-rot in the
pole!

cheers

Jacob

Merryterry wrote:
Not heard of that company but suggest you make sure they are members of
an association that offers a guarantee on behalf of its members.
British Wood Preserving and Damproofing Association or British
Structural Waterproofing Association both have websites.

Notice they offer gaurantees on behalf of their members. A guarantee
from a contractor himself is only good for the time he is in business.

Good luck

Thanks. I think they've been in business for quite a while, but I'll
make the appropriate checks. It may not come to actually paying them to
do the work, just asking them to test for damp and give an estimate for
any work required (I'd happily pay for an honest estimate)

wrote:
I used them about 8 years ago and they were OK and the damp proofing
worked with no probs. Not cheap but they did the job. Am awaiting a
quote from them at the moment on another job, the chap they sent seemed
to know what he was talking about - will let you know the outcome
On the other hand the building I'm on at the moment had another Notts
firm dealing with damp and dry rot called Bagguley & Jenkins.
Everything they did was appalling - a completely failed expensive bodge
rip off. Don't touch them with a barge pole - you'll get dry-rot in the
pole!

cheers

Jacob

That's encouraging, I'd rather spend more for a decent job than take a
risk and skimp. And I'll make a warning note of Bagguley & Jenkins.

seani wrote:
I need to have an inspection and possibly some remedial work to address
some evidence of damp where an outdoors shed adjoins the house.

Has anyone had experience of a company called Preserva in Nottingham?

Any horror-stories, praise etc?


I'm about to get them out to do some work in Derby. They were recommended
by a surveyor, who was farily certain that they don't carry out unnessary
work.

First site visit (last Sep/Oct), their guy (the MD I think) assessed the
situation and stated that he was confident there was a leak causing the damp
and any work at this point would be unnessecary until the leak had been
found and/or discounted. He was right and there was a leak in the CH which
we sorted.

Unfortunately, that didn't cure the problem. Second visit, and I'd got up a
few more floorvaords and he recommended some remedial work and costed it up.
His parting shot was along the lines of, I'll send you a written quote and
specification for the work but you are under no obligation to use us to do
the work.

Charge to us so far is nil. I'll see if I'm as happy in a month's time as I
am now, once they've lightened my pockets!

Rob

Rob Summers wrote:
seani wrote:
I need to have an inspection and possibly some remedial work to address
some evidence of damp where an outdoors shed adjoins the house.

Has anyone had experience of a company called Preserva in Nottingham?

Any horror-stories, praise etc?


snip

When I bought my house in Nottingham (2001), my surveyor suggested that
there were minor damp problems, but the presence of a current guarantee
from Preserva meant that I would be able to remedy this without charge
after purchasing the house.

After completion I contacted Preserva (stupidly not contacting them
beforehand), who said that the guarantee was not valid unless supported
by a copy of the survey which they made at the time the work was
carried out (this was not stated on the g/tee certificate). Not having
a copy, they said they could retrieve a copy from their archives for a
fee (~£50?). Additionally, if I wanted to claim, I would have to pay
(~£120?) for a survey by them, which they would refund if they found
their work to be faulty. I asked whether this was likely, and was told
that 'hardly anyone was correct in thinking the work was faulty, it was
usually some other problem like condensation'. I did a bit of more
thorough research into my specific problem and found that the treatment
employed was not suitable for the type of damp present, and decided
that it would be pretty easy for them to state that the treatment
hadn't failed (even though it was inappropriate to begin with). I
couldn't have found this before buying the house, as I had to remove
kitchen units to see exactly what was going on.

In short - for a simple treatment their work is probably fine, but I
wouldn't hope to claim against the guarantee unless the wording has
changed significantly, and I certainly wouldn't pay any extra for a
longer/insurance backed guarantee. There are others posting on this
board who may suggest that you hire the kit and do it yourself, which
is apparently not that difficult.

Hope this helps,
Jon.

reply-to user13954 at yahoo dot co dot uk
'from' address is a spamcatcher

Nottingham Jon wrote:
Rob Summers wrote:
seani wrote:
I need to have an inspection and possibly some remedial work to address
some evidence of damp where an outdoors shed adjoins the house.

Has anyone had experience of a company called Preserva in Nottingham?

Any horror-stories, praise etc?


snip

When I bought my house in Nottingham (2001), my surveyor suggested that
there were minor damp problems, but the presence of a current guarantee
from Preserva meant that I would be able to remedy this without charge
after purchasing the house.

After completion I contacted Preserva (stupidly not contacting them
beforehand), who said that the guarantee was not valid unless supported
by a copy of the survey which they made at the time the work was
carried out (this was not stated on the g/tee certificate). Not having
a copy, they said they could retrieve a copy from their archives for a
fee (~£50?). Additionally, if I wanted to claim, I would have to pay
(~£120?) for a survey by them, which they would refund if they found
their work to be faulty. I asked whether this was likely, and was told
that 'hardly anyone was correct in thinking the work was faulty, it was
usually some other problem like condensation'. I did a bit of more
thorough research into my specific problem and found that the treatment
employed was not suitable for the type of damp present, and decided
that it would be pretty easy for them to state that the treatment
hadn't failed (even though it was inappropriate to begin with). I
couldn't have found this before buying the house, as I had to remove
kitchen units to see exactly what was going on.

In short - for a simple treatment their work is probably fine, but I
wouldn't hope to claim against the guarantee unless the wording has
changed significantly, and I certainly wouldn't pay any extra for a
longer/insurance backed guarantee. There are others posting on this
board who may suggest that you hire the kit and do it yourself, which
is apparently not that difficult.

Hope this helps,
Jon.

I'm a bit of a fraud in this case, as I don't have the slightest
intention of engaging in any DIY to solve this particular problem, I'm
more interested in coming to a fair arrangement with the people buying
my current house, and that presupposes an accurate assessment of the
situation.

When I come to buy the next one, and can take a few more chances
relying on myself, I'll bear this in mind, thanks.

seani wrote:
Nottingham Jon wrote:
Rob Summers wrote:
seani wrote:
I need to have an inspection and possibly some remedial work to address
some evidence of damp where an outdoors shed adjoins the house.

Has anyone had experience of a company called Preserva in Nottingham?

Any horror-stories, praise etc?


snip

When I bought my house in Nottingham (2001), my surveyor suggested that
there were minor damp problems, but the presence of a current guarantee
from Preserva meant that I would be able to remedy this without charge
after purchasing the house.

After completion I contacted Preserva (stupidly not contacting them
beforehand), who said that the guarantee was not valid unless supported
by a copy of the survey which they made at the time the work was
carried out (this was not stated on the g/tee certificate). Not having
a copy, they said they could retrieve a copy from their archives for a
fee (~£50?). Additionally, if I wanted to claim, I would have to pay
(~£120?) for a survey by them, which they would refund if they found
their work to be faulty. I asked whether this was likely, and was told
that 'hardly anyone was correct in thinking the work was faulty, it was
usually some other problem like condensation'. I did a bit of more
thorough research into my specific problem and found that the treatment
employed was not suitable for the type of damp present, and decided
that it would be pretty easy for them to state that the treatment
hadn't failed (even though it was inappropriate to begin with). I
couldn't have found this before buying the house, as I had to remove
kitchen units to see exactly what was going on.

In short - for a simple treatment their work is probably fine, but I
wouldn't hope to claim against the guarantee unless the wording has
changed significantly, and I certainly wouldn't pay any extra for a
longer/insurance backed guarantee. There are others posting on this
board who may suggest that you hire the kit and do it yourself, which
is apparently not that difficult.

Hope this helps,
Jon.

I'm a bit of a fraud in this case, as I don't have the slightest
intention of engaging in any DIY to solve this particular problem, I'm
more interested in coming to a fair arrangement with the people buying
my current house, and that presupposes an accurate assessment of the
situation.

When I come to buy the next one, and can take a few more chances
relying on myself, I'll bear this in mind, thanks.


I've not seen the damp problem, but I can say that in the majority of
cases whats been mentioned so far is somewhat wrong footed. To explain
a little:

1. Damp surveys routinely diagnose healthy walls as having damp
problems.
2. Damp surveys are usually done with a damp meter, as a result of a
widely criticised court ruling, but these meters quite simply do not
measure damp. They measure resistance, and the relationship between
dampness and resistance is not as simple as is routinely treated. In
brief, a damp meter can not diagnose a damp problem. It can provide
some information, which may or may not be useful, but thats all.
3. Rising damp, although it exists, is a rare beast. Most cases of real
damp problems are condensation or penetrating damp.
4. Most damp surveyors are in reality salesmen
5. The widespread false diagnosis of rising damp and offering of
exorbitantly priced injection and tanking is a business activity, ie
carried out for money.
6. Injected dpcs are usually not useful.
7. There are 2 quite diferent methods by which houses handle damp. The
approach required depends entirely on which type of method the building
is designed to use. The 2 approaches are not cross compatible. Very
briefly, modern builds rely primarily on impermeability, old buildings
rely primarily on evaporation.

etc etc

If you want to get more into it, Im not writing the book here, you can
read and ask in
http://www.periodproperty.co.uk/cgi-...ing/forum2.pl?
or throw your money at some sharks.


NT

I'll read and digest, and this will be excellent information when I
come to buy my next house (likely to take a while, as I want exactly
the right location).

I wouldn't argue with any of your points (and I'm not qualified to), in
particular the damp-meter reference. This seems to me like a bit of a
silver bullet for people who want to put an exact figure on things,
rather than the application of common sense and experience.

Unfortunately, reasoned argument is unlikely to go far with the
mortgage company of the buyers, so I'm still likely to have to engage
in the right ritualistic dance and token payment to make sure they're
satisfied.

It's an older house, and we do get a bit of very mild damp due to
condensation if some of the rooms aren't used for a while, but there's
no sign of any discolouration, damage to plaster, etc.

I have a friend who lives in a converted forge, and the ground floor is
partially underground. Theres a bit of a damp problem that manifests
itself as a small patch of plaster becoming discoloured every couple of
years, and flaking away once in a while. He as quoted 6,000 - 7,000
pounds to get the root of the problem, but he takes the view that you
can buy a *lot* of 10pence sized lumps of new plaster and enough paint
to cover it for that amount.

wrote:
seani wrote:
Nottingham Jon wrote:
Rob Summers wrote:
seani wrote:
I need to have an inspection and possibly some remedial work to address
some evidence of damp where an outdoors shed adjoins the house.

Has anyone had experience of a company called Preserva in Nottingham?

Any horror-stories, praise etc?


snip

When I bought my house in Nottingham (2001), my surveyor suggested that
there were minor damp problems, but the presence of a current guarantee
from Preserva meant that I would be able to remedy this without charge
after purchasing the house.

After completion I contacted Preserva (stupidly not contacting them
beforehand), who said that the guarantee was not valid unless supported
by a copy of the survey which they made at the time the work was
carried out (this was not stated on the g/tee certificate). Not having
a copy, they said they could retrieve a copy from their archives for a
fee (~£50?). Additionally, if I wanted to claim, I would have to pay
(~£120?) for a survey by them, which they would refund if they found
their work to be faulty. I asked whether this was likely, and was told
that 'hardly anyone was correct in thinking the work was faulty, it was
usually some other problem like condensation'. I did a bit of more
thorough research into my specific problem and found that the treatment
employed was not suitable for the type of damp present, and decided
that it would be pretty easy for them to state that the treatment
hadn't failed (even though it was inappropriate to begin with). I
couldn't have found this before buying the house, as I had to remove
kitchen units to see exactly what was going on.

In short - for a simple treatment their work is probably fine, but I
wouldn't hope to claim against the guarantee unless the wording has
changed significantly, and I certainly wouldn't pay any extra for a
longer/insurance backed guarantee. There are others posting on this
board who may suggest that you hire the kit and do it yourself, which
is apparently not that difficult.

Hope this helps,
Jon.

I'm a bit of a fraud in this case, as I don't have the slightest
intention of engaging in any DIY to solve this particular problem, I'm
more interested in coming to a fair arrangement with the people buying
my current house, and that presupposes an accurate assessment of the
situation.

When I come to buy the next one, and can take a few more chances
relying on myself, I'll bear this in mind, thanks.


I've not seen the damp problem, but I can say that in the majority of
cases whats been mentioned so far is somewhat wrong footed. To explain
a little:

1. Damp surveys routinely diagnose healthy walls as having damp
problems.
2. Damp surveys are usually done with a damp meter, as a result of a
widely criticised court ruling, but these meters quite simply do not
measure damp. They measure resistance, and the relationship between
dampness and resistance is not as simple as is routinely treated. In
brief, a damp meter can not diagnose a damp problem. It can provide
some information, which may or may not be useful, but thats all.
3. Rising damp, although it exists, is a rare beast. Most cases of real
damp problems are condensation or penetrating damp.
4. Most damp surveyors are in reality salesmen
5. The widespread false diagnosis of rising damp and offering of
exorbitantly priced injection and tanking is a business activity, ie
carried out for money.
6. Injected dpcs are usually not useful.
7. There are 2 quite diferent methods by which houses handle damp. The
approach required depends entirely on which type of method the building
is designed to use. The 2 approaches are not cross compatible. Very
briefly, modern builds rely primarily on impermeability, old buildings
rely primarily on evaporation.

etc etc

If you want to get more into it, Im not writing the book here, you can
read and ask in
http://www.periodproperty.co.uk/cgi-...ing/forum2.pl?
or throw your money at some sharks.

I agree with most of that. Guarantees have to be worthless as even with
the best intentions the work is a bit of a gamble, and the cost of
remedying failure would be very high and not always successful. I
wonder if you'd get a better deal if you said no guarantee required but
the work to be done in good faith as well as possible.

cheers
Jacob

In message . com,
Nottingham Jon writes


who said that the guarantee was not valid unless supported by a copy of
the survey which they made at the time the work was carried out (this
was not stated on the g/tee certificate). Not having a copy, they said
they could retrieve a copy from their archives for a fee (~£50?).
Additionally, if I wanted to claim, I would have to pay (~£120?) for a
survey by them, which they would refund if they found their work to be
faulty

Very similar to Rentokills' way of doing things.

--
Richard Faulkner

seani wrote:
I need to have an inspection and possibly some remedial work to address
some evidence of damp where an outdoors shed adjoins the house.

Has anyone had experience of a company called Preserva in Nottingham?

Any horror-stories, praise etc?

If you're selling as you say in another post, can't you just take the
shed down? It fix fix the problem.

MBQ

wrote:
seani wrote:
I need to have an inspection and possibly some remedial work to address
some evidence of damp where an outdoors shed adjoins the house.

Has anyone had experience of a company called Preserva in Nottingham?

Any horror-stories, praise etc?

If you're selling as you say in another post, can't you just take the
shed down? It fix fix the problem.

MBQ

It's a bit more substantial that a shed, and something of a selling
point for the people we've agreed a sale with. Also it's not certain
that the shed *is* the cause of the problem; that's just my
interpretation of the surveyors vague report.

seani wrote:
I'll read and digest, and this will be excellent information when I
come to buy my next house (likely to take a while, as I want exactly
the right location).

I wouldn't argue with any of your points (and I'm not qualified to), in
particular the damp-meter reference. This seems to me like a bit of a
silver bullet for people who want to put an exact figure on things,
rather than the application of common sense and experience.

Unfortunately, reasoned argument is unlikely to go far with the
mortgage company of the buyers, so I'm still likely to have to engage
in the right ritualistic dance and token payment to make sure they're
satisfied.

It's an older house, and we do get a bit of very mild damp due to
condensation if some of the rooms aren't used for a while, but there's
no sign of any discolouration, damage to plaster, etc.

I have a friend who lives in a converted forge, and the ground floor is
partially underground. Theres a bit of a damp problem that manifests
itself as a small patch of plaster becoming discoloured every couple of
years, and flaking away once in a while. He as quoted 6,000 - 7,000
pounds to get the root of the problem, but he takes the view that you
can buy a *lot* of 10pence sized lumps of new plaster and enough paint
to cover it for that amount.


Which is a very valid point. When we bought our current house we were
told as a result of the building society basic survey that there was
damp in one small stretch of wall. The building society gave us the
mortgage "on the condition that we sorted out the damp problem as soon
as possible after moving in" (which we didn't, but they haven't come
round to check!)

The suspicious part was that not only did the survey tell us about the
damp, it also came with a quote from an "approved" contractor to do the
required work to cure the problem (about £400 I think it came to).

Anyway, being aware of the skepticism surrounding the whole damp issue,
I was very dubious. The wall in question was covered with unpainted
blown vinyl that has to have dated back to the 70's/early 80's judging
by the style, and the paper showed no signs of damp.

We were fortunate because the old dear who was selling was so worried
about losing the sale that she was quick to knock the £400 off the price
of the house. (I suspect I will get lots of abuse for saying that!)

Unfortunately, reasoned argument is unlikely to go far with the
mortgage company of the buyers, so I'm still likely to have to engage
in the right ritualistic dance and token payment to make sure they're
satisfied.

This is not so. If you employ an independent surveyor, such as
myself, you'll get a thorough appraisal of your property and a report
based solely on its needs. I have no financial interest whatever in
any recommendations my surveys make; although I have to say that in the
main they recommend very little work and most of what is required can
be done either by the client or by a general builder. The main problem
is that people prefer a 'free' survey to the ones I and my colleagues
provide and the fact that they may then embark on several thousand
pounds worth of unnecessary activitiy, involving all sorts of chemicals
and potions, seldom seems to enter into it!

My website www.pdoyle.net will provide further information. In
particular: have a look at what you should get when someone says
they're going to do a 'damp and timber' survey for you. When you see
the amount of work involved, from inside the roof to under the floor,
you'll appreciate why we have to charge for them; but the very
reasonable fees almost invariably save clients a fortune. Incidentally,
the building societies never demur; probably because we're qualified
and the vast majority of 'surveyor's working for d and t companies
aren't. Funny old world!

Patrick

seani wrote:
wrote:
seani wrote:

I need to have an inspection and possibly some remedial work to address
some evidence of damp where an outdoors shed adjoins the house.

Has anyone had experience of a company called Preserva in Nottingham?

Any horror-stories, praise etc?

If you're selling as you say in another post, can't you just take the
shed down? It fix fix the problem.

MBQ

It's a bit more substantial that a shed, and something of a selling
point for the people we've agreed a sale with. Also it's not certain
that the shed *is* the cause of the problem; that's just my
interpretation of the surveyors vague report.


I know what you mean about the ritual dance, and its something I always
find annoying. Although Patricks comments seem to come from a
commercial point of view, I quite agree with him. A properly qualified
individual could report on a small issue like that for around £70. If
there are no signs visually of anythng wrong, this is likely the route
I'd choose. Youve then got the full initial survey followed by the
genuinely expert say so on the on issue raised. This should be enough
to dismiss the fun and games, and at much less expense than hundreds or
thousands of pounds.

I'm somewhat forgetting the original situation: if you genuinely do
have damp, its a bit different... tiring day


NT

In message .com,
Patrick writes
Unfortunately, reasoned argument is unlikely to go far with the
mortgage company of the buyers, so I'm still likely to have to engage
in the right ritualistic dance and token payment to make sure they're
satisfied.

This is not so. If you employ an independent surveyor, such as
myself, you'll get a thorough appraisal of your property and a report
based solely on its needs. I have no financial interest whatever in
any recommendations my surveys make; although I have to say that in the
main they recommend very little work and most of what is required can
be done either by the client or by a general builder. The main problem
is that people prefer a 'free' survey to the ones I and my colleagues
provide and the fact that they may then embark on several thousand
pounds worth of unnecessary activitiy, involving all sorts of chemicals
and potions, seldom seems to enter into it!


You are probably "one in a million" g

The problem is that the buyer chooses the surveyor, (chartered), for the
mortgage valuation, the valuer invariably sees his damp meter needle go
into the red in various places, and insists/recommends a T & D report.

The lender then INSISTS on a T & D report, which buyers can get for
free, and they dont care whether they can get a better one by paying you
to do it.

The lender is happy with the free report, and either insists or
recommends that its' recommendations are carried out, and the valuer is
happy with the free report because his backside is covered.

It doesnt matter that bad advice is received, because the free thing
works, (or is perceived to work), for all parties, so this is how it is.

You could suggest that the seller commissions your services and presents
your conclusions to the buyer - but the buyer doesnt trust anything
provided by the seller, particularly if it suggests a lower cost
alternative, but also because everyone they know, and talk to, goes down
the free report route.

I spent years trying to get buyers, and/or sellers, to pay for an
examination of core samples, or whatever, and it rarely happened.

The fact is that there is a timber and damp game, where the rules are
well known, and which is played out almost every time a second hand
property is sold.

But you know all that.....

My website www.pdoyle.net will provide further information. In
particular: have a look at what you should get when someone says
they're going to do a 'damp and timber' survey for you. When you see
the amount of work involved, from inside the roof to under the floor,
you'll appreciate why we have to charge for them; but the very
reasonable fees almost invariably save clients a fortune. Incidentally,
the building societies never demur; probably because we're qualified
and the vast majority of 'surveyor's working for d and t companies
aren't. Funny old world!

It must be very frustrating


--
Richard Faulkner

Richard Faulkner wrote:
In message .com,
Patrick writes
Unfortunately, reasoned argument is unlikely to go far with the
mortgage company of the buyers, so I'm still likely to have to engage
in the right ritualistic dance and token payment to make sure they're
satisfied.

This is not so. If you employ an independent surveyor, such as
myself, you'll get a thorough appraisal of your property and a report
based solely on its needs. I have no financial interest whatever in
any recommendations my surveys make; although I have to say that in the
main they recommend very little work and most of what is required can
be done either by the client or by a general builder. The main problem
is that people prefer a 'free' survey to the ones I and my colleagues
provide and the fact that they may then embark on several thousand
pounds worth of unnecessary activitiy, involving all sorts of chemicals
and potions, seldom seems to enter into it!


You are probably "one in a million" g

The problem is that the buyer chooses the surveyor, (chartered), for the
mortgage valuation, the valuer invariably sees his damp meter needle go
into the red in various places, and insists/recommends a T & D report.

The lender then INSISTS on a T & D report, which buyers can get for
free, and they dont care whether they can get a better one by paying you
to do it.

The lender is happy with the free report, and either insists or
recommends that its' recommendations are carried out, and the valuer is
happy with the free report because his backside is covered.

It doesnt matter that bad advice is received, because the free thing
works, (or is perceived to work), for all parties, so this is how it is.

You could suggest that the seller commissions your services and presents
your conclusions to the buyer - but the buyer doesnt trust anything
provided by the seller, particularly if it suggests a lower cost
alternative, but also because everyone they know, and talk to, goes down
the free report route.

I spent years trying to get buyers, and/or sellers, to pay for an
examination of core samples, or whatever, and it rarely happened.

The fact is that there is a timber and damp game, where the rules are
well known, and which is played out almost every time a second hand
property is sold.

But you know all that.....

My website www.pdoyle.net will provide further information. In
particular: have a look at what you should get when someone says
they're going to do a 'damp and timber' survey for you. When you see
the amount of work involved, from inside the roof to under the floor,
you'll appreciate why we have to charge for them; but the very
reasonable fees almost invariably save clients a fortune. Incidentally,
the building societies never demur; probably because we're qualified
and the vast majority of 'surveyor's working for d and t companies
aren't. Funny old world!

It must be very frustrating


--
Richard Faulkner

It isn't that bad actually RIchard - I'm too old to be frustrated!

From my ten years of sharing your old profession I knew very well what
the situation was; that's what I'm doing here in the first place.

The absurdity of it beggars belief; chartered surveyors actually
encouraging people to take advice from completely unknown quantities
with vested interests is something from Wonderland. But, probably
because of the Internet, more and more people are beginning to question
the whole setup and I have to say: business is brisk!

Your post also seems to assume that it's always the seller who pays for
the work. This isn't necessarily so and buyers themselves become
extremely interested in the results of surveys when it's they who are
paying! Even when it is the poor old seller who has to cough up,
sometimes, either because of environmental concerns or just the fact
they don't want their future home messed about with, buyers too get
interested.

The new Seller's Pack rules will also be interesting: D & T companies
are going to have to provide more estimates knowing they stand very
little chance of getting any work from them, at least until the
property has actually been sold. And punters may actually wake up to
the fact that they're being mislead when they have to confront the
putative costs before they get their dosh from the sale. Attitudes are
incredibly different when you're chasing a sale rather than when you're
first setting out your stall!

As you say, unless they're paying for any work, it isn't much benefit
to the buyer to know the truth. At least not until they've had the
wrong treatments done, the firm they used went bust and, in case of
both the previous situations (which happens all the time) they're then
in the position their seller was when it's their turn to put the board
up!

I wouldn't be surprised if the 'free' 'survey' eventually recedes into
the distance, certainly the BWPDA would like to see it go, But I'll
probaby have done that myself by then (receded into the distance)!

Kind regards

Patrick

Patrick wrote in message
ups.com...

My website www.pdoyle.net will provide further information. In
particular: have a look at what you should get when someone says
they're going to do a 'damp and timber' survey for you.

I noticed this on your web site.

"when cavity insulation was installed (the owner forgot to tell me about
this).
the installers had surrounded the airbricks with what resembled
bottle-brushes. These were supposed to keep them clear of the insulation but
were as much use as the proverbial chocolate teapots."

A relative recently bought a 1930s house that had cavity insulation
installed prior to purchase, and had exactly the same problem.
Unfortunately Dry Rot had taken hold and spread to 2/3 of the ground floor
before this became apparent.
Wonder how many other similar installations hold ticking time bombs under
people's floors.

BTW your web site appears quite broken using Linux/Firefox ;-(



-

Thanks Mark. The website has just undergone a major revamp and the
FIrefox/other browsers needs to be looked at. Will try this weekend if
I get time.

I think there may be plenty of others with this problem. The
'bottlebrushes' really are no use at all, but I don't suppose the
installers worried too much about future problems!

Regards

Patrick

On Wed, 25 Jan 2006 03:40:47 -0800, seani wrote:

I need to have an inspection and possibly some remedial work to address
some evidence of damp where an outdoors shed adjoins the house.

Has anyone had experience of a company called Preserva in Nottingham?

Any horror-stories, praise etc?

Update:

Preserva couldn't give us a suitable date (I'd have to say very helpful as
far as they went, though).

We had an inspection by a local firm who generally undertake checks for
commercial premises, through a contact of the Mrs. I'd like to pass the
name on, but I'm forbidden.

The conclusion was that there'd been a *bit* of damp once-upon-a time, and
there was some evidence of staining, and a bit of worn plaster behind the
washing machine as a result, but no evidence of damp now.

End of story as far as I'm concerned; if the buyers want to wheel in
another company to say there *is* damp, good luck to them, but we won't be
doing any work, or dropping the price, with a clean conscience.

The edge has been taken off this good news slightly by the fact that I
need work on both chimney stacks that amounts to 400.00 or so. Ah well.