I've arranged for a couple of firms to quote for damp work mentioned in


http://groups.google.com/group/uk.d-...d99d5fb 93cf4

They are Dower Tekron and ProtectaHome - http://www.protectahome.co.uk/

Has anyone had any dealings with either of these two firms?

seani wrote:
I've arranged for a couple of firms to quote for damp work mentioned in


http://groups.google.com/group/uk.d-...d99d5fb 93cf4

They are Dower Tekron and ProtectaHome - http://www.protectahome.co.uk/

Has anyone had any dealings with either of these two firms?


I wouldn't if I were you. Employ local plasterers or bricklayers to
repair the damage. No point handing money to middle men

seani wrote:

I've arranged for a couple of firms to quote for damp work mentioned in


http://groups.google.com/group/uk.d-...d99d5fb 93cf4

They are Dower Tekron and ProtectaHome - http://www.protectahome.co.uk/

Has anyone had any dealings with either of these two firms?

If this is for a ground floor problem on an 1885 house, newton
membranes are the wrong approach entirely. There are a lot of people
claiming to be damp experts, the level of knowledge of many of whom is
pitiful. I'd recommend learning more about how these properties handle
damp, and what methods will help.
http://www.periodproperty.co.uk/discussion_forum.htm
TBH uk.d-i-y is not a great forum for this one.


NT

wrote:
seani wrote:

I've arranged for a couple of firms to quote for damp work mentioned in


http://groups.google.com/group/uk.d-...d99d5fb 93cf4

They are Dower Tekron and ProtectaHome - http://www.protectahome.co.uk/

Has anyone had any dealings with either of these two firms?

If this is for a ground floor problem on an 1885 house, newton
membranes are the wrong approach entirely. There are a lot of people
claiming to be damp experts, the level of knowledge of many of whom is
pitiful. I'd recommend learning more about how these properties handle
damp, and what methods will help.
http://www.periodproperty.co.uk/discussion_forum.htm
TBH uk.d-i-y is not a great forum for this one.


This is after paying for an *independent* damp survey (www.pdoyle.net).
In these circumstances, a newton membrane has been recommended. I feel
as confident as I can that the surveyor knows what he's talking ahout,
and I'm just after someone who knows what they're doing to carry out
the recommendations.

Dower Tekron is a referral from a friend, and I'm not entirely sure
they understand what I'm asking for. Protectahome are the
recommendation from Newton Membranes themselves.

Essentially, I'd just like *any* feedbackf from someone who's had
direct dealings with either.

Ta

Sean

seani wrote:
wrote:
seani wrote:

I've arranged for a couple of firms to quote for damp work mentioned in


http://groups.google.com/group/uk.d-...d99d5fb 93cf4

They are Dower Tekron and ProtectaHome - http://www.protectahome.co.uk/

Has anyone had any dealings with either of these two firms?

If this is for a ground floor problem on an 1885 house, newton
membranes are the wrong approach entirely. There are a lot of people
claiming to be damp experts, the level of knowledge of many of whom is
pitiful. I'd recommend learning more about how these properties handle
damp, and what methods will help.
http://www.periodproperty.co.uk/discussion_forum.htm
TBH uk.d-i-y is not a great forum for this one.

This is after paying for an *independent* damp survey (www.pdoyle.net).
In these circumstances, a newton membrane has been recommended. I feel
as confident as I can that the surveyor knows what he's talking ahout,
and I'm just after someone who knows what they're doing to carry out
the recommendations.

Dower Tekron is a referral from a friend, and I'm not entirely sure
they understand what I'm asking for. Protectahome are the
recommendation from Newton Membranes themselves.

Essentially, I'd just like *any* feedbackf from someone who's had
direct dealings with either.

Ta

Sean


So if I knock up a website, tell you I'm an expert and accept your
money you'll believe anything I say? Good luck.


NT

wrote:
seani wrote:
wrote:
seani wrote:

I've arranged for a couple of firms to quote for damp work mentioned in


http://groups.google.com/group/uk.d-...d99d5fb 93cf4

They are Dower Tekron and ProtectaHome - http://www.protectahome.co.uk/

Has anyone had any dealings with either of these two firms?

If this is for a ground floor problem on an 1885 house, newton
membranes are the wrong approach entirely. There are a lot of people
claiming to be damp experts, the level of knowledge of many of whom is
pitiful. I'd recommend learning more about how these properties handle
damp, and what methods will help.
http://www.periodproperty.co.uk/discussion_forum.htm
TBH uk.d-i-y is not a great forum for this one.

This is after paying for an *independent* damp survey (www.pdoyle.net).
In these circumstances, a newton membrane has been recommended. I feel
as confident as I can that the surveyor knows what he's talking ahout,
and I'm just after someone who knows what they're doing to carry out
the recommendations.

Dower Tekron is a referral from a friend, and I'm not entirely sure
they understand what I'm asking for. Protectahome are the
recommendation from Newton Membranes themselves.

Essentially, I'd just like *any* feedbackf from someone who's had
direct dealings with either.

Ta

Sean


So if I knock up a website, tell you I'm an expert and accept your
money you'll believe anything I say? Good luck.


Far from it. How, exactly, do you draw that conclusion?

As far as possible, I've attempted to find someone suitably qualified
and disinterested and engaged their services to perform a survey. Now
the links on the site and qualifications listed *could* be bogus or
irrelevant; there's a limit to how deeply I'm prepared to research the
matter, but this is a problem using any service where you aren't a
domain expert.

So I've relied on the qualifications listed, spending an afternoon
following the process in my own house, and having the methodolgy,
results, and conclusion explained to me face-to-face, followed by a
written report.

If you gave any specific experience of this particular site or surveyor
you'd like to share, I'd be interested to hear it, but the moment, it
just looks like you're engaging in a bit of "poisoning the well", for
reasons which escape me.

seani wrote:
wrote:
seani wrote:
wrote:
seani wrote:
I've arranged for a couple of firms to quote for damp work mentioned in


http://groups.google.com/group/uk.d-...d99d5fb 93cf4

They are Dower Tekron and ProtectaHome - http://www.protectahome.co.uk/

Has anyone had any dealings with either of these two firms?
If this is for a ground floor problem on an 1885 house, newton
membranes are the wrong approach entirely. There are a lot of people
claiming to be damp experts, the level of knowledge of many of whom is
pitiful. I'd recommend learning more about how these properties handle
damp, and what methods will help.
http://www.periodproperty.co.uk/discussion_forum.htm
TBH uk.d-i-y is not a great forum for this one.
This is after paying for an *independent* damp survey (www.pdoyle.net).
In these circumstances, a newton membrane has been recommended. I feel
as confident as I can that the surveyor knows what he's talking ahout,
and I'm just after someone who knows what they're doing to carry out
the recommendations.

Dower Tekron is a referral from a friend, and I'm not entirely sure
they understand what I'm asking for. Protectahome are the
recommendation from Newton Membranes themselves.

Essentially, I'd just like *any* feedbackf from someone who's had
direct dealings with either.

Ta

Sean

So if I knock up a website, tell you I'm an expert and accept your
money you'll believe anything I say? Good luck.


Far from it. How, exactly, do you draw that conclusion?

As far as possible, I've attempted to find someone suitably qualified
and disinterested and engaged their services to perform a survey. Now
the links on the site and qualifications listed *could* be bogus or
irrelevant; there's a limit to how deeply I'm prepared to research the
matter, but this is a problem using any service where you aren't a
domain expert.

So I've relied on the qualifications listed, spending an afternoon
following the process in my own house, and having the methodolgy,
results, and conclusion explained to me face-to-face, followed by a
written report.

If you gave any specific experience of this particular site or surveyor
you'd like to share, I'd be interested to hear it, but the moment, it
just looks like you're engaging in a bit of "poisoning the well", for
reasons which escape me.

Don't waste your breath. Drivel on Combis, Meow on old buildings - its
the same story - a few half truths cobbled together and presented as
expert advice.

Ther are two ays to go with old buildings. One, which may be mandated by
Lsiting, is to use the trad stuff the way they did and accept that the
standards of 200 years ago are barely acceptable today, in terms of damp
and condensation.

The other is to go whole hog and try and tuyrn teh central heating and
waterproofed exteriors.

Half measures don't work though. Shoving CH in an old damp building
simply drives the moisture to condense on yet colder and more
inaccesible parts, unless you couple it with a very high degree of
ventilation.

Likewise waterproofing exterior walls that are subject to rising damp,
not penetrating, makes em worse.

If your damp experts are worth their salt, they will have worked out
what's what and found a sensible solution.

seani wrote:

As far as possible, I've attempted to find someone suitably qualified
and disinterested and engaged their services to perform a survey. Now
the links on the site and qualifications listed *could* be bogus or
irrelevant; there's a limit to how deeply I'm prepared to research the
matter, but this is a problem using any service where you aren't a
domain expert.

For most subjects this is an excellent approach, but when it comes to
damp it isnt. As you dont intend to read into it more I shall leave you
to the resident wallies.


NT

wrote:


So if I knock up a website, tell you I'm an expert and accept your
money you'll believe anything I say? Good luck.


Oh, I thought you had, but we'd all dismissed you as a harmless nutcase.

;-)

On 21 Aug 2006 06:50:30 -0700, "seani" wrote:


This is after paying for an *independent* damp survey (www.pdoyle.net).
In these circumstances, a newton membrane has been recommended. I feel
as confident as I can that the surveyor knows what he's talking ahout,
and I'm just after someone who knows what they're doing to carry out
the recommendations.

Looks good, did he do a salt test(s) or just moisture tests?

cheers,
Pete.

Pete C wrote:
On 21 Aug 2006 06:50:30 -0700, "seani" wrote:


This is after paying for an *independent* damp survey (www.pdoyle.net).
In these circumstances, a newton membrane has been recommended. I feel
as confident as I can that the surveyor knows what he's talking ahout,
and I'm just after someone who knows what they're doing to carry out
the recommendations.

Looks good, did he do a salt test(s) or just moisture tests?


He tooks dozens of readings with a meter at various points on the
internal walls, crawled into as many spaces as possible with a high
powered torch and checked the exterior guttering and drainage amongst
other things.

ISTR that he offered a salt the test at an additional cost (pretty
modest), and that I could send a few samples when I started knocking
the place about for it's rewire. This is starting this Thursday, so
I'll be sending a representative sample off.

On 22 Aug 2006 01:28:55 -0700, "seani" wrote:

ISTR that he offered a salt the test at an additional cost (pretty
modest), and that I could send a few samples when I started knocking
the place about for it's rewire. This is starting this Thursday, so
I'll be sending a representative sample off.

I'd send at least 2 or 3 few off, ask him where the best places are,
poss. at the bottom of ground floor walls, where the damp is/was
worst. If you include one from a very dry area that should be
negative, it will give some confidence in the method.

If they all come back clear, try the cheap options first, clear the
drains, and run a dehumidifier on a humidistat to dry the walls out.
It might take a long long time to get the walls dry if they're thick.

Do you have any render on the house at all?

cheers,
Pete.

wrote:
seani wrote:

I've arranged for a couple of firms to quote for damp work mentioned in


http://groups.google.com/group/uk.d-...d99d5fb 93cf4

They are Dower Tekron and ProtectaHome - http://www.protectahome.co.uk/

Has anyone had any dealings with either of these two firms?

If this is for a ground floor problem on an 1885 house, newton
membranes are the wrong approach entirely. There are a lot of people
claiming to be damp experts, the level of knowledge of many of whom is
pitiful. I'd recommend learning more about how these properties handle
damp, and what methods will help.
http://www.periodproperty.co.uk/discussion_forum.htm
TBH uk.d-i-y is not a great forum for this one.


NT


You really are an arsehole of the first order. The guy has a survey from
what appears to be a perfectly reputable firm. It's not expensive and
the bits I've read on the website make perfectly good sense,
particularly the stance on rising damp.
You of course know better but, as usual, you don't explain why

Stuart Noble wrote:

You really are an arsehole of the first order. The guy has a survey from
what appears to be a perfectly reputable firm.

frankly stuart if you think that anyone who calls them selves an expert
a) automatically is one and
b) never makes questionable decisions,
I can only suspect you may be living on a different planet to the rest
of us. The fact that the damp treatment industry sector is so riddled
with problems only makes this all the clearer.

Evaluating when and when not to trust someone that calls themselves an
expert would seem a fairly obvious step to make.


NT

wrote:
Stuart Noble wrote:

You really are an arsehole of the first order. The guy has a survey from
what appears to be a perfectly reputable firm.

frankly stuart if you think that anyone who calls them selves an expert
a) automatically is one and
b) never makes questionable decisions,
I can only suspect you may be living on a different planet to the rest
of us. The fact that the damp treatment industry sector is so riddled
with problems only makes this all the clearer.

Evaluating when and when not to trust someone that calls themselves an
expert would seem a fairly obvious step to make.


NT

Evaluating is slightly different to dismissing out of hand, which you
appeared to be doing. What do you think of his general stance? I thought
you might agree with most of it.

Stuart Noble wrote:
wrote:
Stuart Noble wrote:

You really are an arsehole of the first order. The guy has a survey from
what appears to be a perfectly reputable firm.

frankly stuart if you think that anyone who calls them selves an expert
a) automatically is one and
b) never makes questionable decisions,
I can only suspect you may be living on a different planet to the rest
of us. The fact that the damp treatment industry sector is so riddled
with problems only makes this all the clearer.

Evaluating when and when not to trust someone that calls themselves an
expert would seem a fairly obvious step to make.

Evaluating is slightly different to dismissing out of hand, which you
appeared to be doing. What do you think of his general stance? I thought
you might agree with most of it.

I havent dismissed mr Doyle out of hand at all. He is certainly a good
deal more informed than many, but as infallible as you appear to think?
Not sure I'd go along with that..


NT

seani wrote in message
oups.com...
I've arranged for a couple of firms to quote for damp work mentioned in
snip
Has anyone had any dealings with either of these two firms?


"Protectahome are the
recommendation from Newton Membranes themselves."

Ask for references from previous customers, and then take the time to make
enquiries with more then one of them. Preferably both recent and old.

As for as (www.pdoyle.net) goes, I find this comment from an alleged CSRT
professional surveyor worrying
http://www.websitetoolbox.com/tool/p...ost?id=1018955



-

Mark wrote:
seani wrote in message
oups.com...

I've arranged for a couple of firms to quote for damp work mentioned in
snip
Has anyone had any dealings with either of these two firms?


"Protectahome are the
recommendation from Newton Membranes themselves."

Ask for references from previous customers, and then take the time to make
enquiries with more then one of them. Preferably both recent and old.

As for as (www.pdoyle.net) goes, I find this comment from an alleged CSRT
professional surveyor worrying
http://www.websitetoolbox.com/tool/p...ost?id=1018955

could you explain what you mean?


NT

wrote in message
oups.com...
Mark wrote:
seani wrote in message
oups.com...

I've arranged for a couple of firms to quote for damp work mentioned
in
snip
Has anyone had any dealings with either of these two firms?


"Protectahome are the
recommendation from Newton Membranes themselves."

Ask for references from previous customers, and then take the time to
make
enquiries with more then one of them. Preferably both recent and old.

As for as (www.pdoyle.net) goes, I find this comment from an alleged
CSRT
professional surveyor worrying
http://www.websitetoolbox.com/tool/p...ost?id=1018955

could you explain what you mean?


in early cavity wall houses and after 100 years its common that the cavity
fills with "crap" at the bottom, bridging the DPC both on the inside and
through to the outside.
You effectively then have no DPC, and no amount of silly cone injection will
help.
I would have expected a surveyor and anyone who knows anything about older
houses and damp to have been aware of this.



-

Mark wrote:
wrote in message
oups.com...
Mark wrote:

As for as (www.pdoyle.net) goes, I find this comment from an alleged
CSRT
professional surveyor worrying
http://www.websitetoolbox.com/tool/p...ost?id=1018955

could you explain what you mean?

in early cavity wall houses and after 100 years its common that the cavity
fills with "crap" at the bottom, bridging the DPC both on the inside and
through to the outside.
You effectively then have no DPC, and no amount of silly cone injection will
help.
I would have expected a surveyor and anyone who knows anything about older
houses and damp to have been aware of this.

injected dpcs are not often useful anyway. But what does this have to
do with the page you linked to? Are you sure thats the right link?


NT

wrote in message
ps.com...

As for as (www.pdoyle.net) goes, I find this comment from an alleged
CSRT
professional surveyor worrying
http://www.websitetoolbox.com/tool/p...ost?id=1018955

could you explain what you mean?

in early cavity wall houses and after 100 years its common that the
cavity
fills with "crap" at the bottom, bridging the DPC both on the inside and
through to the outside.
You effectively then have no DPC, and no amount of silly cone injection
will
help.
I would have expected a surveyor and anyone who knows anything about
older
houses and damp to have been aware of this.

injected dpcs are not often useful anyway. But what does this have to
do with the page you linked to?

Whoooosh


-