I'm sure you get questions regarding Damp all of the time, but here is
another one none-the-less.

First a bit of background info.

I bought a 1920s 2 up 2 down terrace on the north west of england a
few months ago, with the aim of refurbing it and then selling it in 2
years.

I was aware that there were visible signs of damp problems before
buying the house, but to be honest they were fairly minor in
comparison to most other houses that I looked at before buying.

My survey returned no comments regarding damp or damp proofing,
despite it being very obvious that there was or at least used to be
damp of somekind in the house.

I bought the house trusting that the survey was accurate and that a
basic damp test had been conducted.

However upon moving in, I tested all of the walls with an electrical
conductivity meter, and all ground level walls registered a low
resistance current, caused by significant moisture in the walls, up to
about a metre in height.

A plasterer came around (who was recommended to me, and didn't charge
me a penny for all his advice) and took one look and said that the
cause of damp in the walls was that the plaster was touching the
floor, apparently 'bridging' the damp course and all I needed to do
was bolster chisel the plaster so it no longer touched the floor. (the
floor is solid by the way)

Sure enough having bolster chiseled the plaster off upto skirting
board height, the walls appear to be drying on the exposed areas of
plaster.

All of the bricks at floor level, which were previously underneath the
plaster, have 2 drill holes in them which the plasterer has told me
are signs of a chemical damp proofing. However he has also said that
this was rendered ineffective when they plastered over it down to the
floor, and it needs redoing.

As the damp problem was not indicated on my survey, I am now
considering claiming negligence on the part of the mortgage lenders
surveyor, and will ask that they pay the fees for any work incurred as
a result of the damp.

My questions are;

1) Does the Chemical Damp proofing need to be redone?
2) Does the plasterers advice seem accurate, and is it likely that
plaster touching the floor is the cause of damp in the walls??
3) Have you heard of any similar occurances of damp problems not being
highlighted in a survey?

Thanks in advance,

Andrew King.