20/07/2026
🚨 “Free Damp Surveys” aren’t always free…
The attached photos are from a property I recently inspected after the homeowner had already been visited by a company offering a free damp survey.
The outcome?
đź’° They were told they needed almost ÂŁ10,000 worth of remedial work.
The homeowner also explained they were put under pressure to agree to the work there and then. Despite the significant cost, they were not provided with a detailed survey report or even a written quotation explaining exactly what was wrong.
After carrying out my own independent inspection, my findings were very different.
As the photos show, the issues were simply condensation combined with historic staining and damage from an old leak—not rising damp, not widespread timber decay, and certainly nothing requiring £10,000 of specialist damp treatments.
This is exactly why independent, unbiased damp surveys matter.
As an independent surveyor, I don’t sell damp-proofing systems or remedial treatments. My role is to identify the actual cause of the problem and recommend the most appropriate solution—whether that’s improving ventilation, repairing a leak, or, where genuinely necessary, carrying out remedial works.
If you’ve been told you need expensive damp treatment, it’s always worth seeking an independent second opinion before committing to major costs.
Diagnosis before treatment. Evidence before expenditure.
