Rochester Building and Damp have recently featured as one of the UK’s leading damp proofing experts on a Q&A for www.sellingup.com Expert Q&A: Damp proofing – how far do you need to go to save your sale? Questions on damp proofing: What are the most common types of damp and what are the tell-tale signs … Read more
Damp proofing companies install a product. The individuals who perform such tasks have been trained in that particular task and nothing else. To conduct an accurate survey from which a report proposing works to rectify the causation requires the ability to draw a correlation between factors that can only be obtained from hands-on … Read more
Please explain the following terminology and it’s relevance to damp properties in Medway: 9″ imperial stocks, pointing, flank-walls, parapets, chimney-stacks and wicking Porosity and exposure; two fundamental elements in explaining the relevance of that particular terminology. 9″ Imperial stock bricks: 9″ is the length. Imperial refers to the measurement, i.e. imperial or metric. Stocks are … Read more
The impermeable chalk barrier, bridging of DPC, possibility of leakage from gully. What else is common amongst damp Medway properties? Location. Specifically the undulating landscape that encompasses all of Medway. Whilst not a problem in itself, properties are divided by being either on a hill, on top of the hill or at the bottom. This may sound simplistic in … Read more
“I think i’m right in saying, rising damp must be caused by rain-water or surface-water going into the wall at ground-level?” Wrong, but it is a reasonable assumption. It is the moisture content held below ground level that’s sandwiched between the chalk and concrete. You see, the amount of rainwater that’s in direct contact with … Read more
I thought chalk was good for drainage? Well, you’re right in some cases. If it’s broken up first, or it’s bored through with an auger to access a strata more suitable for drainage (preferably not clay) . It’s like concrete is great for drainage, if you break it up into hardcore first. Below: The … Read more
Despite Medways perceived underclass element and the deterioration associated with that environment, investment in Medway and especially Rochester will effectively elevate the area from being one of the remaining vestiges of affordable housing in the South East. Many professionals and educated middle class families are choosing to move away from London (or are being priced … Read more
Historic Building Practices in Medway The Victorian era extended from 1837-1901. Other than the many buildings of historical interest (mostly confined to Rochester), you will notice that properties in Medway predominantly fall into the category of being built during the reign of Queen Victoria. Building practices changed little up to the 1920’s when a vast … Read more
Is rain the cause of the all damp? Surprisingly, no. The South East remains comparatively dry in comparison to the rest of the country. Regardless of this, rain shouldn’t be problematic unless an underlying complication already exists in your property. Take Wales for example, it rains to some degree on an almost daily daily basis … Read more
“Old houses are damp, its just something you have to put up with” 99% of Medway terrace properties over 100 years old, will still be standing in 100 years. Regardless of the many ‘improvements’ in building practices throughout the years, an damp proofing old properties is often preferable to new build for a number of … Read more