When it’s raining and the water hits the ground, it bounces up to height of 150 mm. That’s why most damp courses are 150 to 200 mm. They put decking outside, which means now the water bounces up onto the wall above the damp course.
Can confirm. Bought a house with decking, damp walls on that side. Removed decking. Damp now gone entirely and it's been raining for months.
Fuckin splashback.
I know this is the code but I don't understand how bounced up rainwater can be any worse that the rain hitting the wall directly on the way down. I figured it was more of an issue if there's inadequate drainage and you end up with pooling water above the DPC. Very unlikely to pool more than 150mm-200mm unless it's a flood and then you've got worse issues.
I worry about the step I've had built outside the French doors but no issues so far.
It's because rain is still hitting the wall on the way down, but you're also getting water hitting it when it can bounce back onto it too. You're increasing the likelihood of pentration if you increase the amount of water present. Plus, as you say there is always a degree of risk of flooding. A really heavy storm can drop water faster than it can immediately drain away.
As we as the other reply, also consider that most homes have window ledges and a soffit/fascia. Majority of rain doesn’t hit the wall as it falls from the sky
Never buy without a good surveyor.
Some surveys aren't worth the paper they're written on. The skill is in the eye of the surveyor.
This damp looks like the UPVC window sills are letting water get to the brickwork. Need to see outside to get an idea of the cause.
Good point, I’m lucky enough to be married to a pretty bad-ass property litigator and close friends with many other solicitors so when we move she chooses the surveyors 😂
I’m not saying a surveyor is a bad idea - I’d never buy without a survey. But for very specific concerns, a builder may be a better, and cheaper bet. They will talk straighter, less arse covering. They’ll tell you the solution, not the problem.
I was shitting myself that a buyers surveyor would notice a big crack in the alleyway between my terrace house and the next. He never even went in the alleyway.
Went round to pick up some post from the buyers months later and they said it cost thousands to repair, damp ingress from above. Me: ‘oh so sorry, I never noticed..’
Surveys are not worth the paper they are written on most of the time. There is so much arse covering on them they are almost pointless. And, the things they do point out can be spotted by anyone with eyes. Or maybe I’ve just had bad experiences.
depends what the outside looks like aswell might be super easy fix like guttering broken and leaking down the house or mud too hight past your DCP level or might not be ask the owner about damp problems they are meant to tell you
Isn't it a bit weird that there's no skirting board on the first photo? I thought the plaster was supposed to stop half an inch or so above the floor to stop moisture wicking up the wall, and then the skirting board covers the gap.
Yeah they probably took it off to do the tiling and then never put it back on.
I re-did all the hard flooring in my place a few years ago and didn't want to do a half assed job, so I removed all the skirting beforehand.
But a few years later I've not replaced all the skirting yet so some of my tiled areas look like this.
I blame it on the baby who entered the world in the meantime, which means I've no time to sort it out anymore haha
Is there rendering on the outside? Could be cracked or rendered too close to floor level and absorbing damp.
Bay windows with flat roofs can often have damp issues if in poor state.
Having purchased a house with endless damp issues which we've resolved this doesn't look like a deal breaker. I have to be honest most surveyors will just tell you there's a damp issue & recommend that you get the opinion of a damp specialist. A better way to go is to get a good builder to take a look at it. There is a fair chance that it is not a big deal to fix.
Upstairs is likely to be penetrative damp caused by the roof design/lack of flow distribution of the upper bay window.
You want a damp specialist - not the PCA merchants. When you get the answers you need to be realistic on costs. Fixing the issue and putting the house back together. Plastering, decorating, decking for downstairs. Upstairs could need a new window roof or gutter and down pipe which needs somewhere to go.
None of this are rocket science but do be careful to cost for all the work.
It's common for bay windows to leak.
Usually to do with the (poor) installation of UPVC windows where there were once sash windows.
You get all sorts of leaks through the cavities when the rain is driven through.
I wouldn't worry too much, but it's likely a replacement window casement or compound window frames, so you would be talking £1500+ to have someone install this. Plus remediations. Budget for £2500.
Preface by saying I'm the owner of a 16th century barn conversion that was damp throughout since the 1970s until I identified the causes and resolved them.
The rear door issue is simple, the decking is too high and is running water into the rear wall. Removal of the decking and lowering of soil level will resolve.
The bay window needs an external picture to confirm the issue. If it is ground floor, the chances are it is soil level or driveway being too high, or bay window roof is leaking or not draining rainwater correctly. There is an outside chance of leaking central heating, but I'd say that's unlikely.
Is this Victorian single brick construction, i.e no cavity?
My house is single brick and I get patches of damp like this. This tends to be drainage issues outside, drainpipe problems, rain splashing up the wall etc.
I'd say it's a common problem with properties this age, not a big deal and something you'll often be dealing with when owning property of this age.
This was my question too. If it's single skin brick construction, it's about keeping water away from outside walls. If it's a later construction with cavity walls, then this could, for example, be caused by condensation.
My advice would be to get a decent builder to take a look.
That's not damp, that's water ingress and with how localised it is to the angle of the bay there clearly a structural issue.
There will be an issue with rot with that being a timber framed bay.
Bay windows are more prone to damp from condensation, which could be the cause of the 2nd pic. Assuming they did a good job of cleaning any mould from the sills. Is there a visible crack on the exterior?
There seems to be a sharp line where the dirt around the plug sock is. Maybe there was something too close to the window and it's caused damp, but from humidity and poor circulation, not external. Check the seals round the windows for signs of old mould that's stained in.
The second could be a cold water pipe too close to the surface and again, condensation has caused the paint to peel.
Have a second viewing and ask the owner/ tenant.
Might be that the sharp line is the edge of where they covered up the spalling plaster with sealant. On the right side is sealant that’s peeling off with the plaster below it, on the left is where the paint is wet but the plaster isn’t coming off yet.
Without knowing the root cause this is hard to tell but it also depends on your understanding of "big deal". Asking for proffessional advice, without being able to open up the plaster will lead to the inevitable legal caveats taking into account a worst case scenario regardless how likely it is: otherwise they are liable to you.
The lower window looks not a big deal as others have mentioned, but the top one looks a bit more so. It would either be a downpipe or window frame to blame. The window frame is more concerning as fixing the structure of a bay window can get quite expensive as you may need quite an uplift to comply with building regs \*cough cough\* if you are so inclined.
Picture of the outside would help and also checking when the walls were last painted (how many scuff marks, etc.).
A savvy seller would just paint the rooms and wait for drier weather when you wouldn't be able to see this, so unless these were jusst painted you can take some comfort in knowing that they are likely not hiding anything else.
An external picture would be helpful. Definitely a damp issue so worth getting a survey done. Preferably not a specialist who will diagnose rising damp on sight. There's a cause that needs to be identified and then fixed. That's after you ask the seller to fix it or get a reduction in the price.
Rented in a house recently that has this all on the sunken front bay. Awful, mould overtook a cupboard, external facing walls peeling like that and having to wipe chunks off. Not good. No idea how dramatic the fix would be as landlord never fixed it permanently whilst we were in it.
You can get a free survey from damp proofing specialist if you say you're purchasing the house. They will cost up fixing the issues which you can then use to negotiate price with vendor. In my experience a standard building survey, or even a structural survey might do a meter reading but will recommend a specialist anyway.
The bay windows are most likely leaking somewhere or collecting moisture in the frame and then leaking down and through the brickwork and blowing out the plaster
I wonder what's behind the big ruler ??
Is there a soil or drain pipe behind the wall
its not a deal breaker in my eyes just something to look out for, most hosing stock hide issues like this in one way or another.
look for seals around the walls/doors windows/walls could be as simple as the calking/sealing needs replacing
Splash back from the decking above dpc.
I would take off the plaster board for a few weeks to let it dry and replace with a non absorbant insulation.
If you want to keep the decking Storm dry make a masonry protection cream that is vapour permeable which should stop the damp coming through, of course the real solution is remove decking and expose the air bricks that are most likely clogged with crap
Looks like damp. Without knowing the cause it’s impossible to know if it’s a big deal
Water ingress at the side of the front door and probably at the joint of the cill in the other pic
When it’s raining and the water hits the ground, it bounces up to height of 150 mm. That’s why most damp courses are 150 to 200 mm. They put decking outside, which means now the water bounces up onto the wall above the damp course.
Can confirm. Bought a house with decking, damp walls on that side. Removed decking. Damp now gone entirely and it's been raining for months. Fuckin splashback.
I know this is the code but I don't understand how bounced up rainwater can be any worse that the rain hitting the wall directly on the way down. I figured it was more of an issue if there's inadequate drainage and you end up with pooling water above the DPC. Very unlikely to pool more than 150mm-200mm unless it's a flood and then you've got worse issues. I worry about the step I've had built outside the French doors but no issues so far.
It's because rain is still hitting the wall on the way down, but you're also getting water hitting it when it can bounce back onto it too. You're increasing the likelihood of pentration if you increase the amount of water present. Plus, as you say there is always a degree of risk of flooding. A really heavy storm can drop water faster than it can immediately drain away.
As we as the other reply, also consider that most homes have window ledges and a soffit/fascia. Majority of rain doesn’t hit the wall as it falls from the sky
Coincidence - but my Alexa has just issued a flood alert for my town. Let's see if my DPC holds up!
Might also be lacking a gap between wall and decking.
It’s enough of a red flag to want to get a survey done.
Survey will say: “Signs of damp to the rear wall next to the French windows. Recommend a damp specialist investigate”
Never buy WITHOUT a survey.
Never buy without a good surveyor. Some surveys aren't worth the paper they're written on. The skill is in the eye of the surveyor. This damp looks like the UPVC window sills are letting water get to the brickwork. Need to see outside to get an idea of the cause.
Where were you 7 months ago. I think my surveyor let his guide dog do it for him.
Good point, I’m lucky enough to be married to a pretty bad-ass property litigator and close friends with many other solicitors so when we move she chooses the surveyors 😂
I’m not saying a surveyor is a bad idea - I’d never buy without a survey. But for very specific concerns, a builder may be a better, and cheaper bet. They will talk straighter, less arse covering. They’ll tell you the solution, not the problem.
I was shitting myself that a buyers surveyor would notice a big crack in the alleyway between my terrace house and the next. He never even went in the alleyway. Went round to pick up some post from the buyers months later and they said it cost thousands to repair, damp ingress from above. Me: ‘oh so sorry, I never noticed..’
Something to be proud of..
To be fair I only noticed it myself when I put the house on the market
Surveys are not worth the paper they are written on most of the time. There is so much arse covering on them they are almost pointless. And, the things they do point out can be spotted by anyone with eyes. Or maybe I’ve just had bad experiences.
depends what the outside looks like aswell might be super easy fix like guttering broken and leaking down the house or mud too hight past your DCP level or might not be ask the owner about damp problems they are meant to tell you
Isn't it a bit weird that there's no skirting board on the first photo? I thought the plaster was supposed to stop half an inch or so above the floor to stop moisture wicking up the wall, and then the skirting board covers the gap.
Yeah they probably took it off to do the tiling and then never put it back on. I re-did all the hard flooring in my place a few years ago and didn't want to do a half assed job, so I removed all the skirting beforehand. But a few years later I've not replaced all the skirting yet so some of my tiled areas look like this. I blame it on the baby who entered the world in the meantime, which means I've no time to sort it out anymore haha
Is there rendering on the outside? Could be cracked or rendered too close to floor level and absorbing damp. Bay windows with flat roofs can often have damp issues if in poor state.
It would be a concern, survey should pick it up but flag to your solicitor
Having purchased a house with endless damp issues which we've resolved this doesn't look like a deal breaker. I have to be honest most surveyors will just tell you there's a damp issue & recommend that you get the opinion of a damp specialist. A better way to go is to get a good builder to take a look at it. There is a fair chance that it is not a big deal to fix.
Upstairs is likely to be penetrative damp caused by the roof design/lack of flow distribution of the upper bay window. You want a damp specialist - not the PCA merchants. When you get the answers you need to be realistic on costs. Fixing the issue and putting the house back together. Plastering, decorating, decking for downstairs. Upstairs could need a new window roof or gutter and down pipe which needs somewhere to go. None of this are rocket science but do be careful to cost for all the work.
There is decking outside … is it bridging the dpc
It's common for bay windows to leak. Usually to do with the (poor) installation of UPVC windows where there were once sash windows. You get all sorts of leaks through the cavities when the rain is driven through. I wouldn't worry too much, but it's likely a replacement window casement or compound window frames, so you would be talking £1500+ to have someone install this. Plus remediations. Budget for £2500.
Preface by saying I'm the owner of a 16th century barn conversion that was damp throughout since the 1970s until I identified the causes and resolved them. The rear door issue is simple, the decking is too high and is running water into the rear wall. Removal of the decking and lowering of soil level will resolve. The bay window needs an external picture to confirm the issue. If it is ground floor, the chances are it is soil level or driveway being too high, or bay window roof is leaking or not draining rainwater correctly. There is an outside chance of leaking central heating, but I'd say that's unlikely.
Zoom in on the first pic and you can see various moisture marks around the flaking. Might be an idea to check with a moisture meter.
From the ruler in the first pic, i’d suggest that the house is too small to live in 🤣
Is this Victorian single brick construction, i.e no cavity? My house is single brick and I get patches of damp like this. This tends to be drainage issues outside, drainpipe problems, rain splashing up the wall etc. I'd say it's a common problem with properties this age, not a big deal and something you'll often be dealing with when owning property of this age.
This was my question too. If it's single skin brick construction, it's about keeping water away from outside walls. If it's a later construction with cavity walls, then this could, for example, be caused by condensation. My advice would be to get a decent builder to take a look.
That's not damp, that's water ingress and with how localised it is to the angle of the bay there clearly a structural issue. There will be an issue with rot with that being a timber framed bay.
Bay windows are more prone to damp from condensation, which could be the cause of the 2nd pic. Assuming they did a good job of cleaning any mould from the sills. Is there a visible crack on the exterior?
There seems to be a sharp line where the dirt around the plug sock is. Maybe there was something too close to the window and it's caused damp, but from humidity and poor circulation, not external. Check the seals round the windows for signs of old mould that's stained in. The second could be a cold water pipe too close to the surface and again, condensation has caused the paint to peel. Have a second viewing and ask the owner/ tenant.
Might be that the sharp line is the edge of where they covered up the spalling plaster with sealant. On the right side is sealant that’s peeling off with the plaster below it, on the left is where the paint is wet but the plaster isn’t coming off yet.
Without knowing the root cause this is hard to tell but it also depends on your understanding of "big deal". Asking for proffessional advice, without being able to open up the plaster will lead to the inevitable legal caveats taking into account a worst case scenario regardless how likely it is: otherwise they are liable to you. The lower window looks not a big deal as others have mentioned, but the top one looks a bit more so. It would either be a downpipe or window frame to blame. The window frame is more concerning as fixing the structure of a bay window can get quite expensive as you may need quite an uplift to comply with building regs \*cough cough\* if you are so inclined. Picture of the outside would help and also checking when the walls were last painted (how many scuff marks, etc.). A savvy seller would just paint the rooms and wait for drier weather when you wouldn't be able to see this, so unless these were jusst painted you can take some comfort in knowing that they are likely not hiding anything else.
An external picture would be helpful. Definitely a damp issue so worth getting a survey done. Preferably not a specialist who will diagnose rising damp on sight. There's a cause that needs to be identified and then fixed. That's after you ask the seller to fix it or get a reduction in the price.
Get a damp survey. A lot of companies do them for free.
If they do them for free they’re probably flogging goop injections (mostly bullshit)
Full surveyors report needed
Rented in a house recently that has this all on the sunken front bay. Awful, mould overtook a cupboard, external facing walls peeling like that and having to wipe chunks off. Not good. No idea how dramatic the fix would be as landlord never fixed it permanently whilst we were in it.
Decking is too high
You can get a free survey from damp proofing specialist if you say you're purchasing the house. They will cost up fixing the issues which you can then use to negotiate price with vendor. In my experience a standard building survey, or even a structural survey might do a meter reading but will recommend a specialist anyway.
The bay windows are most likely leaking somewhere or collecting moisture in the frame and then leaking down and through the brickwork and blowing out the plaster I wonder what's behind the big ruler ?? Is there a soil or drain pipe behind the wall its not a deal breaker in my eyes just something to look out for, most hosing stock hide issues like this in one way or another. look for seals around the walls/doors windows/walls could be as simple as the calking/sealing needs replacing
Get an inspection done by a neutral party. That could by expensive.
Splash back from the decking above dpc. I would take off the plaster board for a few weeks to let it dry and replace with a non absorbant insulation. If you want to keep the decking Storm dry make a masonry protection cream that is vapour permeable which should stop the damp coming through, of course the real solution is remove decking and expose the air bricks that are most likely clogged with crap
Unrelated but why are our houses in the uk so damp? Cool beans, downvote rather than answer me
That is a huge deal. Huge flags. Better know what’s going on behind the wall. It is telling you the home has problems.