Hi folks, my partner just had a home buyers report done on a house and most came back as a 1 and odd 2, however theres was a 3 on the main outside walls. He said the ground outside is higher than the damp proof course, so yeah needs taking back. He also stated the he took damp metre reading through out the ground floor the reading was high. On viewing the house we never noticed any obvious signs of damp. Our concern would be the house is timber framed and if there is damp how it would/could have affected the timber. The house was built around 1985.
My partner knows somebody involved in construction and has contacts should we need them, who is going to have a look but in meantime does anybody have experience of this?
Thanks in advance.

We know Surveyors will scrutinise and nit pick etc.

Get a damp survey?

Our bleedin surveyors report completely missed that!

but anyway ours is brick so probably won’t answer your question but we moved in about October (3yrs ago?) and then that XMAS eve it was pissing it down and big growing wet patch on the wall

I ended up spending XMAS with a spade digging away the soil above the dampcourse in the rain…

Anyway… I stuck in some basic drainage (just rock and sand) and had no reoccurence since …

Timber frame? What is the external cladding? Do you have access to the drawings/ construction details?

I would be concerned if the ground was above the DPC, especially on a timber frame. If it were masonry bringing the ground level back to 150mm below DPC would clear up any problems as the masonry would dry out and there would be no long term effects. If the timber were to have started rotting, drying it out won’t undo it.

Having said that, if the foundations are good, nothing is irreperable. If there is any timber rot, after bringing the ground level down, it can most likely be sorted from the inside.

Damp meters almost always show damp. I’d get a decent builder to look at it

Our house survey flagged that ground level was too close to damp proof course blah blah etc.

All the houses in our area are the same. None of them have damp, or have fallen down in the 60 years they’ve been there.

It would be worth looking into it to make sure there’s no actual issue but it’s not a straight line between damp proof too low and mouldy doom. The whole damp proofing industry is awash with charlatans and chancers so be aware. I’d ask a proper builder rather than a ‘specialist’.

Damp meters almost always show damp.

This. Damp meters are a licence to sell snake oil.

At least you know the cause and its an easy fix. All houses have issues. Better to buy one with issues you know about.

I almost bought a house like that, wasn’t particularly bothered by it.

Dig a big trench next to the wall, backfill with gravel to level it up a bit and have a pint.

I had a timber framed house, built a patio to below dpc. We still had a gap and backfilled with stones. Think its called a french drain. Actually we did it all the way round the border to make it match.

The only opinion you need to heed is that of the mortgage company. See what they say and take it from there.

Just bought a house with a few 3’s damp etc but all sortable, have a chat with the surveyor is the best bet if you’ve got a friend that’s a builder all the better get them to have a look.

Thanks for all the replys. Great help. We shall get a builder to take spoken to colleagues and got lots advice from every where. We shall get biuldr to take a look get a opinion there. I shall speak to the surveyor see what say regsrds to the report.
I mean no mention off major sturcture damage ie outer or inner wall other than little pointing that its. There is no cracks no walls warping etc. I know Surveyors are over nit picky etc. But just like to be sure what were getting into.

Damn a pint sound good right now “kenneth”

Again many thanks folks.