Why is damp proofing so expensive? 5 ways to save money

When you find damp in your property, you should repair it as soon as possible. There are two ways you can do this:

1. Carry out the work yourself
2. Hire a professional

When hiring a damp proofing expert, the work can get expensive. Many jobs will require a lot of investigation, to fully identify the root cause.

Following this, the problem causing damp needs to be fixed. Then most jobs will require cosmetic work to be carried out for internal damage. This will include things like, redecorating, plastering, and replacing damaged woodwork.

Add to this the cost of labour and materials, and the prices can get expensive for bigger jobs.

But there are some ways you can save money. Below we will be looking at 5 ways to lower the cost of your damp proofing project.

1 – Identify and fix damp early

The easiest way to avoid damp proofing becoming expensive, is by finding and fixing the problem early.

Generally, the longer you leave damp problems, the worse they get. Moisture will have a detrimental affect on most building materials and decorations. So, the longer it is left untreated the more damage it can cause.

This could be the difference in a small job, where the damp is easy to fix. Or a much more serious repair job, that could involve removing plaster, stripping out timber and redecoration.

2 – Carry out repair work yourself

If the damp you are dealing with is minor, and the issue causing it is obvious, then it may be wise to carry out the work yourself with some DIY damp proofing.

If you are hiring a damp proofing company for smaller jobs, that are easy to fix, most of the expense will be labour. This will usually include a minimum call out charge.

What you need to consider here is:

1. Do you feel confident you can carry out repairs to a good standard, so damp doesn’t return?
2. Are you completely sure that you have identified the exact cause?
3. Do you have time to do the work, and could a professional do it much faster?

As we mentioned previously. If damp problems are not fixed correctly and the problem persists, it could get much more expensive.

Also, you should consider, that most damp companies will guarantee their work. Therefore, if the same problem returns, they will have to come back out and fix it.

3 – Take advantage of free damp surveys

Most damp proofing companies will carry out a free damp survey prior to quoting for work. This will generally involve taking damp meter readings and visually inspecting your property for damp.

If you already have a specific area where the damp is present, the survey will usually focus on that location. The person carrying out the survey will obviously be a professional with lots of experience. This means they are likely to find things that you may have missed.

As a result, you can get a complete diagnosis of the issue and the recommended course of action to repair it.

At this point you will be quoted for the work, and you can decide if you would like to:

1. Hire the company to do the work
2. Shop around for more quotes
3. Do the work your self

As you can see, taking advantage of these free surveys, gets you an expert diagnosis at no expense.

4 – Compare quotes from multiple damp companies

If you are looking to hire a professional, then one of the best ways to save money is get multiple quotes.

Different companies will give different prices for the work, so you can end up saving a significant amount of money for the same job.

One way to do this, is to contact local companies and arrange for them, to come out and quote on your job. You could also mention that you are getting multiple quotes, which will incentivize them to give you the best price.

However, this is not the best way to get the lowest price.

By far, the best way to get the lowest price, is by using a comparison website. The advantage here, is the companies know they are competing for the work.

Not only are they competing on price, but they are also rated and reviewed by other customers on the comparison site. This means you get great prices, and you can read feedback from people who hired them in the past.

This is good, because it means you avoid hiring any cowboys and you know the work will be done properly.

The companies also know you will be giving feedback. So, they are more likely to give a great price and do a fantastic job.

It is not uncommon to see discounts as high as 50% when you compare companies this way.

To see our favourite damp comparison site and get instant local quotes Click Here

5 – Have an independent damp survey

Previously we mentioned free damp surveys. However, it is important to point out, that free surveys are usually carried out by the company who will be doing the work. This could mean they are incentivized to find work that “needs doing”.

The difference with an independent surveyor is they are getting paid for the survey. They don’t make money from the repairs that are carried out after. Instead, they have a fixed fee for carrying out the survey.

Once the survey is complete, they will compile a detailed report with recommendations. This can be extremely useful when hiring a damp company, as you can present them with the report and ask them for a quote based on its recommendations.

Paying for a survey in this way can be useful. However, you must determine if it’s worth the extra expense.

For example, if you are using the comparison technique mentioned above, you will already be receiving multiple quotes. The companies know this, so it is highly unlikely they would quote for unnecessary work.

Generally, we would only recommend hiring a dedicated damp surveyor for very big jobs. For example, refurbishing an entire house with a large list of damp issues.

For everything else, using a comparison site will usually get you the best possible price on the required work.

Again, if you would like to compare local damp quotes Click Here

Conclusion

As you can see, there are many reasons that damp proofing work can be expensive. But there is also a lot you can do to lower these costs and get the best possible price.

The main thing to remember, is don’t leave damp problems to get worse. Nip it in the bud as soon as you find it. This alone can save you a small fortune in remedial work.

Then, if you do hire someone, make sure you compare at least 3-5 companies. This will almost guarantee a better price. Plus, nearly all companies will offer a free survey before they give you a quote. Take advantage of this, you may find you can do the work yourself for a fraction of the cost.