South East Timber & Damp

We are Dean and Annabelle a husband and wife team and here to help you, knowledgeable, dedicated with a loyal team who will provide an excellent experience for you from start to finish. We prioritise developing and motivating our team and are proud of how we work closely together to deliver a great service. We guarantee all our work, so you can have complete peace of mind. Even if we were to go out of business (and we have no intention of that!), our work would still be guaranteed. We offer 10-year guarantees on: chemical damp proofing, tanking or waterproofing works completed below ground and all timber treatments.

Penetrating damp is known technically as 'water ingress'; it refers to any moisture seeping into the fabric of a building from routes other than the ground (see Rising Damp). Penetrating damp can cause structural and cosmetic damage to a building, as well as potentially creating health complications for the inhabitants if left untreated for a prolonged time. Common problems as a result of penetrating damp include Dry Rot and Wet Rot. Solving this issue quickly by getting to the route of the problem as early as possible and treating accordingly is vital to safeguarding your property.

Damp proofing is the generic term used to describe the processes and treatments implemented to fix or prevent the damp problems that occur within a property. The cost of damp in a property can run to thousands of pounds, so acting quickly to identify the issue and solve the problem is critical. It pays to be vigilant, and there are often cost-effective solutions you can implement. However, a professional assessment of the damage could save you in the long term and avoid you wasting money on the wrong treatment.

Not overly scientific, but this is exactly what it is. Water can encroach on your building from the ground for a variety of reasons, and it will attack your brickwork, climbing the walls via the porous nature of the components. It will impact on the various surfaces it comes into contact with including woodwork, as well as bricks and mortar. Typically, the water rising through your wall will stop at around one metre as gravity does it's thing and stops it travelling any further. The impact is pretty devastating as it will stain the walls and compromise any porous building materials around the house such as skirting boards, any wallpaper and of course, brickwork.

When talking of older buildings, we are referring to 'Period Properties' - generally speaking, the properties built pre World War one (Georgian, Victorian, Edwardian etc.). Listed Buildings also form a large part of what makes up, but are not limited to, pre-war built properties - buildings which carry a special historical or architectural significance. Structural characteristics of older buildings include: solid walls, lack of damp proof courses and no felt under tiles or slates. Traditional building materials such as stone, soft brick, lime based mortars and plasters etc are more porous than modern day building materials.

We have different survey packages, depending upon whether you need a full written report for a home-buyer's survey or want a comprehensive investigation with just an estimate to give you the information you need to make the best decision on how to protect your property. We guarantee all our work, so you can have complete peace of mind. We offer 10-year guarantees on: chemical damp proofing, tanking or waterproofing works completed below ground and all timber treatments. We feel it's vital in this industry that companies are transparent with customer feedback.

Damp areas underground need to be treated differently to above ground areas and so it is important to get specialists. They will have experience working in all the conditions they are likely to encounter. Dean Webster, the company director and CSRT CSSW qualified surveyor, would visit the property and inspect the underground area, then write up his observations and provide you with a detailed report on all findings, treatments suitable, and a breakdown of costs. As a specialist waterproofing contractor you can be assured of the problem being correctly diagnosed and a suitable specification of treatments being provided to resolve the underground damp problems.

At South East Timber and Damp we have different survey packages, depending upon whether you need a full written timber and damp report for a home purchase survey or want a comprehensive investigation with just an estimate to give you the information you need to make the best decision on how to protect your property. Get in touch now and we will get you booked into the diary - generally we can get you an appointment within a week, subject to your location and surveyor availability. Timber and Damp surveys are our opportunity to fully examine the problems you are experiencing and our chance to find the perfect solution to the issue that is affecting your property.

Condensation is the most common form of unwanted dampness in buildings. It is caused by moisture in the air condensing as it comes into contact with cool surfaces. Condensation can lead to fungal decay in timbers, mould on walls, stained curtains and decayed window frames. Untreated mould can lead to respiratory problems. Condensation is generally a winter problem, as the outside temperature is low, causing walls and windows to be colder. Condensation can be a real and persistent problems. If you think your property may have condensation problems, it's recommended that you should engage a specialist surveyor to identify the cause and propose solutions.