Damp Proofing in Barnsley

There is no single price, because the cost depends on how much wall is affected, whether the plaster has to come off and be replaced, how easily we can get to the work, and whether timber treatment or ventilation is needed as well. A single chimney breast or one wall in a back bedroom is a very different job from a full ground floor.

We survey the property first, tell you exactly what is causing the problem, and then give you a fixed written quotation so there are no surprises once work starts.

As a rule of thumb, rising damp stays low down. It shows as a tide mark roughly half a metre to a metre above the skirting, often with white salty deposits, and it does not move up and down with the weather.

Condensation behaves differently: it appears as black speckled mould in corners, on ceilings, behind wardrobes and around window reveals, it is worse in winter, and you will usually see water running down the windows in the morning. Penetrating damp is the third possibility, and it shows as an isolated patch that gets noticeably worse after heavy rain.

Condensation is by far the most common of the three, which is why a proper diagnosis matters before anyone starts injecting a wall.

Yes. Treating the wrong problem is the most expensive mistake in this trade, and it is very common. We come out, take moisture readings, look at the outside of the property as well as the inside, and identify what is actually causing the damp before quoting.

You then get a clear explanation of the cause and a fixed written quotation for the work needed. Contact us on 07724 237007 to arrange a survey.

Most domestic damp proofing jobs take between one and five days on site. Injecting a new chemical damp proof course into a single wall is often a day's work. Where plaster has to be hacked off and replaced, the replastering adds time, and the new plaster then needs to dry before it can be decorated.

As a guide, sand and cement render needs roughly a month per 25mm of thickness to dry out properly, so we will always tell you when the wall will realistically be ready for paint. We confirm the expected timescale in your quotation.

Yes. Replastering is part of the job, not an afterthought, and it is where a lot of damp proofing work goes wrong. Old plaster on a damp wall holds hygroscopic salts that keep drawing moisture out of the air, so it has to come off and be replaced with a correctly specified salt-retardant render and skim.

We do our own plastering, plasterboarding and refurbishment plastering, so the wall is left ready to decorate rather than handed over to another trade.

Yes, but only if the moisture that is feeding it is dealt with at the same time. Mould is a symptom. Wiping it off or painting over it removes the stain and it comes back within weeks, because the spores are still there and the wall is still cold and wet.

We sterilise the affected surfaces with a fungicidal treatment to kill the growth, then fix the underlying cause — whether that is a defect letting water in, a lack of ventilation, or a cold surface where humid air is condensing. Treatment plus cause equals a permanent fix.

PIV stands for positive input ventilation. It is a small, low-wattage unit, usually fitted in the loft, that gently and continuously pushes filtered fresh air into the landing. That slight positive pressure displaces the warm, humid air your household produces from cooking, showering, drying washing and simply breathing, pushing it out through background gaps and trickle vents before it can condense on cold walls and windows.

It is often the right answer for a house with persistent condensation and black mould in more than one room. If your damp is caused by a defect letting water in, ventilation on its own will not fix it — which is why we survey first.

Guarantee terms depend on the treatment carried out and on the property, so we set them out in writing on your quotation before you commit to anything. Ask us about the guarantee that applies to your specific job when we survey and we will explain exactly what is covered.

We cover Barnsley town centre and the surrounding villages, including Ardsley, Athersley, Birdwell, Brierley, Cudworth, Darfield, Darton, Dodworth, Elsecar, Goldthorpe, Grimethorpe, Hoyland, Mapplewell, Monk Bretton, Penistone, Royston, Silkstone, Staincross, Stairfoot, Thurnscoe, Wombwell and Worsbrough. We also travel to Wakefield, Huddersfield, Doncaster, Sheffield and Rotherham.

The full list is on our coverage page. If you are not sure whether you are in range, call 07724 237007 and ask.