Rising damp, penetrating damp, condensation and timber problems solved — for homes and businesses across Bishop's Stortford, Sawbridgeworth and the surrounding villages.
Tell us about the problem — we'll call you back the same working day.
Damp shows up in different ways — a tide mark on a chimney breast, black mould around a window, a musty smell in a cellar. Each has a different cause and a different fix. We diagnose properly first, then treat only what's needed.
Tide marks, peeling paint and salty deposits on ground-floor walls. We install new chemical damp proof courses (DPC) with long-term guarantees.
Rising damp treatment →Water coming through walls, roofs or around windows — common in older solid-wall properties around Stortford. We trace the source and stop it for good.
Penetrating damp repairs →Black mould on walls, ceilings and window reveals. We fix the ventilation problem behind it — not just wipe the symptoms away.
Condensation control →Dry rot, wet rot and woodworm treatment for joists, floorboards and roof timbers. Essential in period properties left damp for too long.
Timber & rot treatment →Cellar conversions and below-ground waterproofing using tanking slurry and cavity drain membranes, done to BS 8102 standards.
Basement waterproofing →Buying a house in Bishop's Stortford or worried about an existing problem? Get an honest, detailed damp and timber survey with a written report.
Book a damp survey →Bishop's Stortford has an unusually wide mix of housing for a town its size — Victorian terraces around Hockerill and the town centre, 1930s semis along the Havers and Thorley estates, post-war council-built stock, and newer developments at St Michael's Mead and Bishop's Park. Each type has its own damp weaknesses.
The Victorian and Edwardian properties near the station and along the old coaching routes were built with solid brick walls and either no damp proof course at all, or a slate DPC that has long since failed. These are the homes where we most often find genuine rising damp, salt contamination in plaster, and timber decay in suspended ground floors. The River Stort and its floodplain also mean that homes in the lower parts of town — around the Causeway, South Street and the riverside developments — sit on ground with a naturally high water table, which puts extra load on any below-ground structure.
Meanwhile, the biggest problem we see in the town's newer, well-insulated homes isn't rising damp at all — it's condensation. Modern double glazing and draught-proofing trap moisture generated by everyday living, and without adequate ventilation it condenses on the coldest surfaces and grows mould. It's a completely different problem needing a completely different fix, which is why a proper diagnosis matters more than anything else we do.
Based in Bishop's Stortford, we cover the town and the villages around it:
It depends entirely on the cause and the extent. As a guide, treating rising damp with a new chemical DPC and replastering typically costs between £755 and £2,000+ for an average wall or two. Condensation fixes are often much cheaper — sometimes just improved ventilation. A survey is free, and you'll always get a written, itemised quote before any work starts.
Rising damp almost always shows as a tide mark up to about a metre from the floor on ground-floor walls, often with white salty deposits. Condensation tends to appear higher up — around windows, in corners, behind furniture — usually as black spot mould. They're regularly confused, and treating the wrong one wastes money. That's why we survey before we quote.
Yes — free and without obligation for homeowners in Bishop's Stortford and the surrounding villages. We inspect, tell you honestly what's going on (including when the fix is something simple you can do yourself), and give you a written quote if treatment is needed.
Yes. Damp proof course installations and timber treatments come with long-term written guarantees. We'll explain exactly what's covered before you commit to anything.
No, but you must answer buyers' enquiries honestly, and surveyors routinely flag damp during purchases — which is often when sales stall or prices get renegotiated. Getting damp diagnosed and treated (with a transferable guarantee) before you list is usually far cheaper than the discount a buyer will demand.
Usually within a few working days for surveys in Bishop's Stortford, Sawbridgeworth and Stansted. Call 01279 975067 and we'll book you in.
A ten-minute call is all it takes to book your free survey.
01279 975067