How much does damp proofing cost UK: what the job involves and who is registered to do it

How what damp proofing costs works

1. The survey, and whether it is refunded. An independent survey is a fee; a contractor's survey is usually free and usually credited against the work. Both are legitimate, but they answer different questions, and it is worth being clear which one you have paid for.
2. The course, priced by the metre. A chemical course is quoted per linear metre of wall, and the length is measurable. If the quote gives a total with no run lengths behind it, ask for them: it is the one number you can check yourself with a tape.
3. The plaster, priced by the square metre. Hacking off, rendering in a salt-resistant mix and skimming is the larger half of most damp jobs. It is priced by area, so the height the surveyor specifies drives it directly, and a quote that omits the height is not comparable with one that states it.
4. The making good, which is often excluded. Skirting boards, architraves, sockets, radiators and decoration are frequently outside the damp contractor's price. That is not sharp practice as long as it is written down, and it is the commonest reason a finished job costs more than the quote.
5. Access, spoil and parking. A terraced house with no side access carries every bag of rubble through the front room. Some firms price that and some absorb it, which is another reason two quotes for one house are not the same job.

Insurance and paperwork

Common questions

Is damp proofing more expensive in London than elsewhere?

Labour rates and parking do vary regionally, so the same specification costs more in some cities than in others. It is a smaller effect than the specification itself: the height of plaster removal will move your quote further than the postcode will.

Should I get the plastering done by the damp contractor?

It is usually simpler, because the guarantee on the replastering and the guarantee on the course then sit with one firm. If you use your own plasterer, make sure they are given the specified render mix in writing, or the damp guarantee may not stand.

What is the cheapest legitimate option?

Often it is not a damp course at all. Lowering a raised external ground level, clearing airbricks, fixing a gutter and letting a wall dry are cheap, and where they are the real cause they are also the right answer. A survey that reaches that conclusion has saved you the whole job.

Registered contractors by region

• Registered roofers in the East Midlands postcode area
• Registered roofers in the East of England postcode area
• Registered roofers in the London postcode area
• Registered roofers in the North East postcode area
• Registered roofers in the North West postcode area
• Registered roofers in the Scotland postcode area
• Registered roofers in the South East postcode area
• Registered roofers in the South West postcode area
• Registered roofers in the Wales postcode area
• Registered roofers in the West Midlands postcode area
• Registered roofers in the Yorkshire and The Humber postcode area