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Damp, Timber and Heritage House Surveys

Making it personable, a face behind a company.
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Adrian Gill on the tools, Surveying and graduation

Save thousands on low cost solutions to resolving property damp issues

Damp or mould in a property does not just happen coincidentally. It really doesn't! Conditions occur that create the damp.
Adrian, Building Surveyor specialises in heritage (traditional) solid wall properties.
Adrian identifies the problem (cause of the damp), and provides a solution (how to fix damp) and the indicative cost of repair.

Many Surveyors (including RICS) will write a descriptive report and advise home owners to get a damp specialist to look at it... and wait for it.... advise homeowners to inject the exterior with chemical injection (Wasting your money). Check out what they do in Holland, they build houses in water and do not suffer the detriment of damp (Summersgill, 2013)

Target Damp Survey

£490.00

The Targeted Survey

is a service that pinpoints a specific issue. To obtain Building Surveyor advice with a debrief


Damp and timber problem.

Purchase/Selling a Heritage Home

Auction House Survey

Advice needed for Heritage Home


If the client requires a professionally written and photographic report.


Clients can choose to add a written report to the damp and timber survey service at an additional cost invoiced separately.

Additional report writing services are charged at £60+ VAT per hour.

All work in addition to the survey is invoiced separately.


The service is for 1 residential property


What's Included:

The Survey (2 hours) and the Debrief (1 hour). The Building Surveyor is flexible and can arrange a telephone call, zoom or other video media to discuss the issues. Typically debriefs take around 1 hour


What's not included: The Additional Report Writing where the Building Surveyor produces a photographic typed Digital Report which is a separate charge at £60+ VAT per hour depending on the extent of the detail required.


Hourly rates: for report writing is a fair method of charging and allows flexibility and property variation.

Report costs: invoiced separately to the survey cost and after the survey has taken place.


Please Note: A bounded printed copy of the report is an additional charge on top of the hourly rate, which can be ordered afterwards. There is no binding or postal charge for a digital copy therefore emailing the report will not incur an additional charge


Need more information about the survey/Report give Adrian a call on 07449944628 or complete the form at the bottom of the Renuntio website page

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Heritage House Survey

£890.00
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Heritage House Survey (whole house survey, includes damp)

£890.00
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Target Damp Survey

A Target Damp Survey pin points a specific issue, provide advice to fix the problem. 
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Heritage House Survey

A Heritage House Survey will do the same as the Target Damp Survey but on a larger scale to cover the whole house.

Heritage House Defect Surveys

​These Surveys are Defect Surveys problems can include material failure or damp which penetrates timbers and impacts their structure and strength. Also damp affects the structure of a solid wall building. Such as bricks that weaken over time and crack and crumble. Brick deterioration is referred to as brick spalling. Bricks become Sacrificial to the mortar (Modena, Porto and Valluzi, 2016; Speweik, 1997).
Adrian deal with many defects beyond damp.
Why Choose Us?
Adrian has vast experience in building (30+ years). In the 1980's he qualified as a bricklayer he advanced with an Apprenticeship learning old fashioned methods to become a Stone Mason, he operated in the construction Management of his own building company in the South West (UK). Adrian took a senior role in Wimpey Construction. After many years in Senior Management in the UK and sometime spent as a Board of Director in New York. Adrian returned to the UK and setup his own company Renuntio Ltd. Adrian combined his practical building skills to restore his own farmhouse, a Listed Building whilst undertaking many building projects for clients.
Heritage House Restoration
​Adrian found he was providing many clients with advice about damp and how damp occurs in heritage buildings. There is a clear relationship with the exterior of the property and the damp inside the property. 
Adrian advanced his practical and business skills further and became qualified, his degree is triple accredited, he is not only a Heritage Builder but is also a professional Heritage Building Surveyor. He was recognised by the National Surveying Company in collaboration with Nottingham Trent University and awarded a special exceptional recognition as a Building Surveyor.
Rare: Heritage Builder and Heritage Surveyor
Adrian has combined his building practice with his professional qualifications. Clients seek his advice because he understand the entire building spectrum from the surveying through to the building and ensures the correct methods are applied when restoring heritage property using an open moisture approach which is very different to modern property which uses a closed moisture approach.

Damp Problems and Low Cost Solutions

(Summersgill, 2013)Solutions are often simple when you know how to solve something.
Not knowing can be costly with long term damage and a waste of money if the wrong method is applied. Incorrect methods include dry lining, chemical injection and incorrect materials such as cement (
Wilkinson, De Rose, Sullivan and Straube, 2009).
Do you think its wise to spend thousands of pounds?
Giving your money to so called damp busters, damp experts or whatever they name tag themselves?

We regularly speak to clients who are convinced that chemical injection of some outrageously expensive chemical cream solution into a wall will fix their damp and timber problem. Really! 
Chemical cream can perhaps sound convincing to some. 


Damp thrives in certain conditions and injecting cream is quite laughable because it does not change the conditions that causes the damp to thrive. Its all about science and moisture transfer perhaps people think chemical injection provides a barrier. It destroys the bricks and exacerbates the brick cracking, spalling and speeds up the process of deterioration, destroying the structure of your home.
A whole industry is built around this chemical cream injection concept and these damp busters do their very best to protect this industry!!!
Academics in Europe do laugh at such people in the UK! Therefore cream chemical does not prevent or resolve damp (Summersgill, 2013).
​Save your money and your home by getting the right advice.
Building Surveying advice is a low cost solution as a starting point for using traditional methods which are low cost solutions and approaches not gizmos gadgets or products.
Perhaps if you have not yet done so, you would like to do some more research on Adrian Gill. Read the About Page to find out everything you need to know in recent years. Then visit page Heritage Life, it tells you everything about Adrian and his 30+ years of experience in building and construction. ​

Does this look familiar? Damaged bricks ? 

2 minute independent video    about brick breathability

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Spalling, Sacrificial Brick
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Sacrificial Lime
Take a look at the image (Spalling, Sacrificial Brick). The bricks are damaged. Now look at the mortar it looks hard and grey it is a cement mortar. It is so solid that it is not allowing moisture to travel through the mortar. Moisture movement is a natural scientific process called osmosis and the purpose of mortar is to allow moisture movement or breathability. When builders retrofit or repair solid wall, brick or stone buildings using modern cement, the wrong mortar mix, a modern hard material it prevents breathability. The mortar is not breathable. How do you know this?
If it was breathable the bricks would not be damaged!
Damaged bricks are an Alarm bell because the moisture is now forced to move through the brick which becomes the softer material than the cement. The result is moisture movement and changes in temperature (climate) results in damaged bricks everywhere. The situation will get worse each year.
The solution is to repoint the mortar with the correct mortar mix or render it with the correct render mix.
​This helps to resolve the damp issue in the property 
(Speweik, Old House Journal 1997)

Look at the difference (Sacrificial Lime)
​The mortar is the correct mix and moisture transfer is occurring through the mortar. The bricks are not damaged or defaced. The traditional correct approach does not create a damp environment neither is it causing any structural damage to the bricks or solid wall.
Now that you know you will see damaged bricks everywhere.

Adrian and his team regularly repair, repoint bricks and render exterior walls. Adrian has his own heritage specialist restoration team. Call Adrian for more details 07449944628

Damp Experts, Damp Specialists and Chemical Injection


Property owners often ask us about chemical injection, damp companies, damp busters and 'Damp Experts' who charge thousands ££'s sometimes we hear as much as £15,000 for chemical treatments that claim to treat damp symptoms and promise to resolve rising damp. Remember the barrier that these chemical create do not solve the CAUSE of the damp, which remains hidden.
It is AMAZING how many home owners pay for this stuff!

Traditional Approaches.
50 years ago or more chemical wall injection was not available neither was it needed before Portland Cement was produced. Builders, brick-layers and Stone Masons created the correct conditions to ensure the damp did NOT to occur by using the correct materials.
See sacrificial lime and sacrificial brick to learn more (above)

A VIDEO example (below):
A client was offered chemical injection from a damp buster.
The client refused and contacted us.
Our advice provided a low cost solution and how to solve the CAUSE of the damp.
The property had a damp smell and what some refer to as rising damp which damp busters 'seek to sell' chemical wall injection.
We do not believe chemical wall injection works and it is a waste of your money.
The damp CAUSE was from cracked pipe deep under the floor.
What would chemical wall injection have done for solving the problem with a cracked pipe? Nothing! Not resolving the cause would causes long term issues.

Adrian Gill Mentor: Real Case Study Scenario Example 

Damp and Mould Surveys in solid wall properties

Adrian offers a number of damp surveys including a remote damp survey which has been requested by clients.
Heritage Building Surveying Service ​for solid wall buildings of all archetypes. Services include damp and mould, heritage surveys, snagging surveys and pre-purchase inspections.
Contact Adrian using the form below
​or call 07449944628
​Imagine all the people who pay thousands of pounds for chemical damp injection in this situation. 

More about Adrian

​Adrian knows how to fix damp problems using traditional building methods which are low cost solutions and understands moisture movement in solid wall traditional properties.
​This is where it begins to make sense for many clients.
Adrian = bricklayer = Stone Mason = lime plasterer = Building Surveyor. Understanding the building process, the mortar mix because he has mixed it in practice, built it and fixed it as a surveyor knowing the process from start to finish, detecting problems troubleshooting where others have used the wrong mortar mix!
One alarm bell or obvious warning sign is sacrificial brick. How many times do you see this in properties? Take a look, they are everywhere!

Low cost solutions for damp and mould

If you want to read more technical detail on Damp Surveys

But... Why is a Building Surveyor needed for Damp and Mould?

In 2014 the government officially changed their approach to insulating traditional buildings. This was published in a government white paper. (A long paper to read! But press here for the link... BSI 2014)
This means the British Standard (BS 5250) for treating moisture in buildings has been revised, it has been fully recognised by government that moisture related problems (damp and mould) in solid wall buildings relate to retrofit, increased insulation and reduced ventilation (BSI, 2020). 
​Solid wall buildings must be treated differently to cavity wall buildings.

Solid Wall Traditional Buildings

The structural behaviour of traditional solid brick buildings differs dramatically from modern cavity buildings. Solid brick walls need a breathable environment and do not function well if covered with dry-lining, sand and cement, treated with chemical injection or other modern products that prevent breathability (Modena, Porto and Valluzi, 2016; Speweik, 1997; Wilkinson, De Rose, Sullivan and Straube, 2009)
Adrian Gill is a professional building surveyor with a triple accredited degree (RICS, CIOB and CABE). Endorsements include the academic award from Nottingham Trent University and The National Surveying Company (SCCS) an excellence award for devotion to surveying. Adrian was appointed for building projects on the homes of both Lieutenant Commander, Sir Arthur Clayton's home in Kingswear (Torpedo Boat Captain) and Admiral Sir Frank Hopkins 5th Sea Lord and controller of the Royal Navy. Click to Read Heritage Life to learn more about Adrian family and how it all started.

Damp Building Surveyor with 30 years building experience

Unique Combination: Building Surveying, Building and Advanced Craft

​It is unique for a professional building surveyor to also be a qualified builder with 30 years experience from practical building to surveying including management of construction projects. 
Adrian is fully qualified since the 1980's a bricklayer, stone mason and lime plasterer. Adrian fully understands the entire building process practically and theoretically his skills stand out. Adrian offers a surveying service, troubleshooting, a problem, solution that is beneficial to the client and the building.

Stop: Do not treat damp with chemical treatment

Warning: HomeBuyers Surveys are unsuitable for Heritage Homes

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Often when buying a heritage home. RICS Surveyors recommend owners to inject their walls with chemical treatment. It is a waste of money and damages heritage homes.
​Owners should be cautious of services offering to treat rising damp by chemically injecting the walls or treating damp timbers by painting and sealing timbers.
Heritage Properties must breathe, disturbing moisture transfer causes long-term damage to the structure of the building, it is highly recommended to arrange a heritage professional building surveyor to investigate the problem.
CALL ADRIAN 07449944628 OR COMPLETE THE FORM BELOW 

The wrong way and expensive way to treat damp problems
Dry Lining Can Cause Significant Damage
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Dry lining holds and retains the damp.
Removal allows breathability.


Photographs: Adrian (pictured lime plastering) needed to resolve major damp problems. A dry lined room leads to poor ventilation in the building (
Wilkinson, De Rose, Sullivan and Straube, 2009)
The room showed some visible signs of damp before the dry lining was removed. Afterwards it was blatantly obvious. Restoration included removing the dry lining throughout the room. Once removed it revealed significant evidence of damp including blown plaster, walls wet with moisture, a whole section of floor was rotten and the lower horizontal timber was soaking wet throughout (Wilkinson, De Rose, Sullivan and Straube, 2009)
Removing the dry lining, plaster and lifting part of the floor allowed the room to breathe and dry out, after some time the walls were plastered with lime plaster and the damp has not returned. Lack of ventilation reduces moisture transfer and seals the room which increases the chance of condensation (dew-point), had the dry lining been left the building structure (wood and solid brick wall) would have weakened over time. 

Dampness is an indicator of poor ventilation and is one variable (amongst others) and why it is important that heritage, traditional homes must be allowed to breathe (Wooley, 2017). 
If you have damp. Do not delay Arrange a Building Survey with Adrian 07449944628

Spot the Signs of Damp in Old Traditional and Heritage Houses
Some signs of damp include: damp smells, mould, high humidity, condensation, no ventilation, wet, moist, salt patches and blown plaster on the interior. The exterior may show signs of damp where the brick or stone wall is cracked, crumbling, brick deterioration referred to as sacrificial brick. The brick / stone structure will continue to weaken over time. Its vital, do not delay and arrange a survey to better understand how to control and reverse these damaging issues in old traditional buildings.
Traditional Buildings and Breathability
Traditional buildings need to breathe, to allow moisture transfer, this is achieved (in part) by using mortar mix that is breathable. Masonry contracts and expands during change in temperature from the exterior weather and interior living conditions (heating the home).
Evidence: Damp impacts human health
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​The NHS ​clearly state in this link that damp in your home will affect your health and they also refer to vulnerable people Sort out Damp and get it out of your home.

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​​Publications such as The ‘Dampness and Mould Guide’ (WHO, 2009) contains scientific evidence of health problems caused from moisture and fungi spores within peoples homes.
Wrapping and containing damp accelerates the damp problem weakening the building structure, damp in homes causes health problems (WHO, 2019)​

​UK CLIMATE
In the UK the climate contributes to damp problems within homes. The serious issue of damp and mould in badly insulated houses in the UK is a massive burden on the NHS (Wooley, 2017).​

Have Damp? Arrange a Damp Survey
CALL ADRIAN 07449944628 or 01827 880021 OR COMPLETE THE FORM BELOW ​for advice or to arrange a damp survey. Adrian can resolve damp in all types of properties and specialises in heritage property Why? He is a trained bricklayer, stone mason and Building Surveyor. There is an inter-linked relationship with the property envelope and the cause of damp. 
Surveying includes identifying the problem / Solution to inform of the cos and to treat the cause of damp and not the symptoms of the damp.
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Building Qualification and Accreditations

Adrian has CSCS trade (card) qualifications as an advanced master craftsman, a bricklayer, stone mason, lime plaster, supervisory management (trade) and restores heritage property. Adrian has a Building Surveying BSc triple accredited degree. by CIOB, CABE and RICS. A student receiving an excellence award from The National Surveying Company and Nottingham Trent University.
Adrian has a Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) pilot's licence uses aerial drone technology (residential and commercial surveys
see this page )
​
Adrian is an affiliate member of the IHBC 


References: 


BSI (2020) BS 5250 Code of practice for control of condensation in buildings [Online] Available: https://standardsdevelopment.bsigroup.com/projects/9017-00220#/section

Caterer (2009) Keith Floyd. [Online] Available: https://www.thecaterer.com/news/restaurant/keith-floyd

Modena C. Porto, F da. Valluzzi, M.R. (2016)Brick and Block Masonry: Proceedings of the 16th International Brick and Block Masonry Conference,Padova, Italy, 26-30 June 2016Hardcover – 9 Jun 2016 [Online] Available: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Brick-Block-Masonry-Proceedings-International/dp/1138029998

NHS [Online] Available: 
https://www.nhs.uk/common-health-questions/lifestyle/can-damp-and-mould-affect-my-health/

Oxford DNB (1991) Hopkins Sir Frank Henry Edward. [Online] Available: https://www.oxforddnb.com/view/10.1093/ref:odnb/9780198614128.001.0001/odnb-9780198614128-e-40140

Peerage (2019) Sir Arthur Harold Clayton, 11th Bt. [Online] Available: http://www.thepeerage.com/p22686.htm#i226853

Peter Ward (n.d.) Rising Damp. [Online] Available: https://www.heritage-house.org/damp-and-condensation/all-about-the-pca/property-care-association-rising-damp-and-facebook.html

Robertson, A. (2018) Private Paradise. [Online] Available: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5961885/Stunning-four-bed-Dorset-home-comes-cove-hits-market-1-7m.html

Speweik, J. (1997) Why using Modern Mortar can damage a Historic House: Repointing Right! Publication: Old House Journal July-August 1997. [Online] Available: https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=3w6Ocm-otPgC&lpg=PA46&dq=sacrificial%20brick%20lime%20mortar%20cement%20mortar&pg=PA46#v=onepage&q=sacrificial%20brick%20lime%20mortar%20cement%20mortar&f=false

Wilkinson, J., De Rose, D., Sullivan, B., and Straube J. (2009) 
PA-0901: Measuring the Impact of Interior Insulation on Solid Masonry Walls in a Cold Climate.
https://www.buildingscience.com/documents/published-articles/pa-measuring-impact-interior-insulation-solid-masonry-walls-cold-climate/view

Wooley T. (2017) Building Materials, Health and Indoor Air Quality: No Breathing Space? [Online] Available: https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=-C0lDwAAQBAJ&lpg=PA98&dq=nhs%20damp%20affect%20home&pg=PA98#v=onepage&q=nhs%20damp%20affect%20home&f=false

Renuntio Ltd

Adrian Gill BSc(hons) is an affiliate member of the IHBC (Institute of Historic Building Conservation).

Renuntio Ltd. Houghton House, Sheepy Road, Sibson, Warwickshire, CV13 6LE
Head Office: 01827 880021
Midlands & East: 07449944628
South West: 07511041381

Registered in England & Wales 07472874

Disclaimer

Adrian Gill, Managing Director of Renuntio Ltd. and any other associated representatives is not responsible for and expressly disclaims all liability for, damages of any kind arising out of reference, use, or reliance to any information contained within this site. The content within the site is the opinion of the site administrator and/or Adrian Gill and other, Partners and Associates of Renuntio Ltd. Copyright 2020 Renuntio Ltd

Website Author: Amy Lawson-Gill 2020

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  • Home
  • About
  • HERITAGE
    • Heritage Builder
    • Listed Building Survey
    • Damp & Timber Survey
    • Team Renuntio
    • Rising Damp Myth
  • Our Services
    • Survey >
      • Remote Surveys >
        • Damp and Coronavirus
      • Damp & Timber Survey
      • Listed Building Survey
      • Snag Surveys >
        • FAQ
        • References
      • Roof and Chimney Surveys
    • Build >
      • Design and Build
      • Heart of Heritage Windows
      • Repair Repoint Bricks
      • Klargester Treatment System
      • Outbuilding and Digging
      • Other work
  • Contact
  • SHOP