Free Damp Surveys, Independent Damp Surveys, Contractor Damp Surveys? How to Avoid the Clowns, The Minefield Explained.

I wrote this article in the interests of anyone with a damp issue looking for a survey or solution. Where to go is the conundrum? There is so much conflicting advice on the internet, its hard to know what to believe. I hope this article goes some way to help clarify the differences between Free, Independent and Contractor Damp Surveys.

If you have any questions after reading this article please feel free to reach out.

THE FREE DAMP SURVEY

The Hidden Costs of ‘Free’ Surveys. Why They’re Not What They Seem

The free surveys is an attractive proposition, and with Internet search engines awash with targeted, sponsored adds, there’s no wonder why some people opt for a free survey. The offer is tempting, you’ve got nothing to lose, right?

So, what’s the concern? The concern isn’t that the survey is free, it’s what’s normally associated with a free survey. Put simply, it is a sales gimmick to get a foot in the door.

What to Expect from a “Free” Survey?

Don’t expect much and you won’t be disappointed. Although, do expect that the outcome will normally result in recommended work encouraging you to part with some hard-earned cash. Whether the work is necessary or fit for purpose, however, is anyone’s guess. You’re simply going to be sold whatever service or product they provide.

Lack of Qualifications and Accreditations

Free surveys are rarely undertaken by anyone qualified or through companies which have accreditation.

Most free surveys are undertaken by tradesmen that market themselves as ‘specialists’ which is far from the truth or large damp-proofing companies with a fleet of suit branded salesmen wielding clipboards.

If the surveyor isn’t qualified and competent, it’s likely the cause of the problem isn’t going to be diagnosed correctly.  Misdiagnosis, in the damp industry is responsible for clients spending many thousands of pounds on often unnecessary work, with a high-risk failure. Furthermore, inappropriate repairs can also cause undue harm / damage to the building. If you thought the repair was expensive first time around, employing a professional to correct it second time, will make your eyes water. It’s always cheaper and better to do it right, first time.

Non-Invasive and Shallow Assessments

Free surveys are almost always non-invasive, meaning nothing is opened up and explored. The diagnosis is based upon a quick visual inspection and, in some cases, moisture meter readings that can be misleading and inaccurate.

What follows the survey can be one of two possibilities. From the tradesmen pretending to be a specialist, expect a brief page or two, badly written document along with a quote. From the large corporate, expect exactly the opposite. A glossy document with pages of irrelevant heavily branded content, with very little information specific to your property or problem. While the latter might look more polished, the content will be just as vague, and the quote will likely be double.

The Problem with Branding

Regardless of the type of report you receive, both will likely be packed with branding. Lots of logos and names of well-known manufacturers like Triton, Wykamol, Safeguard, Sovereign, and product brands like Planton, Newton, and Dryzone. While this might seem impressive, these associations don’t reflect any form of accreditation. In fact, the excessive branding is often a tactic to create an illusion of professionalism.

Why Banks, Insurers, and Mortgage Lenders Won’t Accept Free Surveys

The truth is, “free surveys” are neither reliable nor truly free. This is why reputable institutions like banks, insurers, and mortgage companies won’t accept them. These institutions understand the risks involved and require a survey conducted by a fully qualified and accredited professional. A free survey just doesn’t hold enough credibility to be trusted.

When it comes to something as important as your property, cutting corners with a “free survey” can end up costing you more in the long run. If you’re serious about correctly identifying and fixing a damp problem, it’s always worth investing in a qualified surveyor with the right accreditation.

THE INDEPENDENT DAMP SURVEY

The Independent Damp Surveyor

In recent years, the role of the independent surveyor has seen a sharp rise. What was once a rarity, is now as common as a a career as a Youtuber, Social media influencer or Tiktoker!

Much of this change has been driven by the legacy of so called “free surveys.” While appealing on the surface, free surveys have unfortunately earned the industry a reputation for bias, as many are tied directly to business with a vested interest in selling treatments. Thus, an opportunity has been created, and some might say a necessity for the independent surveyor.

An independent survey isn’t going to be free. Independent surveyors have no financial incentive through recommending work therefore, their salary is directly derived from the survey charge.

Professional competence

That said, not all independents are equal. Technically, anyone can call themselves a surveyor, but reputable professionals will hold qualifications such as the CSRT or CSTDB (Certified Surveyor of Timber & Dampness in Buildings) and be full members of the Property Care Association (PCA) not just trained at the PCA. There’s a big difference read this article if you want to know more – https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/five-things-you-should-know-before-book-damp-survey-repair-rafton-/?trackingId=yMtDBi72SkyEci6jyDsI9g%3D%3D

If you’re considering an independent survey firstly, check that the surveyor is both qualified and PCA-registered. An independent surveyor should also hold professional indemnity insurance. This is necessary to protect you (and them) against legal claims in case of errors, negligence, or misleading advice. Simply being Independent doesn’t exonerate surveyors from making mistakes, they can, and do get it wrong.

Its probably also worth mentioning, whilst both contractors and Independent surveyors can be members of the PCA, the criteria for membership for contractors is much higher. Contractors are also regularly audited to ensure their high standards are maintained whilst, independent surveyors aren’t.

Many independents were also formally contractors. If so, It’s worthwhile doing a background check into their former contracting business’s, just to make sure that their trading history as a contractor aligns with their current values as an independent. Obviously, you don’t want to see a history of several failed or dissolved companies in the background.

What About Franchise’s?

As with any rising trend, opportunity quickly follows and so does commercial interest. The demand for independent damp surveyors has naturally led to a surge in franchise-based operations by opportunists. While these businesses may present themselves as independent, they often lack true autonomy.

Franchise independent surveyors typically:

• Hold qualifications but lack experience
• Operate within strict geographic boundaries
• Pay ongoing fees and royalties to the franchisor
• Work under standardised methods and guidelines with limited freedom in how they investigate and/or report

In many cases, franchises appeal to newly qualified or less experienced surveyors looking to leverage a brand whilst avoiding the risks of being fully independent.

What Should You Expect From an Independent Survey?

Because you’re paying for it, your expectations should be high. A proper independent survey should be:

• Professional and punctual
• Comprehensive in its evaluation
• Transparent and objective in its findings

A good report should also include:

• A full evaluation of the building’s construction
• An appraisal of identified defects
• A diagnosis explaining the root cause(s)
• Clear, unbiased recommendation for remediation

Most independent damp surveys are non-intrusive. While some basic checks like lifting the odd floorboard or probing affected areas might be carried out, specialist investigations (often required for complex issues) are typically not included. So be mindful, an independent damp survey might not provide the answer / solution to your problems, unless of course its blindingly obvious. Expect further investigations with additional costs could be recommended.

Can You Use an Independent Damp Report to Receive Quotes?

In theory, yes but in practice, no!

Most independent reports are intend to be diagnostic, not prescriptive. They don’t typically include detailed specifications, scaled drawings, or quantities to assist a contractor. Thus, a contractor will still need to visit and conduct their own site assessment. They may agree or disagree with the independent opinion.

Moreover, contractors are often reluctant to follow a third-party specifications especially when the independent surveyor accepts no responsibility or liability for their recommendations. This creates a ‘Grey Area’, the contractor chooses to either re-survey (and charge for it) or proceed with caution, usually without warranty.

THE CONTACTOR’S DAMP SURVEY

The Contractor Damp Surveyor

A good, well established, reputable, qualified and fully accredited contractor will also undertake damp surveys which they will charge for. A contractor’s survey however, will usually be cheaper than an independents, this is because a contracting business will usually have two income revenues from both commercial repairs and surveys. This is however, to the benefit of the client, and will often mean that the full cost of a survey can be offset through other revenue streams. This allows the contractor to provide the high level of survey at a reduced cost.

Professional Competence

Professional competence is a minimal expectation with a contractor surveyor, therefore ensure your chosen contractor is qualified and accredited. As mentioned above, AVOID the contractors who offer free surveys or token surveys for a very small fee.

Again, not all contractors are equal and technically, anyone can call themselves a ‘specialist’, but reputable professionals will hold qualifications such as the CSRT or CSTDB (Certified Surveyor of Timber & Dampness in Buildings) and be full members of the Property Care Association (PCA).

The PCA ensures that its contractor members operate at the highest level of professionalism. Contractor members must meet a number of strict criteria to ensure they meet the required standards including, qualified surveyors and approved financial status. All PCA accredited companies are audited on a regular basis to assure their high standards of workmanship are maintained. Read this article if you’d like to know more – https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/five-things-you-should-know-before-book-damp-survey-repair-rafton-/?trackingId=yMtDBi72SkyEci6jyDsI9g%3D%3D

Many contractors hold also professional indemnity insurance in addition to commercial public liability . Again, It’s always worthwhile doing a background check before you instruct a survey.

The Advantages of a Contractor Damp Surveyor

Most contractor surveyors are suitably skilled and well equipped to undertake intrusive investigations. Contractor surveyors often have access too and carry with them a wide range of expensive diagnostic surveying equipment, therefore be it lifting floorboards, creating access hatches, inspecting cavities, flying drones overhead or removing samples for laboratory analysis, this is all part of the daily routine for most contracting damp surveyors.

There are also several laboratories throughout the UK that undertake analyses for moisture, salt, often a requirement of a damp investigation. These services are needed in complex situations where diagnosis by any other means is difficult. Most of these laboratories were established by contractors, who will normally undertake the analysis on your behalf for a small fee. Independent surveyors don’t have access to these inhouse facilities thus, if samples need to be taken, they are sent away to an external laboratory for testing at significant cost.

A contractor can also be appointed to design a specification and undertake the repair which they will usually provide a warranty for. This alleviates the ‘Grey Area’ which is created when a contractor is requested to follow a specification designed by others such as Independents. The contractor will absorb full responsibility for their design and repair.

How to Avoid ‘Dodgy’ Contractors

As always do your homework prior. Due diligence on various fact checking websites, read reviews and ask for local recommendations.

• Check review sites. Try independent sites as well as testimonials they may display on their own website.
• Check the business address and location, are they really local? are they really who they say they are? Many business use targeted sponsored adds and post boxes to appear local.
• Check their credentials are they really PCA Members? if in doubt contact the PCA – www.property-care.org
• Check the surveyors qualifications CSRT or CSTDB.
• Check the companies trading history, when were they established? who are the directors?
• Established just last week – Avoid.
• Directors with a history of failed business in the same industry – Avoid.
• Companies house Webcheck is a good place for background research – https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/

Whilst it’s true that our industry has historically been marred by the practices of unscrupulous contractors and aggressive chemical sales tactics in the 1970s through to the early 1990s, times have changed. The era of commission-driven salespeople posing as surveyors is, thankfully, behind us. Today, there is a growing number of honest, credible, and technically skilled contractors across the UK who are fully equipped to carry out thorough, forensic diagnostic inspections.

So, when is an independent surveyor truly necessary? In my opinion, only in rare cases typically when there’s a dispute between a client and a contractor. For most situations, qualified and reputable contractors are more than capable of delivering accurate, professional assessments. Just be sure to do your research and choose wisely.

If you’ve made it to the end I hope you found this article useful and informative and if you have any questions or queries please don’t hesitate to reach out.

Russell Rafton

On behalf of Dryfix Preservation Ltd

Yorkshire’s Leading Damp and Timber Specialist’s

A 8 x Industry Award Winning Company with the Property Care Association.

www.dryfix.net / www.property-care.org

If you would like to learn more about damp, moisture mapping or diagnosis you may find the following articles useful:

Moisture Content Analysis – https://www.dryfix.net/blog/explained-moisture-content-analysis-using-the-gravimetric-process/

Calcium carbide Meters Explained – https://www.dryfix.net/blog/damp-diagnosis-calcium-carbide-meter-speedy-meter/

Industry Perception Study – https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/industry-perception-study-russell-rafton-/

Russell Rafton – Dryfix Preservation Ltd Senior Surveyor

Dryfix Yorkshires Leading Damp & Timber Specialists