When something sounds to good to be true that’s because it usually is! We all know that very few things in life are free and in the case of a timber and damp surveyor, someone has to pay his salary and expenses and that someone has to be you. A free survey is usually carried out by commission based surveyors or ‘salesmen’ who’s aim it is to find a damp or timber decay problem and recommend treatment or repairs that are not required, in order to receive his or her commission. In many cases the problem they find may not be rising damp, active woodworm or rot infestation, it may simply be a building maintenance fault that require basic repairs, which the company does not carry out. However ‘no work no commission’ so it is in his/her interest to find something. By recommending remedial treatment where it isn’t needed they submit what you the client thinks is a very low quotation but in fact, because no treatment is required in the first place, it’s a waste of any money.
Tapco HomeDry receive many calls from clients that are purchasing a property and have just received a Home Buyers report which states their surveyor found high levels of moisture to some of the internal wall surfaces and evidence of woodworm infestation and timber decay. We are often asked ”do you think I should still buy it?” Our advise is that all building defects can be eradicated including rising and penetrating damp, the dreaded dry rot and all species of wood boring insects. At this stage it is very important that you use an established and experienced damp proofing and timber preservation company who will carry out a thorough and detailed survey, so whatever the problem, it can be reflected in the purchase price.
In many cases Tapco HomeDry make a nominal charge for our surveys but this is deductible from the cost of any remedial work or repairs that may be required. We consider this to be a ‘real’ free survey by a company who’s surveyors or operatives are not paid commission and stand to gain nothing by recommending remedial work that isn’t required. Part or our surveyors standard equipment is surface mode damp meters, a thermal imaging camera, a boroscope, a thermo-hygrometer and hand tools for lifting floors. Equipment to find any fault if there is one.
We have been established for over 44 years (1971) and pride ourselves on providing honest advice and recommendations for our many clients. We are also long term members of the Property Care Association (PCA) (formally the British Wood Preserving and Damp-Proofing Association) and Trust Mark (Government Endorsed Standards) Our qualified and very experience surveys and operatives will ensure that this unpleasant and sometimes disruptive work will run as smoothly as possible, from start to finish, and your needs will be considered at all times.
On completion of our work you will be issued with our long term guarantee which for your piece of mind can be protected by The Guarantee Protection Insurance (GPI). Do it Once Do it Right call us first.
