Recent surveys in the surrounding area have seen us surveying the B-listed Elvingston House (John Tait, 1837) near Gladsmuir, as well as large farmhouses and small cottages – really, we have no upper or lower limit.  We survey 1-bed tenement flats and were recently surveying at the Tower of London for Historic Royal Palaces, so you have an idea of the range of surveys we do.

If you want to discuss a survey of a property in or around the Scottish Borders, please give us a call on 07944 611844 or email john@durieheritage.co.uk or alison@durieheritage.co.uk for a chat or more information.

The post Scottish Borders appeared first on Heritage And Design.

I always read the ‘About Us’ pages of websites offering surveys.  Sometimes it gives you a reassuring insight into the person(s) you are considering trusting to correctly guide you in the most expensive purchase you will ever make, but most of the time it tells you nothing, not even a name.  Reviews such as on Trustpilot can be bought.  We are emailed constantly from companies that offer just that.  Considering what is happening in the world today especially regarding trying to identify truth from fake news, it is difficult to negotiate through it all.

I received a call from a lady today where an RICS ‘surveyor’ (no idea what type of surveyor) spent 6 hours in her 2-bed house then declared it had rising damp and to get a damp proofing “specialist” to actually diagnose the cause and remedy.  Well, if you have read through this site, you will realise how that will turn out.  If you put your trust in a ‘professional’ who should be working in their clients best interests, you expect to obtain the correct information.  This is not the case.  Not only do trades colleges not teach about traditional materials, universities seldom teach surveyors – even building surveyors – about traditional materials.  This is despite around 40% of the built environment in the UK having been built with traditional materials so requiring the same materials for their repair.

I do feel partly responsible for the fact that you now have to pay for a timber and damp survey from a damp proofing company since when they were free,  they were always sure of getting the work.  With damp proofing being promoted less, some damp proofing companies now charging for surveys but it is the same rubbish you are getting.

Please read the ‘About Us’ pages and see who you are giving your hard earned money to.

The post The surveying system is broken appeared first on Heritage And Design.

The arches were infilled during the time of the Duke of Wellington‘s term as Prime Minister but would have been well ventilated and vapour permeable, and also likely damp, since then.

These repairs all responded to the symptoms and never actually examined the sources of water ingress.  Following survey of the road surface on St Katherine’s Way, road dranage gulleys and details around the bridge parapet, numerous vulnerable areas were identified, all of which will be contributing to the effects internally.

Alison testing areas of loose mortar.

Mortar reacting to test so indicating lime mortar is present.  Other areas were found to have cement-rich mortar

Long term water ingress causing calcium build up on the brick vaulted ceilings

A stainless steel tray previously installed to catch water passing through around the drainage gulley indicates an issue with the gulley…

The moat vaults below St Katerine’s Way at the north approach to Tower Bridge.

Road drainage gulley are partially blocked so will cause localised flooding which will saturate the surrounding ground and seep through to the vaults below.

Very minor but, nonetheless, open joints.  Damop soil had displaced mortar

Vegetation show moisture and soil is in what should be mortar joints.

As above

Vegetation has displaced mortar and is allowing water ingress below.

Voided joint and vegetation growth.

The entrance to The Reveller is now internal but shows saklt damage to the stonework where water percolation from above continues.

Glazed brick to The Reveller also has a stainless steel tray to catch water ingress.  These walls have previously been coated with waterproofing render but this was always going to fail.  The glazed bricks are now permanently damaged.

John preparing the thermal imaging camera – inside number 9!

Thermal imaging showing saturated area as colder than surrounding brickwork so one of the sources of water ingress.

The post The Tower of London appeared first on Heritage And Design.

Deep void in stone joint will allow water ingress deeper into the wall fabric

One short period of just over a week saw us use 4 tanks of fuel to travel to survey a croft, a tenement flat, a country house, and a terraced house.  All of these are very different properties, all with subtly different issues but all built in the same manner using the same basic materials.

Brick visibly damp below original damp proof course, dry above

Accumulated debris eventually caused decay to the joist and sole plate. Dampness is caused by high ground levels outside

We specialise in determining the causes of these issues and in providing excellent advice.

We want to remain busy as we know more of our clients will receive the best possible information.

The post What a busy year appeared first on Heritage And Design.

From 1908, almost the last hurrah for stately homes, Shennanton was designed by Glasgow architect Henry Edward Clifford in a style seldom-seen in Scotland, English Tudor Gothic.  The exterior is mostly polygonal granite, quarried locally, and interiors appear to be a rebellion against the high Victorian in their absolute simplicity with minimal plasterwork but meticulous, and equally simple,  joinerywork.

With added help from our drone, we managed to complete a detailed and exhaustive inspection of chimneys, leadwork, roofs, walls,

roof structure, interiors and cellars including drainage.  Writing it all out in plain English was a challenge in the limited timescale, which included an equally detailed building survey of the two storey detached lodge house, but the report was completed and emailed to our clients on time.

This is one of the largest properties we have surveyd to date but we can do it and can produce detailed and comprehensive reports within limited timescales so, if you have a mansion you need surveyed, please get in touch.

View of billiards room in Bladnoch, part of Shennanton House

Underside of roof of Shennanton House billiards room

The post Shennanton House survey appeared first on Heritage And Design.

Image of Dji Mavic Zoom 2 drone

The drone allowed us to get in close to hidden valleys and survey behind parapets and over high chimney stacks, the detail able to be captured being extremely high quality allowing stills to be captured and examined in detail.

The drone also adds value to our surveys – at no additional cost – but can be restricted by the position of the property and the prevailing weather.

Vegetation growing in high-level roof valley hidden from sight

The post New to Heritage & Design – Drone Survey for roof and high level inspection appeared first on Heritage And Design.

Their solution?

Tank the inside of the property with a thick plastic membrane and replaster.

Dry rot returns despite damp treatment

You don’t need to be well-versed in construction to realise that the solution they offer isn’t actually dealing with the myriad defects that could be causing the dampness, penetrating or otherwise.  Their ‘ 5 Year Penetrating Damp Treatment Guarantee’ is their estimation of the time it takes for the continuing penetrating damp (which is only getting worse in the meantime) to fully saturate the property and appear internally.

Think about the possible problems that not repairing the defects will cause.  What will happen to the wet timber joists below this wet wall?  They will rot.  The risk is that it will create dry rot, which is insidious, or wet rot, both requiring additional disruption and cost.

Loss of lime mortar

Reading the small print, you must employ a surveyor or tradesman who can identify and rectify the real causes of penetrating damp for the treatment guarantee to remain valid over the 5 year period.

If that is not a money making scam, I don’t know what is.

Please repair the causes, don’t cover the symptoms.

The post 5 Year Penetrating Damp Treatment Guarantee appeared first on Heritage And Design.

I’m currently sitting here in my office at 9pm, not having had dinner yet, writing my master’s dissertation about the plight of people who, like us, live in a stone-built terraced house in South Wales who don’t know where to find the right information about the care and maintenance of their house.

While listed, historic, heritage and conservation assets have apparently endless access to appropriate information, where do we get ours?  The answer is simple, it’s the very same information.  Penetrate through all the jargon and phrases about ‘non-designated heritage assets’ and ‘conservation of historic buildings’ and you will discover that the advice is there already.

Historic Environment Scotland (HES) and through their training centre in Stirling, the Engine Shed, have produced Technical Advice Notes (TANs) that are freely available and relevant to anyone whether you live in a castle, an 1890 pennant stone terrace in Eatontown or a 1910 brick terrace in Uplands.  The information is the same and remains relevant as long as your property is solid-walled.

The problems found in South Wales, which has a high percentage of concrete ground floors and cement mortar pointing, is the level of poor advice being provided so, if you search for Historic Environment Scotland (I know,the  but CADW website is rubbish) or www.thengineshed.scot, then you will get access to enough information to allow you to at least challenge your contractor about what they should be doing to your terraced house.  Sadly, some of the most appropriate work is still considered specialist as there is a process to go through when, for example, preparing stonework for repointing, caring for it during the curing process (you can’t just walk away) and finishing it off, which all needs understanding and time.

Unfortunately time is money so the most appropriate work can be more expensive depending on what it is but it is necessary and will solve issues such as dampness which plagues terraced houses throughout South Wales.  I try to do my bit to educate and provide great information on my website but I am a lone building suveyors voice amongst lots of contractors who think they know better.  They may in some cases but I know old buildings!

The photographs are mine.  1820 terrace, previously made damp by cement mortar, now dry thanks to lime mortar and Covid-19 which allowed me some time to do it.

The post Terraced Houses in South Wales appeared first on Heritage And Design.

Caller: “I want to get a damp wall injected before it gets rendered”

Me: “Why do you want it injected?”

Caller: “The wall is damp, the damp proof course has broken down”

Me: “Damp proof courses don’t break down”

Caller: “But my wall is damp, I’m getting the render done anyway”

Me: “You need to identify where the water is coming in before you spend money rendering as the render will ensure the wall stays damp”

Caller: “The render needs fixed”

Me: “You need to find out what is causing the dampness before spending any money on it as it may remain wet.  There are numerous reasons for a damp wall from high ground levels, blocked ventilation, blocked or damaged drainage, poor detailing around windows, poor detailing at roof level, water ingress around chimneys, historic water ingress trapped by previous damp proofing etc.”

Caller: “It has been injected before, how long does it last?”

Me: “It doesn’t work.  There will be several problems causing the dampness that need to be remedied”

Caller: “I’ll get the render done and see how it goes”

Me: “!”

I did refer the caller to freely available documents on traditional building maintenence but I have little hope.  We are happy to provide free advice but you are clearly under no obligation to accept it.  🙂

The post A recent (and typical) enquiry about a damp wall appeared first on Heritage And Design.

This may have been news to some people but we have surveyed dozens of houses with wet CWI with clients successfully having it removed after applying to CIGA (Cavity Insulation Guarantee Agency).  CIGA, however, are headed by the industry bosses of the companies who installed the stuff in the first place.

The concern is, with the new proposals to boost the economy with another ill-thought-out round of insulation grants, we will face the same problem, house holders suffering issues with dampness.

The best way to keep heat in is to ensure your building is dry and it is maintained correctly and appropriately using the correct materials.  We can certainly help you with that so give us a call on 07944 611844 or email john@durieheritage.co.uk or alison@durieheritage.co.uk and we can discuss what we can do to help.

The post Cavity Wall Insulation appeared first on Heritage And Design.