Damp survey and RICS-format report

Damp survey with a written RICS-format report that distinguishes rising damp, penetrating damp, and a hidden plumbing leak. Salt-test analysis (BRE Digest 245 protocol) plus moisture mapping, so the underlying cause is identified before any remedial scope is committed.

Most damp callouts get diagnosed wrong the first time. Plumbing leaks get treated as rising damp; condensation gets treated as penetrating damp; the homeowner ends up paying for a damp-proof course they didn't need while the actual leak keeps running. 247 Rapid Response runs a forensic damp survey first: salt-test analysis of the mortar, moisture mapping across the affected zone, thermal imaging of the wall envelope, then a written report that tells you exactly what's happening.

What's in the survey

• Salt-test analysis (BRE Digest 245 protocol). Sodium nitrate signature = rising damp. Chloride dominant = penetrating damp. Neutral pH, no salt signature = hidden plumbing leak. 30 minutes on-site, 48-hour lab turnaround for the written analysis.
• Moisture mapping with Protimeter Surveymaster. Across the affected wall, in a grid. Plots the moisture gradient that distinguishes rising (worst at skirting, fading upward) from a leak (worst at the leak point, radiating outward).
• Thermal imaging (FLIR E76 / E96) for the wall envelope. Cold-spot pattern of a live leak is unmistakable against the warmer surroundings.
• Visual inspection: gutters, downpipes, render condition, DPC presence and condition, ground level vs DPC level (rising damp requires ground bridging the DPC), kitchen and bathroom waste runs.
• Written RICS-format report within 5 working days. Insurer-acceptable on first submission.

What you get in the report

Diagnosis (rising / penetrating / leak / condensation / mixed cause), location coordinates, moisture readings annotated on a plan view, salt-test result, photographic evidence, recommended remedial scope, and an indicative cost band for the recommended work. Where the cause is a plumbing leak, we provide a separate scope-of-works quote for the trace-and-access repair.

Pricing

Salt-test damp analysis from £149.99 per sample (inc VAT). The wider survey and report are priced per our published rate card (see full pricing) for a 60 to 90 minute on-site visit including salt-test sample collection. Free if your home insurance policy reimburses the survey (we bill your insurer direct where the policy allows).

When to book

• You have damp staining and don't know if it's rising, penetrating, or a leak.
• A previous "damp surveyor" recommended a £6,000 chemical DPC and you want a second opinion.
• You're buying a property and your conveyancer flagged a damp concern.
• Your insurance claim hinges on proving the cause is a plumbing leak (covered) rather than rising damp (excluded).

Call 020 8050 5306, or book online.