Damp survey in brief
Free or fixed-fee: what to ask about any damp survey
What your fee pays for
We provide damp surveys across London, Kent and the South East. Contact our team to confirm availability and pricing for your property.
Outside these areas? We can also arrange damp surveys further afield, with pricing quoted separately based on your location and survey requirements. Request a quote from our team.
- What it is
- An independent survey that identifies the cause of damp or mould and tells you what to fix
- Why pay for a survey?
- You get an independent diagnosis and a written report, from a surveyor who is not paid more if
the answer is expensive
- Price
- From £295 for most homes. Larger or more complex properties may cost more; we confirm the
price before you book (ex VAT)
- Your fee back
- Deducted from the work if you choose us to carry it out; you are free to use any contractor
- Time on site
- Up to 2 hours on site (depending on complexity and size of property)
- Your report
- In plain English, usually within 3 working days
- Booking
- Usually the same week; same day if booked before midday (if available)
- Not included
- Repairs, treatments and leak detection, which is a separate service
Areas we cover
Types of damp we diagnose
Damp in UK homes: the numbers
1.4 millionhomes in England (5% of the total housing stock) suffer from a significant damp problem.
15%of all English homes (4 million properties) fail the Decent Homes Standard.
1 in 10privately rented properties suffer from significant damp.
10 days(working days) is the maximum time allowed for a landlord to physically investigate and complete an assessment of a reported significant damp or mould hazard.
How we carry out a damp survey
Step 1Build the historyWhat you told us on the phone is already in the surveyor's notes, so the visit starts by checking it, not asking it again.
Step 2MeasureMoisture mapping, surface and air temperatures, humidity, dew point and thermal imaging, inside and out.
Step 3Rule causes in or outEach cause is checked; rising damp is only confirmed with testing.
Step 4Open up, if instructedIf a full damp investigation; floors, walls, loft or roof, salts and moisture testing, and controlled water testing where needed.
Step 5ReportEvery cause found, with its evidence, and what to fix in order.
Equipment we use
01
Moisture meters
Measure how wet walls, floors and
timber are
02
Thermal imaging camera
Shows cold spots and hidden damp as colour
03
Hygrometers
Measure humidity and dew point: the
point where condensation forms
04
Calcium carbide meter
Measures true moisture inside masonry
05
Salts testing
Shows whether moisture is coming
from the ground
06
Borescope
A small camera to look inside cavities
and voids
Damp myths we often hear
| MYTH | WHAT IS ACTUALLY TRUE |
|---|
| 'Black mould means rising damp' | Black mould does not prove rising damp. It often develops on surfaces affected by condensation, but leaks and other moisture sources should also be investigated. |
| 'Every old house has rising damp' | A building’s age does not prove rising damp. A thorough inspection should establish where moisture is coming from before treatment is recommended. |
| Injecting a damp-proof course fixes any damp problem | An injected damp-proof course does not fix condensation, plumbing leaks or rainwater ingress. Treatment must address the identified cause. |
| All damp surveys offer the same level of investigation | Survey scope, expertise and reporting vary. Check what is included, whether findings are explained and whether the provider also sells remedial treatment. |
Why choose Ideal Response for damp surveys
Independent
We sell the diagnosis, not the treatment, and are not
paid more if the answer is expensive
Every cause tested
Rising damp is only diagnosed when testing confirms it
Detailed, written report
Readings, photographs and what to fix, in 3 working days
you pay
Your fee back
If you choose us for the recommended work, the survey fee is deducted. However, you are free to use any contractor
Accredited specialists
BDMA and IICRC accredited
Typical timescales
| Situation | Typical time on site |
|---|
| Damp survey | Up to 2 hours on site (depending on complexity and size of property) |
| Full damp investigation | Up to 1 day |
| Report | Usually within 3 working days |
Standards we work to: BS 5250 (managing moisture in buildings), BRE Digest 245, RICS guidance on moisture in traditional
buildings, IICRC S500 and S520
Where our work stops
We diagnose the cause and can carry out remediation and drying. We do not carry out building repairs, and leak detection is a separate service. If someone
else will rely on the report, such as an insurer or landlord, we will not also profit from the works, so the report stays independent.
Booking and what to expect
Step 1Call or send your detailsWe ask a few questions and confirm the right survey and the price.
Step 2 Pay and bookUsually the same week; same day if booked before midday.
Step 3The surveyThe surveyor inspects, measures and tests.
Step 4Your reportUsually within 3 working days. Use it with any contractor; if you choose us for the work, the survey fee is deducted.
Recent damp survey projects
Extreme levels of mould discovered underneath floorboards in a residential property in Folkestone, Kent.
Finding why mould grew beneath a timber floor in Folkestone
Causes Found
4 Contributing Defects
Mould in the lounge was only part of the problem: opening the floor showed growth and decay in the joists
below. The investigation traced the moisture to the left-hand external wall and found four contributing
defects: blocked air bricks, poor drainage, a leaking gutter and signs of a compromised damp-proof
course. Readings of 79.4% relative humidity at 13.5°C confirmed the damp conditions. The owner received
a clear list of what to fix, alongside the mould removal.
Related services and guides
Free surveys vary. Some are thorough; others are a short visit that ends in a quote for treatment. Whoever you choose, these are the questions worth asking before you book.
| QUESTION TO ASK | WHY IT MATTERS | IDEAL RESPONSE |
|---|
| Does the surveyor earn more if they
find a problem? | A survey linked to selling a treatment has a reason to find one | No. The fee is fixed and we do not sell treatments on the back of the survey |
| Does it test every possible cause? | Condensation, gutters and hidden leaks are more common than rising damp | Yes: condensation, penetrating damp, rising damp, gutters, hidden leaks and trapped moisture |
| How long is the surveyor on site? | A quick look rarely finds acombination of causes | Up to 2 hours on site (depending on complexity and size of property) |
| How is damp measured? | A surface moisture meter
alone can read high because
of salts | Moisture meters, thermal imaging,
humidity and dew point readings, and
salts or carbide testing where needed |
| Will you get a written report? | A quote is not a diagnosis | Yes: the cause, readings, photographs
and what to fix, usually in 3 working days |
| Can you use it with anyone? | You should be free to choose
who does the work | Yes: any contractor, your landlord or
your insurer |
A specialist surveyor on site
Up to 2 hours on site (depending on complexity and size of property)
Professional instruments
Moisture meters, a thermal imaging camera, hygrometers and, where needed, salts and calcium
carbide testing
Every cause tested
If Rising damp, it is only diagnosed when testing confirms it
A written report in 3 working days
The type of damp, its cause and how far it has spread,
with readings, photographs, thermal images and what
to fix, in order of priority
Independence
We do not sell treatments on the back of the survey, and we say so if we could also do the work
Your fee back if we do the work
If you choose us for the recommended work, the survey fee is deducted from it. You are free to use any contractor
A report you own
Use it with any builder, your landlord, a buyer or your insurer
Damp survey costs
A fixed fee, confirmed before you book. The survey is paid for when you book.
What a wrong diagnosis can cost
| SURVEY | PRICE | TIME ON SITE |
|---|
| Damp survey for most homes | From £295 | Up to 2 hours on site (depending on complexity and size of property) |
| Larger or more complex properties, such as period, multi-storey, or commercial buildings | Quoted before you book | Depends on the property |
| Full damp investigation, including opening up floors, walls or the loft where needed | From £395 | Up to a day |
If you choose us to carry out the recommended work, the survey fee is deducted from it; you are free to use whoever you choose. If a full investigation is needed, the survey fee is credited against that too, within 90 days.
Damp survey or leak detection?
Damp treatments are expensive, and the wrong one does not stop the damp. Injecting a new damp-proof course will not fix condensation, a leaking gutter or a hidden pipe leak, so the damp comes back and you pay twice. According to Cheackatrade the average cost of damp proofing a UK home is around £5,000 whilst the average cost of a damp survey is £300.
The wrong diagnosis is common. In England, severe condensation affects three times as many homes as rising damp (English Housing Survey 2024 to 2025), yet rising damp is often assumed without testing. A £295 survey that finds the real cause is usually far less than the cost of one unnecessary treatment.
A damp survey finds the cause of damp. If you already have signs of a leak, our leak detection service is the quicker route, so we will book that instead:
Water is dripping, or a wet patch appeared suddenly
The boiler or heating keeps losing pressure
The damp gets worse after a bath, shower or toilet is used
Your water bill has risen for no clear reason
If the survey points to a hidden leak, the report narrows it down so our leak detection team knows where to start.
| TYPE OF DAMP | WHAT IT IS | TYPICAL SIGNS |
|---|
| Condensation | Moist indoor air meeting coldsurfaces | Black mould on cold walls and around windows; streaming windows |
| Penetrating damp | Water getting through walls, roofs or around windows | Patches that worsen during or after rain |
| Rising damp | Moisture drawn up from the ground at low level | Tide marks and salts low on walls; uncommon, so always tested |
| Concealed leak | A hidden plumbing or heating leak | Damp that does not follow the weather |
| Trapped moisture | Water left from an old leak or flood | Damp that keeps resurfacing in the same place |
