There are plenty of things you should keep in mind when you’re choosing a damp proofing company. If you keep these dos and don’ts in mind then you should have no trouble with your contracting company.
The Dos
Use a contractor who is a registered member of the Property Care Association. Similarly, use a contractor who does the work themselves and doesn’t contract out. You also need to ensure they’re adequately insured for the work and ask questions about their qualifications and trading history. You should always make sure you ask lots of questions of the surveyor, especially if any hiccups occur and if you’re unhappy with anything, simply contact the Property Care Association for further information and details of other damp surveyors. Do ensure you chosen company is 100% professional in all areas including in terms of availability, ease of contact and all staff fully qualified or on registered apprentice schemes.
Other things you should keep in mind is asking your chosen company for references from previous work and you could check their website too although beware as online testimonials can easily be fraudulent. Most companies should be able to provide you with references that you can follow up. You should also check what’s included in the quote you’re offered to avoid any hidden charges although any reputable company should be transparent with all their costs anyway.
The Don’ts
There are a few things you should keep in mind when choosing your company from a negative perspective, to guard yourself. Professional bodies recommend avoiding going with brand new companies who don’t have a portfolio of work to show you, which is a harsh move as everyone has to start somewhere but ultimately your interest is your home. We’d also recommend you avoid non-specialist companies as companies which carry out other activities too aren’t going to providing specialised damp proofing services and therefore the quality of the work is unlikely to be as good as a dedicated firm.
You must ensure the company you choose is adequately insured for the job they’re going to carry out. Standard builder’s insurance is not enough and they will need specialist insurance. On the same point we’d recommend you don’t accept any quotes given on the day of the survey, a professional firm will go away to calculate their quote and will provide you with a detailed written quotation including a deadline and detailing the whole list of procedures to be carried out. Last but not least it is imperative you don’t just agree to damp proofing from a door to door unsolicited salesperson. You know nothing about the company they’re representing and if you are interested, get their details and contact them personally. You need a full survey before any damp proofing is done. Choose that company who are offering homeowners a free damp survey. Just fill the inquiry form and book a free damp survey.
There are plenty of fantastic damp proofing firms out there in London City and across the UK and you will easily find a firm in your region if you’re looking to survey the state of your walls.