How Much Should I Expect To Be Charged In Ni To Have A Damp Proof Course Installed

[sandyRoe]

?

[bookbinder]

You might get an estimate from these companies:
http://www.tonerdampproofing.co.uk/
http://dampproofing-ni.com/
http://www.northcoastdampproofing.co.uk/
http://garymckibbinpreservationbelfast.co.uk/damp-proofing/3303220

[The Builder]

Sorry I missed this yesterday, Sandy. Can you remind me of your construction details, and the approximate age of the house?

[sandyRoe]

It's a 1930s semi. I think the problem stems from the time someone got the front garden tarmacked and it's now up to the level of the air bricks.
I'd have put up with it but just the other day a dozen bathroom tiles came away from the wall because of the damp.
Time to get it fixed.

[bodeker]

ooh air bricks ! can someone tell why the vents have to be so big ? Does it not allow things like mice to get into houses or am I talking rubbish !

[The Builder]

Rest assured, Sandy, a 1930s semi will have a perfectly good bitumen based dampcourse.. Parts can fail occeasionally, but it's much rarer than you would think.

As long as you can still see the airbricks, then the subfloor should be well ventilated. This would actually have little or no effect on the efficiency of the dampcourse.

Tiles coming off in the bathroom would be the result of normal condensation. Especially if they were not applied properly in the first place.

Please don't let anyone talk you into installing a costly DPC without reference to other symptoms which you may well not have.

[bodeker]

Mine was a serious question by the way.

[The Builder]

It's a good point, bodeker. The size is calculated to give a certain amount of crossflow fresh air. It's the air changes that are important.

Modern vents have similar or even greater flows, but the apertures are much smaller. Often metal grills which do the same job, but have much smaller holes.

Older bricks do let vermin in, it's true.

[bodeker]

Thanks for reply, I thought I might have a mouse and called pest control out and he was tut tutting about the size of vents saying plenty of room for mice to get in and I wondered why they were so big .

[hc4361]

bodecker, I've fitted grills over my airvents. Cheap and does the job, been on 20+ years with no adverse effects.