Damp Surveys Ltd

Simon was able to complete are survey at short notice. He was very professional and would readily answer questions throughout his inspection and provided practical solutions for tackling common condensation damp. His report was clear and easily understood. Would highly recommend him.

Simon was great. I think the best thing about him is, unlike other surveyors, he has no vested interest in any works that may get carried out as a result of his survey. He gave me lots of very clear, well thought out advice. Plus, the work recommended will cost me hundreds of pounds, not thousands like my previous survey (this company carries out the work themselves, so were quick to pile on the charges).

Simon carried out a damp survey for us on a commercial property which had damp issues. His work was of the highest standard. The survey was very helpful indeed for us when we faced a challenging scenario. He was quick, accurate, conscientious, very knowledgeable, completely professional, and brilliant at explaining issues to someone without experience of the problem. He charges extremely reasonable rates. I highly recommend Damp Surveys Ltd.

My homebuyers report indicated there might be some damp in the property that I am currently purchasing so I had Simon do a damp survey on it. Simon was very prompt and responsive. He produced a clear report and explained the process to me very well, would highly recommend.

I had a damp patch coming through from a rotten door sill that appeared mid-way through the sale of my flat, and wanted an independent survey (having heard bad things about free surveys associated with damp-proofing companies). Simon was excellent: during his visit he explained very clearly the extent of my damp problem (which turned out to be quite minor) and advised on exactly what work I needed to ask for from my local repairmen. The final report was also very clear and comprehensive. I would definitely use him again for any damp issues in the future.

As requested, my review will be in Italian. È con grande piacere che inserisco il mio commento sul servizio che abbiamo ricevuto dal sig Hichens. La sua perizia è stata condotta con grande competenza e professionalità. A questo vanno aggiunte la cortesia e la disponibilità del sig Hichens, pronto a dare risposte e ulteriori chiarimenti. Siamo rimasti molto soddisfatti.

Simon was extremely thorough. His assessment was clear and in contrast to free survey's by specialist companies looking for work, his recommendations were cost effective and aimed at solving the root issues. He was busy which meant he took a little time to reply at times, but this didn't impact my appreciation for the work he did.

I had some damp issues in my leasehold basement flat which I wanted an opinion on having had major disruption from a previous leak 2.5yrs ago. Since then I have been anxious (probably overly anxious) about signs of any damp. Simon was punctual (arrived early), was polite and very professional. He was extremely thorough - much more so than a surveyor I had employed previously. He climbed through windows and up onto a parapet to fully investigate the damp issues. He offered simple solutions to the problems identified and even changed the fan operating time on the extractor fans in my bathrooms to better deal with condensation. Whilst Simon came to me via a structural engineering company, the survey was very competitively priced compared with a company I had used previously. I would definitely use Simon again and recommend him to anyone seeking a thorough damp survey.

I couldn't be happier with the service which Simon Hichens provided. Having recently purchased our first property knowing for well there was a case of damp in some of the walls we were incredibly nervous about cost and the further implications of this. Following a multitude of quotes from damp companies all of which were adamant our house was suffering from a case of Rising Damp (which would have cost us a reasonable sum in remedial work, ranging from £1000 - £5400) we turned to dampsurveys.com to get an independent and accurate representation of what we would need to do. Simon was incredibly polite and explained everything he was doing at each step. Using a selection of different equipment and techniques he was quick to point out he didn't believe it was rising damp and provided evidence why (explained further in the detailed document following the survey). Each area was inspected thoroughly and suggestions were offered throughout as to how we could improve the situation. We couldn't be happier with the service offered and would highly recommend any home owner panicking about damp to use Simon and Dampsurveys.com first. The money spent was worth every penny and in the future if we were to move contacting them for their services would be at the top of our agenda.

I cannot recommend Simon enough. He is extremely professional, thorough and knowledgeable on all matters relating to damp. Overall a fantastic service.

Simon came round to address a case of lower-ground floor damp. He was able to fit our appointment in at short notice and, upon arrival, proceeded to spend 2-hours reviewing the property from top to bottom, focusing on the lower-ground floor issue while also providing recommendations around the house. Using his array of gadgets Simon left no stone unturned. Upon completion, we received a rich-in-detail final report outlining clear recommendations. Simon’s upfront fee means he provides agnostic feedback with no hidden agenda, we couldn't recommend him enough.

To a long-term North American owner of a flat in London to be told I had rising damp is probably the equivalent of being told you have a malignancy by a health professional! Not to worry - Simon to the rescue with his doctors bag full of instruments and sample bottles A fully two hours later I was relieved to know that there was no rising damp but had a host of simple remedies to the damp and mould in my flat. Simon was considerate, polite and thorough. He even went to the neighbours and had a scan of their flat! The icing on the cake was a coherent explanation of Brexit. And oh if he would fix that too!

We had a full structural survey carried out on a house we were buying which stated we needed to spend over £15,000 in damp proofing courses due to rising damp. We asked Simon for a second opinion. He swiftly located the cause of the damp to a leaking pipe in the basement which was repaired by a local plumber for under £200. He also wrote an extensive report which clearly stated how to dry out the walls, what we would need for this and time frames. The report incorporated the rest of the house and made clear recommendations for improving ventilation, as well as drawing our attention to areas which may need some attention in the future. He is a very qualified professional (Chemist, Damp Surveyor...the list goes on) who is down to earth, trustworthy and offered clear guidance throughout. He went above and beyond to help us within a short time frame and took time out of his evening to explain it all over the phone. He also confirmed we do not have rising damp and so damp proofing courses would be unnecessary. We have and will continue to recommend him to anyone who needs help with damp issues.

Our flat buyer's survey indicated a possible damp problem. Simon talked me through the possible problems and procedures, did the survey and gave a very quick and careful report which enabled us to decide that any damp problem was minor and not worth holding up the purchase. He took the time to be sure we fully understood our options.

Prior to the work being done, Simon (Hichens) was incredibly helpful, knowledgeable, flexible and accommodating on the work I needed him to do on the flat we are purchasing. He efficiently organised to view the property and identified four areas of damp, two of which he tried (and successfully) solve/d while he was there. The report came through quickly, was well thought out and very detailed. His follow up has been brilliant. He is now doing some work my parents who are having similar problems at their property. I would recommend him to anymore that was experiencing problems with damp.

Simon was exceptionally knowledgeable and personable. I was able to attend the survey at the end and get examples of where he had identified issues. He also suggested areas where remedial work could be done and then cost. The report was thorough and well put together. Would 100% recommend.

I engaged Simon to do a survey of a newly purchased flat which had some mouldy corners that had been hidden by furniture. Simon was professional, friendly and very knowledgeable. He put my mind at ease by explaining the cause of the mould, and what I can do to mitigate the risk of it recurring. I especially liked that he double checked his hypotheses, and was thoughtful, meticulous and systematic in his approach. He was extremely thorough and the report is detailed and comprehensive. I would not hesitate to recommend Simon - I only wish I had booked him to do a survey before I bought the flat!

We contacted Simon following a building survey on a property we are purchasing recommended a damp and timber survey do to high moisture readings and timber staining. We decided to use Simon because he is independent and only does surveys. This gave us confidence that we wouldn't get a recommendation for work that was not required just get a contract. Simon has been extremely helpful, the survey was arranged with the estate agent very swiftly and we got the report back within 4 days (1 working day!). The report is very comprehensive, photo evidence provided of the readings taken and the methodologies are very well explained. Each issue found was well explained along with clear recommendations of how to resolve them, in our case these were relatively simple suggestions concerning ventilation of the property. I wouldn't hesitate to use Simon again if the need ever arose, and I cannot recommend his work highly enough

Simon is one of the best experts I've ever instructed. Simon combines his expertise with politeness, timeliness and honesty, which is fairly rare today. Following a vague generic buyer's survey, I then instructed Simon as a specialist to investigate some of the issues and/or claims made by the previous surveyor. Simon helped dispel certain myths quickly and provide clarity on the alleged issues, and proposed remedies. As an independent surveyor, Simon had no vested interests - he was focussed on getting to the answer rather than selling. Would recommend all future buyers on using him.

Great communication - very clear explanation - impeccable timing. I'm very happy and would recommend very happily to others. pricing was clear and I received great advice from Simon.

Simon did a fantastic job - we should have had him visit much sooner. We had a bit of growing damp in the bedroom causing us worry and a few other minor areas of damp around the house. Simon spent over an hour and a half looking around the house, discussing the issues (mostly minor, but it's good to know that - and not what damp contractors had said) and in the most significant case he managed to fix a damp problem and made a few other helpful suggestions. He was very thorough and the report produced made clear the issues we discussed fully in person. He is also a very nice chap and was very good about my toddler being very noisy and demanding throughout the visit!

We recently engaged Simon to conduct a damp survey of a property pre-purchase. Simon responded quickly to our request and came at short notice. He prepared an extremely detailed and helpful report which I have read with interest. He was neutral in preparing the report, not looking to generate repairs which he himself would carry out. The report had many helpful photos to verify its analysis and help us understand its contents. It also had multiple tips about how we could reduce damp areas ourselves without additional cost. Simon even helped many weeks after with follow up queries. I would unreservedly recommend him.

We booked Simon to examine a damp patch that had developed in our kitchen, and to look at few other damp and mould issues we had round the house. He arrived on the dot of his appointment time, looked at every issue we raised with him, taking photos, offering advice and suggesting remedial action. He is obviously extremely knowledgeable - a chemist as well as surveyor - and this means he knows what he is talking about, and as an independent specialist the main benefit is he has no axe to grind. He's not selling you treatment or linked to any traders. His report was very thorough and clear and we will be taking steps to follow his advice. For a visit of nearly two hours, and a 15 page report, we paid only £199. We haven't been told to do unnecessary damp course work but instead to take measures to improve ventilation and reduce condensation. So we have probably saved ourselves quite a lot of money. And he's a nice guy too. Highly recommended.

Simon came to do a damp survey at my property. He was brilliant. Thorough, thoughtful and knowledgeable. I feel 100% confident in the report he has completed and would absolutely recommend him to anyone needing to sort out damp problems in their home.

Simon has carried out two damp surveys for me. The first was for my property before I put it on the market - he took me round the property highlighting problematic areas with an impressive array of gadgets, and presented simple, inexpensive solutions both verbally and in a detailed report. When it came to the subsequent property purchase, I had no hesitation in instructing him again.