Damp Contractor vs Independent Damp and Mould Surveyor
For the best part of 20 years, I worked as a damp contractor, carrying out remedial works for homeowners, landlords and property professionals. Over time, however, I began to notice a major shift within the damp industry.
In the final years of operating my contracting business, I found myself spending less time providing quotations for work and far more time offering advice and guidance to customers. It became common for me to carry out five or six surveys in a single day and return to the office without having written a single quotation.
Customers were always appreciative of the honest advice, but as a business owner with a contracting team to keep busy, it often left me caught between a rock and a hard place. My morals would never allow me to recommend unnecessary damp treatment works simply to generate business, even if it meant the company suffered financially as a result.
So, why has the industry changed?
A large part of it comes down to modern living. Since the pandemic, many more people now work from home and spend significantly more time indoors. At the same time, homes have become better insulated and more airtight, while natural ventilation has reduced considerably.
As a result, many of the damp and mould problems we now see are not caused by rising damp or penetrating damp at all, but by condensation and environmental factors linked to lifestyle and occupancy patterns. In many cases, problems can be improved or completely resolved through practical lifestyle adjustments and ventilation improvements rather than costly damp proofing works.
I had previously tried to reduce the size of my contracting division and focus more heavily on surveying and diagnostic work, but the balance never felt quite right. Eventually, I made the decision that I could no longer successfully do both. I took the plunge and became a fully independent damp and mould surveyor.
It has proven to be one of the best decisions I have made.
Since becoming independent, I have worked closely with housing associations, landlords and private homeowners, helping them better understand the causes of damp and mould issues and improve their living environments with honest, evidence-based advice.
Most importantly, clients can now be confident that my recommendations are completely impartial. I have no interest in selling unnecessary treatment systems or remedial works — only in identifying the true cause of the problem and providing the most appropriate solution.
The demand for honest, independent damp and mould surveys has never been greater, and I have been busier than ever helping people find practical, realistic and cost-effective solutions for their homes.
