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55 guides · 20 free tools

Everything we know, sorted by the problem

Seven topics, because those are the seven things people write to us about. Each one has the guides, the tools and the honest answer about what is usually wrong and what it costs.

Damp, rot and timberMore money is wasted on damp than on any other defect in British housing, almost all of it because the wrong kind was treated. Work out what you actually have before anyone quotes you for anything.9 guides · 3 tools →Cracks and structureAlmost every masonry house in Britain has cracks. A small number of them matter. The difference is measurable, and you can do most of the measuring yourself before spending a penny.7 guides · 3 tools →Roofs and rainwaterWater gets into buildings from the top. Gutters, flashings and chimney stacks cause more damp in British houses than every other defect combined, and all three are cheap compared with what they ruin.5 guides · 3 tools →Electrics, heating and windowsSurveyors do not test the electrics, do not fire the boiler and do not open a window more than once. Everything on this page needs its own inspection — and the gap between "looks dated" and "needs replacing" is usually several thousand pounds.6 guides · 3 tools →Surveys and buyingA survey tells you what is wrong and almost never what it costs. That gap — between a list of problems and a decision you can act on — is where most buyers lose either money or the house.12 guides · 4 tools →Costs and projectsBuilding work is priced in ranges because it is delivered in ranges. Anyone giving you a single confident number for a job they have not seen is guessing — here is how to work out what yours should cost.9 guides · 4 tools →Hiring a builderMost jobs that go badly wrong were visible in the quote. The warning signs are consistent, they are easy to check, and thirty seconds on the right register settles most of them.7 guides · 3 tools →

Where to start

Viewing a property this weekend? Take theviewing checklist and readsurveys and buying.

Survey landed and you do not know what half of it means? Thejargon decoder translates it, and therepair cost calculator turns it into a number you can negotiate with.

Damp patch you cannot explain? Start with thedamp diagnosis tool before anyone quotes you for a chemical damp-proof course.

Crack that has appeared? Measure it against theBRE scale. Most cracks are in the bottom two categories.

Planning work? Price it with thecost calculators, then checkplanning andbuilding regulations.

Got a quote in front of you? Run it through thequote checker before you sign anything.

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