DIY Doctor UK DIY Forums

We had a damp proof course put in our end terrace house (built approx 1890) over a year ago and we are still having problems. It has been fine everywhere except around the fireplaces which were fitted a few months after the DPC, no one mentioned we should have had a dpc done first, then re-done around the new fires. In one or 2 places, just above the line where the skirting board would be, there is still a damp patch that radiates up in a line then stops. The bricks where the damp patch is are very wet still which is a worry, this is about 6" to the left of the hearth of the fire. The damp patches led to the plaster coming off the wall around that area and ruining decoration. In one room, the damp has lifted the hearth up and damaged the surrounding plaster.

The dpc company said we should have had the dpc done after the hearths were fitted but they replastered the whole area for us with the correct plaster and didn't plaster down to the floor this time, which they had wrongly done before. The fireplace company are coming out to remove any rubble from under the hearths and put plastic down. Walls are currently bare plaster.

Bit worried that the bricks are still so wet in specific areas - any advice would be really appreciated, it's a big stress as twice we thought we had finished our house only to have it ruined!

Thanks.

You really should be having this discussion on a continuing basis with the DPC company.

Cheers