we've had our damp done, do we need the chemical manufacturer's additional guarantee?

[janek]

having suspected our walls may be damp for years an electrician (?!) recently confirmed this, so we got a reputable local company to rectify the problem.

they hacked off the plaster along one wall, injected a chemical damp proofing gel, tanked some (seemingly random...) bits then replastered.

we have since had the bill and it includes £90 + VAT for the chemical manufacturer's guarantee. apparently 'these back up guarantees are being requested more and more often by prospective purchasers, building societies and local authorities, but they can only be issued at the time the work is carried out'.

the work we have had done has a 30 year guarantee (transferable to new owners subject to the correct fee being paid...), so why do i need an additional guarantee?

my thinking is i asked them to do a job, the quote came back including a 30 year guarantee. if there is a problem with the work, which turns out to be because of the chemical used, surely that is their problem for using a substandard material, not mine for not paying for an un-quoted-for additional guarantee. it does say that payment for the extra guarantee is optional.

what do you think?

never heard of this extra guarentee! i would save your money! its gotta be a new ploy of getting extra money.

that's what i think too. and of course they put the frighteners on by saying it can only be issued when the work is carried out. dp seems to agree, so that's lucky...

quick bump...

Might I cheekily ask how much this cost? Even though I have nothing helpful to add to the conversation?

In the throes of purchasing a 'fixer upper' and a complete novice when it comes to how much everything costs.

of course, i have no secrets! it's a two up two down house, each room is about 11' by 11', they've done the left hand wall from front to back, so living room, including into fireplace as we have a woodburner (which we've had to remove for the duration), cupboard under the stairs and dining room (around chimney breast this time). luckily the kitchen is on the right hand side of the house so it was not affected.

we paid £1568, this includes VAT and 21' of 7" skirting, which the quote implied 'might' need replacing, but i suspect always gets replaced, but does not include the extra £108 which i decided against.

The reason it needed doing is because next door (on the left) is slightly higher than our house, and apparently the damp proofing is done to a level for the higher house. this was fine in 1910 when the house was built, is less fine now that capillary action has worked its magic. so if your house is at the same height as the ones next door it probably doesn't need doing.