Rising damp and nowhere to insulate the attic bedroom in a cottage?

[FailWhale]

Hi,

Seen a house in a location I love and due to current market the price has come down into my range. There's no certainty I'll get it but they're doing best and final and if I do there are a couple of things I'm scratching my head at.

(1) It appears to have damp around a few areas internally, so the plasterwork will need repairing. I had someone take a cursory look from photos and the only bit they were really concerned about was a patch downstairs next to a chimney breast. They thought it looked like rising damp. If it is, how big an issue might that be to resolve?*

(2) The previous own has converted the attic into a bedroom but because it's cottage size house they've had to literally go up to the roof so it's like roof tiles, plaster, room - no insulation between the two etc. I just think even with the greatest radiators that room is going to be COLD. Is there any type of insulation that can be added or would adding an extra layer of insulating plaster be useful?

• Further info on this if useful - Due to the age of the house it probably didn't legally have to have a damp proof course. It's stone built and appears to have two larger stone levels that jut out further at the base to a similar height as the DPC would normally go to, so it might have some form in place but I don't know enough to know if that's likely or just a cosmetic/design feature. The other reason that makes me wonder though is it's been empty for almost a year and i don't think they've had the heating on much plus the fireplaces have all been blocked up but not necessarily capped at the top. So, I wonder if it's showing up around the fireplace specifically because the rain has slammed down and seeped through and damaged the immediate area because it's not showing in other parts of the house and the floor feels sound to walk on. It's not mouldy looking, it's just crumbly plasterwork with a little light brown staining in parts around the crumble. It's also on the wall the joins to the neighbours where they presumably also have a fireplace, so it's not an outside wall. Im just wondering if it was rising damp why that would be the first place it showed... I'll try and upload photos ASAP, Just can't get it to work at the mo and about to tap in for bed time routine duties.

Thanks for any thoughts.

FW

I live in a cottage. Not insulated. Was damp. Mould .I did pay to have damp proof board placed on top existing walls with problem and its sorted it. I also paid to have rising damp chipped out weather board on there, plaster. No damp has come back. I also invested in a dehumidifier 20l.

The chimney breast damp will probably be lack of chimney ventilation. Needs to be open top and bottom

@Loubelle70 @Norajean amazing! Thank you so much, that's a weight off. I'm under no illusion it's ready to move in but I think actually given it's been empty almost a year and the lack of insulation in the attic I'm pretty impressed there's not more mould throughout and there's none in the attic.

If nothing else, definitely invest in a sizeable dehumidifier 12l at least xx

If there’s a lack of insulation in the attic, there’s likely more airflow. You don’t get mould if you have airflow.

Whatever you do, pay full whack for a full survey. You don’t want to end up living in a money pit.

I think you need to get a proper damp survey before you buy this house so you know what you're dealing with.

A specialist will be able to advise properly. We did before moving in here. We also had a timber survey. Ended up having some damp treatments and some woodworm treatments.

https://www.heritage-house.org/damp-and-condensation/managing-damp-in-old-buildings.html

If you are looking to buy an old house you need to understand damp better..I found this very useful

Very informative ty xx

As above, for an old house you need to be very very careful about who you get your damp advice from.

I was repeatedly told I had an area of 'rising damp'

Replaced the modern plaster with appropriate lime plaster - damp gone.

Old houses need the right materials and to breathe.

@AnnaMagnani that's so useful to know! thank you.

@FailWhale the article from Heritage House linked above contains basically everything you need to know! Don't spend any money on 'damp experts' without following its advice.

I had so many people make expensive suggestions and all I needed was to get a wall repointed.

If money is tight I would not buy an old cottage again.

It is a lifestyle choice that I personally have found expensive.

You are but a custodian and you have to maintain them and have the funds to do so.

The rising damp could be due to a concrete floors and walls where they need to be lime.

We have a pitched room room you can insulate it well with insulation foam (not the spray stuff) and foil.

Agree re advice on the damp.

And you can get really thin insulation to use in roofs on the inside, one type is called kingspan but sure there are others. It’s much more common to use this these days than the thick fibreglass stuff. Do check with a listed building person though that this won’t make the damp worse (if it’s anything like my house I suspect this is unlikely as there area still plenty of gaps to give insulation!).

Sorry all, for some reason only @AnnaMagnani comment showed, not the others when I looked last night! Will take a look at the article now @Catscatscatscatscatscats

Thanks also @LucyLoopyLu @Kwasi @Heronwatcher and @witmum

In good news, I got the house! Found out today, so yeah a lot of learning to be doing. Just joining a couple of facebook groups for old houses that were recommended on another thread too but all tips and tricks welcome.

@Catscatscatscatscatscats just finished reading through this properly THANK YOU SO MUCH!! It is so helpful.