Damp and Mould Specialist Hammersmith

If a wall in your Hammersmith home darkens after rainfall, record the change before it dries or gets covered. Note whether it happens after every shower of rain or only prolonged wet weather. Photograph the stain boundary and its relationship to the ceiling, window or floor. The timing and stain location help identify which opening, joint or drainage feature should be compared with the interior damage during inspection.

Water can travel through construction before becoming visible. A patch beside a window might begin at an opening, a joint higher up or another nearby defect. Resist repairing only the indoor mark without checking its source. Equally, do not assume a conspicuous external crack is responsible simply because it looks untidy; the investigation needs a plausible connection between outside conditions and internal wetting.

Our external damp and water ingress checks consider visible openings, joints, drainage features and the internal pattern. Access determines what can be assessed. A high-level gutter or concealed roof detail may require another form of access, and that should be stated clearly. An inspection from available positions cannot confirm the condition of every building surface.

Tell us about previous pointing, window sealing and gutter work. Photographs showing a defect before repair can help explain what has changed. If the patch became smaller but did not disappear, there may be remaining moisture, an incomplete repair or a separate source. These possibilities should be distinguished before the same repair is commissioned again.

Growth on a repeatedly damp finish needs assessment alongside the water route. Treatment of the mould-affected wall addresses the surface, while the relevant building repair addresses renewed wetting. The finish itself may need attention if it has deteriorated. Explain which cleaners or coatings have already been used so the current appearance can be interpreted sensibly.

Before work proceeds, ask which observed feature the proposed repair addresses and whether closer inspection is still required. Not every investigation includes roofing, gutter replacement or masonry repair. The scope should be explicit, with the relevant trade involved where needed. Keep photographs and descriptions of completed work; they will help if the stain changes again during later rainfall.

A repaired water route does not make a saturated finish ready for immediate painting. Assess the condition of the wall and track changes as it dries. If new wetting appears, record it before adding another finish. Where the room also has wet windows or cool corners, condensation checks may identify another contributor that remains after external repairs.

If the external area is shared, establish who can arrange access and supply maintenance records. A rear wall, roof junction or shared downpipe may not be reachable from the affected flat. Tell us about those restrictions before booking. The findings can then identify which shared feature needs closer inspection, who can arrange that access and what the repair decision still depends on.