Damp treatment scam: how to spot it and pay a fair price

A damp treatment scam catches out many owners every year. A damp wall is worrying, and some companies use that fear to sell work costing several thousand euros, sometimes without any serious diagnosis. Yet treating damp often costs far less. Here is how to recognise these practices and pay a fair price.

The methods that should put you on alert

The damp sector has serious professionals, but also aggressive sellers. A few behaviours come up again and again with the latter.

• pushy door to door selling, often unsolicited;
• a diagnosis announced as free, whose cost ends up in the final quote;
• oversized work, with no link to the real cause of the problem;
• a false sense of urgency created to make you sign quickly;
• vague guarantees that are impossible to use once the job is paid for.

Where the excessive bills come from

For the same wall, the price can vary enormously from one company to another. Injection along the whole wall, drainage, tanking and a complete redo of the plaster quickly inflate the total. Add the margins of several middlemen, and the customer ends up paying for a long commercial chain rather than the simple treatment of their damp.

Avoiding the damp treatment scam in five reflexes

A few simple precautions are usually enough to avoid falling into the trap.

• get several detailed quotes drawn up and compare each line item;
• insist that the cause is clearly identified before any proposal;
• refuse any paid diagnosis imposed as a condition for advice;
• never sign under pressure, take time to think it over;
• favour a non invasive solution rather than heavy building work.

The fair price: the anti damp device, factory direct

On clearly identified rising damp, an anti damp device supports the drying of the wall without drilling or chemicals. At Humidistop, the ATE electromagnetic and ATG geomagnetic polarity inverters are sold at a factory direct price, with no middleman, and we do not charge for any home diagnosis. You send us photos and we point you towards the right model.

These devices are made in France, guaranteed for 10 years and tested by the Emitech and Nexio laboratories. An improvement is generally seen between 18 and 24 months, provided the installation recommendations are followed. All at a clear price, far from excessive quotes.

Frequently asked questions

How can you spot a damp treatment scam?

Be wary of a price quoted before any diagnosis, of pushy selling and of pressure to sign. A serious company first explains the cause, then proposes a solution that fits the problem.

Is a home diagnosis compulsory?

No. A first opinion can be given perfectly well from photos and a description of the symptoms. A deeper diagnosis may be justified in complex cases, but it should never be imposed to obtain advice.

Pay for a result, not for a scam

If you fear a damp treatment scam, take the time to understand the cause and to compare. Discover the ATE and ATG devices in our online shop, or visit the Humidistop England page for clear, no obligation advice.