HOW TO HIRE · TRADES & CONSTRUCTION

How to hire a damp proofing specialist in the UK
The checks, the questions and the paperwork.

No register applies to damp specialists; the diagnosis matters most. The checks, the questions about cause and treatment, and what to keep.

  • Search and compare — no account needed
  • Nearest to you first
  • One score from Google, Trustpilot and Locufy reviews

THE 60-SECOND VERSION

Hiring a damp proofing specialist in five steps

  1. Get the cause diagnosedRising damp, penetrating damp, a leak or condensation — each needs a different fix.
  2. Ask for the evidenceReadings, photos and the reason for the diagnosis.
  3. Get a written specificationWhat is injected, removed, replastered or repaired.
  4. Rented in Scotland?Landlords must inspect reported damp within 10 working days.
  5. Keep the guaranteeWritten, with who backs it.

BEFORE YOU BOOK

Check before you book

No register applies

No licence or register applies to damp proofing specialists anywhere in the UK; the damp proofing is regulated only where it forms part of wider building work.

Find out early whether the damp proofing needs approval or a warrant, and whose name is on the application. gov.uk →

Scotland: landlords and damp

mygov.scot says a private landlord must inspect reported damp or mould within 10 working days and send the tenant a written summary within 3 working days of the inspection, as part of the Repairing Standard set by the Housing (Scotland) Act 2006; a tenant whose landlord does not act can take it to a housing tribunal.

If you rent in Scotland, report damp to the landlord in writing before paying for the damp proofing yourself. mygov.scot →

TrustMark

TrustMark is the Government Endorsed Quality Scheme; it is voluntary, registration is trade by trade, and for the damp proofing it is one of the few independent checks available.

Search the business on TrustMark under the trade that covers the damp proofing. trustmark.org.uk →

Insurance and trader status

Public liability insurance is the norm for the damp proofing; ask who the insurer is and the cover limit. Your Consumer Rights Act 2015 protections for the damp proofing apply because you are dealing with a trader, and if you agree the damp proofing at home or online the Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013 usually give you 14 days to cancel — but you pay for any work you asked to start within those days, and goods made to your own specification are outside the right.

See the insurance certificate before you confirm the damp proofing; the Locufy profile shows the trader and ID-checked badges.

VAT

Expect 20% VAT, the standard rate, on damp-proofing treatment and the replastering after it: a business above the £90,000 registration threshold is required to charge it and to show it separately from the labour and materials.

Ask for the VAT number, and look for VAT as its own line on the damp treatment specification and price. gov.uk →

“What is causing the damp?”

A good answer: A diagnosis with evidence — not a meter reading alone — and whether it is rising damp, penetrating damp, a leak or condensation.

“Could the cause be fixed without damp proofing?”

A good answer: An honest answer: gutters, pointing, ground levels or ventilation sometimes cure it.

“What will the damp proofing involve?”

A good answer: A written specification of injection, membranes, plaster removal and replastering.

“Which plaster will go back on?”

A good answer: A salt-resistant or breathable plaster, named.

“What guarantee covers the damp proofing?”

A good answer: Written, with its length and conditions.

“How long will the walls take to dry?”

A good answer: A realistic time before decorating.

Getting the quote right

  • Diagnosis and evidence
  • Treatment specification by wall
  • Plaster removal and replastering
  • Making good and redecoration in or out
  • Who actually attends — the surveyor and the treatment team, employed or subcontracted — and the business's VAT number, with VAT at 20% shown as its own line
  • The guarantee and who backs it

Walk away if

  • Diagnoses rising damp from a meter reading alone
  • Ignores leaking gutters or high ground outside
  • Sells treatment for condensation
  • No written specification
  • Pressure to sign on the day
LOW
£500
TYPICAL
£2,500
HIGH
£4,000

What a damp proofing specialist costs: £500–£4,000 per job

Damp proofing is priced per job; the cause decides the treatment, and the area treated and the replastering set the figure. Damp Proofing price guide →

Guide prices compiled by the Locufy team from published Irish and UK provider price lists and 2026/27 cost guides. Updated 2026.

KNOW WHAT TO LOOK FOR? NOW FIND ONE

Damp proofing specialists near you, with the badges that matter shown

ID checked, trader status and one score from every review — on the card, before you message anyone. Nearest first. No account needed to look.

Or post the job free and let them come to you.

  1. SurveyDamp traced to its cause with evidence.
  2. SpecifyTreatment chosen and written down.
  3. StripDamaged plaster removed.
  4. TreatDamp-proof course injected or membrane fitted, as specified.
  5. Replaster and dryWalls replastered; drying advice given.

Rising damp
Groundwater rising up a wall.
Penetrating damp
Rain getting in through walls or roofs.
Condensation
Moisture from inside the home forming on cold surfaces.
DPC
Damp-proof course.
Salt-resistant plaster
Plaster that resists salts left by damp.
Bridging
When ground or render lets damp bypass the DPC.

AFTER

When the job is done

Keep the survey and guaranteeDiagnosis, specification and guarantee, for a buyer.
Let walls dryBefore decorating, as advised.
Fix the outsideGutters, pointing and ground levels kept in order.
Rate the workOnly booked jobs can be reviewed on Locufy, so yours carries weight; if the damp proofing falls short, use the make-it-right step first and the provider is asked to fix it before the review is published.

STEP 1Give the specialist a written chance to fix itMost problems with the damp proofing are settled at this stage: say what is wrong, attach photos and set a fair deadline. If the damp proofing fell below reasonable care and skill, the Consumer Rights Act 2015 entitles you to have it redone or to pay less.
STEP 2Use Locufy's make-it-right stepRate the damp proofing under four stars and you are asked whether to send it to the provider first; we follow it through. Then the review goes up.
STEP 3Unapproved or dangerous workIf the damp proofing needed approval and did not get it, the council deals with it: building control in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, or the building standards service in Scotland, where the owner answers for a missing warrant. For a dispute about the damp proofing with the trader, Trading Standards is reached through the Citizens Advice consumer helpline on 0808 223 1133 in England and Wales, Advice Direct Scotland on 0808 800 9060, or Consumerline on 0300 123 6262 in Northern Ireland.
STEP 4Money still in disputeIf the damp proofing is still not settled, you can claim without a solicitor: the small claims track takes claims up to £10,000 in England and Wales, simple procedure up to £5,000 in Scotland, and the small claims court up to £5,000 in Northern Ireland.

Hiring a damp proofing specialist: questions people ask

No licence or register applies anywhere in the UK; the diagnosis and guarantee are the checks.

Yes; mygov.scot says they must inspect within 10 working days and send a written summary within 3 working days of inspecting.

£500–£4,000 a job, typically around £2,500. The cause decides the treatment, and the area treated sets the price. Our Damp Proofing price guide explains what moves the figure, and the search above shows damp proofing specialists working near your postcode.

Yes, but it needs ventilation and heating, not damp proofing.

No; it is your evidence. Ask for the diagnosis in writing before paying for treatment.

Ask; some do, some do not.

MORE GUIDES

More hiring guides in trades & construction

How to hire: PlastererHow to hire: RenderingHow to hire: Water Damage RestorationHow to hire: BuilderHow to hire: Guttering InstallationHow to hire: Dry LiningHow to hire: UnderpinningHow to hire: Basement ConversionAll 701 hiring guides →

Damp proofing specialists near you

Damp proofing specialists in LondonDamp proofing specialists in ManchesterDamp proofing specialists in BirminghamDamp proofing specialists in GlasgowDamp proofing specialists in BelfastAll damp proofing specialists on Locufy →

Sources — checked October 2026

  1. mygov.scot — repairs and maintenance as a private landlord
  2. gov.scot — Repairing Standard: statutory guidance for private landlords
  3. TrustMark — the Government Endorsed Quality Scheme
  4. gov.uk — building regulations approval (England)
  5. Consumer Rights Act 2015, section 49 — reasonable care and skill
  6. Consumer Rights Act 2015, section 54 — what you can ask for when a service falls short
  7. Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013, regulation 30 — the 14-day cancellation period
  8. Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013, regulation 28 — contracts the cancellation right does not cover
  9. Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013, regulation 36 — services started within the cancellation period
  10. Civil Procedure Rules Part 26 — the small claims track limit (England and Wales)
  11. Scottish Courts and Tribunals — making a claim under simple procedure
  12. nidirect — the small claims process (Northern Ireland)
  13. Buildings and construction (VAT Notice 708) — 2.1 Construction services: work to an existing building is normally standard-rated
  14. GOV.UK — VAT rates
  15. GOV.UK — Register for VAT: when to register