Map the pattern before naming the source.
SPECIALIST / EVIDENCE FILE / MBC
Damp and timber surveys
Damp is one of the most misdiagnosed problems in UK housing — and misdiagnosis is expensive. Much of the industry’s "free" damp survey provision is carried out by companies that sell remediation work, which creates an obvious conflict of interest.
01 / SYMPTOM → EVIDENCE
When to commission a damp and timber survey
Mills Building Consultancy provides genuinely independent damp and timber investigation. Jarelle Mills holds the Property Care Association’s PCA Qualified Technician qualification in damp and timber buildings (certificate no. 1177) and has no ties to any remediation contractor. The advice you receive is based on evidence, not on what can be sold to you afterwards.
- 01
Damp patches, staining, peeling decorations or musty smells
- 02
Mould growth affecting rooms or stored belongings
- 03
A mortgage lender or house survey has recommended a damp and timber investigation
- 04
A remediation contractor has quoted for works and you want an independent opinion first
- 05
Suspected wet rot, dry rot or woodworm in structural timbers
What the survey covers
- E01
Investigation of rising damp, penetrating damp and condensation — and crucially, distinguishing between them
- E02
Moisture profiling and readings using appropriate instruments
- E03
Thermal imaging where environmental conditions make it useful — supporting investigation of cold bridging, heat loss and concealed moisture patterns
- E04
Mould assessment and reporting, including ventilation and lifestyle factors
- E05
Timber decay identification: wet rot, dry rot and wood-boring insect (woodworm) activity
- E06
Where visual evidence is insufficient, agreed limited opening-up — including cutting a small access hatch where necessary and authorised by the owner
- E07
A written report with clear diagnosis, recommendations and priorities
- E08
Where remediation is genuinely needed, guidance on the right scope of works — so you can obtain like-for-like quotes
02 / METHOD
How it works
A traceable line from symptom to evidence, cause and next action.- 01
EVIDENCE GATE / 1
Enquiry
Describe the symptoms, the rooms affected and how long the problem has been apparent.
- 02
EVIDENCE GATE / 2
Inspection
A methodical inspection of the affected areas and the building factors around them — external ground levels, rainwater goods, ventilation, heating patterns.
- 03
EVIDENCE GATE / 3
Diagnosis and report
A written report explaining what the moisture source actually is, what needs doing, and — just as importantly — what does not.
03 / BEFORE YOU INSTRUCT
Questions worth answering first.
Scope, access, limitations and what happens after the inspection—explained before they become surprises.
What is the PCAQT qualification?
The Property Care Association Qualified Technician qualification in damp and timber buildings — the PCA’s recognised technical qualification for investigating moisture and timber defects. Jarelle Mills holds certificate no. 1177.
Why not just get a free damp survey?
Free surveys are usually funded by the remediation work they recommend. That does not make every recommendation wrong, but it means the diagnosis is not independent. An independent survey gives you evidence you can rely on before spending money.
Can you assess mould affecting health?
The survey identifies the extent and causes of mould growth and the building and ventilation factors driving it, and reports on remediation. Health effects themselves are a medical matter — but removing the cause is a building matter, and that is what the report addresses.
Do you treat the problems you find?
No — and that is deliberate. Mills Building Consultancy diagnoses and specifies; independent contractors carry out any works. That separation is what keeps the advice honest.
NEW INSTRUCTION / Damp and timber surveys
Turn the symptom into evidence.
Send the property address and the situation for a fixed quote and an honest recommendation.
Request a quote