MBC·DMP·OL · OL1–OL16 · Greater Manchester
Damp surveys in Oldham. Find the cause first.
High, wet and built of brick and stone — Oldham’s walls take more rain than most. Independent investigation of rising damp, penetrating damp, condensation, mould and timber decay across Werneth, Chadderton, Royton, Shaw and the wider Oldham area — from Mills Building Consultancy, which sells no damp-proofing or treatment of any kind.
- Coverage
- OL1–OL16
- Independence
- No treatment sold
- Output
- Written diagnosis
Local damp register · Oldham
How Oldham’s houses
take on moisture.
01The housing stock
OL1–OL16+
Oldham sits high on the edge of the Pennines. Its mill-era red-brick terraces fill Werneth, Glodwick, Coldhurst and Chadderton, while Saddleworth’s villages — Uppermill, Delph, Dobcross and Diggle — are built of local stone, many of them weavers’ cottages on exposed hillsides. Post-war estates and newer housing fill the rest of the borough.
02What we commonly find
Survey experience+
Height and exposure mean a lot of wind-driven rain, so penetrating damp through brick, stone, pointing, chimneys and window surrounds is the commonest cause we find. In Saddleworth’s stone cottages, cement pointing, render and plastic paints trap moisture in walls built to breathe. Low-level damp from raised ground and condensation in smaller terraces are the other regular findings.
03What the survey involves
Evidence, not sales+
We distinguish between rising damp, penetrating damp and condensation — the step most damp diagnoses skip — using moisture profiling, a methodical look at external ground levels, rainwater goods and ventilation, thermal imaging where conditions suit, and timber decay checks. You get a written report explaining the actual moisture source, what needs doing and what doesn’t. Full scope: independent damp and timber surveys
Damp proofing in Oldham
Been quoted for damp proofing? Get the cause confirmed first.
Most damp-proofing quotes in Oldham are for one of three things: a chemical damp-proof course injected into the wall, tanking or a membrane, or hacking off and replastering with a salt-resistant plaster. Each has its place — but only when the cause really is the one it treats. In older solid-walled houses, damp is far more often rain getting in, ground or paving built up against the wall, leaking gutters and pipes, or condensation. None of those is cured by injection.
As an independent damp specialist we sell no treatment, so a survey from us tells you what the wall actually needs — sometimes the work quoted, often something simpler and cheaper. Before you sign, ask the contractor three questions: how was the cause diagnosed (an electrical meter on plaster is not proof of rising damp), what else was ruled out, and what exactly the guarantee covers.
- Damp-proofing quote? How to get a second opinion
- Why use an independent damp surveyor
- What happens in a damp survey
- What a damp survey costs, and what it saves
- Moisture meter readings explained — why a meter alone can’t diagnose rising damp
- Dew point and humidity calculator — will your walls get condensation or mould?
Read before you pay for treatment
Most walls sold a damp-proofing treatment don’t need one. Try our damp checker, or start with telling the three types of damp apart, what rising damp really is, and how to treat damp walls by fixing the cause.
Common questions · Oldham
Asked before booking.
How much does a damp survey cost in Oldham?
It is a fixed fee for the specific property, based on its size, how much of it is affected and whether limited opening-up is needed. We confirm the scope and the fee before you commit.
Do you survey stone cottages in Saddleworth?
Yes. Stone cottages need a different approach from modern houses — solid walls manage moisture by letting it evaporate, and many damp problems come from modern materials that stop them doing so. We diagnose with that in mind.
Should I get a second opinion on a damp-proofing quote?
Yes. If the quote is for injection or tanking, an independent survey first will confirm whether rising damp is really the cause. In Oldham, rain penetration is far more often the culprit.
Which areas of Oldham do you cover?
All of OL1 to OL16 — including Werneth, Chadderton, Royton, Shaw, Lees, the Saddleworth villages, Rochdale and Littleborough.
Damp in Oldham?
Diagnose it before you treat it.
Tell us the address, the rooms affected and how long it has been going on. We confirm the right scope and a fixed fee before you commit — and we never sell the fix.
Request a quote →