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Damp by a Kitchen Bay Window on Dudley Street, Bedford MK40
A house on Dudley Street in Bedford had staining and damaged plaster along the wall beside the rear kitchen bay. Defective guttering had once poured rain down that wall.
Project at a Glance
The Brief
The owners had replaced the guttering but the wall by the bay still looked damp.
The Survey
The upper guttering had been replaced and some external repairs done, but defects remained around the bay: deteriorated mortar joints, loose rainwater goods, open holes beneath the bay roof and discharge points ending above the ACO channel. These could still wet the solid wall in rain.
Inside, staining showed on the wall and ceiling, with higher readings around the kitchen units and a socket. The older plaster around the bay showed widespread salt contamination and was unlikely to take decoration.
The Solution
Advanced Damp proposed:
- Remove the affected plaster and treat the masonry.
- Install a chemical damp proof course.
- Reinstate with a salt resistant sand and cement render, then finish plaster.
- Owner to address the external defects and monitor in heavy rain.
The Work
The work was carried out from 14 to 16 September 2026.
The Result
The bay wall now has a finish designed to cope with the salts left by years of wetting. See more of our case studies.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is my wall still damp after new gutters?
Salts left in the plaster keep attracting moisture, and other defects may still let water in.
What is salt resistant render?
A sand and cement render with additives that stop salts in the wall coming through to the new plaster.
Do downpipes need to discharge into a drain?
Yes. Discharging onto paving or above a channel can splash and soak the base of the wall.
Damp near a bay window?
Our CSSW and CSRT trained surveyors find the real cause before recommending any work. Non-invasive survey with a clear written report. No obligation.
Survey carried out by Chris Baxter at Advanced Damp. Project completed in Bedford, MK40.
Sam Fitzgerald is the founder of Advanced Damp and a working damp and structural waterproofing surveyor diagnosing and treating moisture problems in residential and commercial properties across London and the South East. He is FODCS certified (a Federation of Damp Certified Surveyor) and a member of the Federation of Damp. His hands-on work covers rising damp, penetrating damp, condensation, basement waterproofing to BS 8102, and thermal imaging surveys, and he has personally completed over 400 damp surveys across properties of every type and age. Everything he writes draws directly from jobs he has carried out. He does not write about treatments, products or causes he has not dealt with first-hand in the field.
