Damp Proofing Putney

Putney stretches from the river at Putney Bridge up the hill to Putney Heath. The Upper Richmond Road and the railway roughly divide the lower riverside streets from the larger houses on higher ground, and the Embankment along the river is lined with the rowing clubs at the start of the Boat Race course.

The lower part of Putney near the Thames sits on river terrace gravels and alluvium over London Clay, with the water table close to the surface and influenced by the tidal river. The Embankment by the boathouses floods at the highest spring tides. As you climb towards the Heath the ground changes, and clay soils on the slopes hold water against walls and foundations rather than letting it drain away.

The Beverley Brook runs along Putney's western edge to meet the Thames near Barn Elms, and streets close to it can see a higher water table after heavy rain. Gardens and cellars in that part of Putney often stay wet for longer than those on higher ground.

Putney's housing ranges from Victorian and Edwardian terraces around the High Street and the Lower Richmond Road, to large Victorian villas and later mansion blocks on Putney Hill and West Hill, to post war estates in nearby Roehampton. Each needs a different approach when damp appears.

In the terraces, the common faults are rising damp in solid walls, damp proof courses bridged by raised paths or patios, and damp suspended floor voids where air bricks have been blocked. Cement render and gypsum plaster from past refurbishments often trap moisture and make the problem look worse.

Timber is the other thing to watch. Damp in suspended floor voids, often from blocked air bricks or a raised patio, can cause wet rot in joists and skirtings, and the larger Victorian houses can develop dry rot behind panelling or under stairs where damp has been left for years. We check floor voids and hidden timbers as part of the survey, so any rot is found and treated before it spreads.

On the hill, many houses are built into the slope. A lower ground floor can be level with the garden at the back but well below ground at the front, so damp is often worst on the front and side walls. That situation calls for waterproofing designed to BS 8102:2022 rather than a chemical damp proof course.

Mansion block flats in Putney tend to suffer from penetrating damp through parapets, gutters and exposed brickwork, while the newer flats near the river are more prone to condensation and black mould because of airtight construction and limited extraction.

Where a flat is affected by a problem in a shared wall or roof, our reports are written so they can go straight to a managing agent or freeholder, setting out where the water is coming from and what needs to be fixed outside the flat.

Because the cause changes from the riverside to the hilltop, the survey always comes first. Our CSSW and CSRT trained surveyors take moisture readings, use thermal imaging where it helps, and check drainage, pointing, ground levels and ventilation before recommending anything. You get a written report with photos that explains the cause in plain language and sets out the fix, with no obligation.

We cover SW15, including Putney Bridge, the Embankment, Putney Hill, West Hill, Putney Heath and Roehampton, as well as nearby Southfields and East Sheen. Surveys are arranged from our London office at 45 Fitzroy Street.