Penetrating Damp Repairs in Lewes, East Sussex

Damp doesn't always show up as a massive puddle on the floor. Sometimes it is much more subtle. You might spot bubbling paint, or perhaps the plaster feels a bit 'blown'—that is when it sounds hollow if you give it a tap. In many Lewes properties, especially the older brick and flint cottages, wind-driven rain gets forced through tiny cracks in the pointing or through porous, ageing brickwork. Once that moisture gets in, it brings 'hygroscopic salts' with it. These are a bit of a nightmare because even if the rain stops, the salts keep pulling moisture from the air, making the wall feel permanently damp. If you are seeing white, crusty deposits on your brickwork or internal plaster, that is a classic sign you need a proper damp proofing survey.

A lot of people ask us if they can just put a bit of 'damp-proof paint' over the patch and be done with it. Honestly? You are just masking the problem. To fix it properly, we need to be a bit like detectives. First, we find out where the water is coming from—maybe it is a cracked render, a leaky gutter, or some crumbling mortar. Once the external leak is sorted, we deal with the inside. This often involves 'hacking off' the contaminated plaster right back to the original brickwork and replacing it with specialist materials that won't let the damp return. It is a bit of a messy job, but don't worry—we are famous for being clean and tidy. We protect your carpets and furniture like they are our own.

If your exterior walls are looking a bit tired, they are likely the culprit. We are Approved PRB Systems Contractors, which means we are experts at applying high-performance renders that act like a protective jacket for your house—they let it breathe but keep the rain out. Whether it is a traditional sand and cement finish or a modern silicone rendering system that never needs painting, we will make sure your home is watertight. For those living in the Lewes conservation areas, we are always careful to ensure our repairs and external rendering work respect the character of the building while providing modern protection. We can also look at brickwork pointing if the mortar has started to fail, which is a common entry point for lateral damp.

Choosing someone to rip plaster off your walls is a big decision. We want you to feel completely at ease, which is why we are fully insured with £1 million in public liability cover. We don't just serve the centre of Lewes either; we are out and about in Ringmer, Kingston, and all over the surrounding villages within a twenty-mile radius. We provide transparent, free quotes so you know exactly what the job involves before we start. No hidden 'extras' or confusing trade jargon—just honest advice from a local team who know exactly how Sussex weather treats our buildings.