Why Choose Select Damp Services
Most damp companies will survey your property and treat it. So do we. The difference is what happens in between — a genuine, evidence-based diagnosis, followed honestly, whatever it finds. Here's exactly what that means, in specifics you can check.
We diagnose before we treat. Every single time.
Rising damp is one of the most over-diagnosed problems in UK property care — a concern raised publicly by a former chair of RICS's own Building Surveyors' Faculty, and significant enough that RICS, Historic England and the Property Care Association jointly published new diagnostic guidance in 2022 partly in response to it. Every survey we carry out follows the Federation of Damp's certified 7-Step Survey Method — external inspection before internal, environment assessed separately from moisture readings, and a diagnosis only reached once all the evidence has been weighed together. Not a guess from one meter reading.
We've written the full process up in detail, with every tool we use and why: read exactly how we carry out a survey. We've also written a detailed account of damp misdiagnosis — the named experts who've raised this concern publicly, the real mechanism behind it, and a genuine prosecuted case — because understanding how it goes wrong elsewhere is exactly why it doesn't happen here: read our guide to damp misdiagnosis.
Not marketing badges — real, checkable standards
Every survey and every piece of remedial work is carried out to named, external standards — not a private methodology nobody outside the company can verify.
Federation of Damp Certified Surveyor (FODCS)
City & Guilds Assured and CPD-certified training. The FOD 7-Step Survey Method is followed on every job, not just when convenient.
BS 6576:2005+A1:2012 & BS 5250:2021
The British Standards governing rising damp diagnosis and whole-building moisture management, applied to every survey.
PCA Codes of Practice
Investigation and Control of Dampness (2017/2023) and Wood Destroying Insects and Fungi (2016) — the Property Care Association's recognised diagnostic framework.
RICS/Historic England/PCA Joint Position Statement
The 2022 fabric-first standard for diagnosing moisture in older, traditionally built properties — exactly the housing stock across Formby, Southport and West Lancashire.
"You do surveys AND the remedial work — how do I know I can trust the diagnosis?"
It's a genuinely fair question, and we'd rather answer it directly than pretend it doesn't need asking. A company that profits from finding a problem has an obvious incentive to find one. Here's what actually protects you from that, in practice rather than in promises:
The diagnosis is written, dated, and explained
Every survey produces a report setting out what was found, at every stage, and why — not a verbal opinion given standing in your hallway. If the evidence doesn't support treatment, the report says so.
We publish the exact method we follow
The full 7-step process, and every tool involved, is documented publicly on this site — not hidden behind a sales visit. You can check it before you book.
We built the industry's most honest content on misdiagnosis — including the parts that don't flatter this trade
We've written in detail about the named experts who say rising damp is over-diagnosed, the real mechanism behind unnecessary treatment, and a genuine case where a company was prosecuted for exactly this. That's not typical marketing content for a damp-proofing business — we think it should be standard.
We turn work down when the evidence doesn't support it
We don't offer basement waterproofing or tanking at all — if that's what a property needs, we say so and point you toward a specialist, rather than stretching to cover it ourselves. See our honest basements & cellars guide.
A genuinely thorough damp resource, built openly
We built a 12-article Knowledge Centre covering everything from the science of hygroscopic salts to interstitial roof condensation to the WHO's own guidance on damp and health — because a company that genuinely understands a subject should be able to explain it properly, not just sell a fix for it.
Diagnosis-first, in specifics
| What we do | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| External inspection before internal | Most damp problems originate outside — starting there gives real context instead of guessing backwards from a symptom. |
| Moisture meter readings never used alone | A meter measures electrical resistance, not water — it's a screening tool, not a verdict, exactly as BS 6576 itself describes it. |
| Ventilation and humidity assessed separately | This is what actually catches condensation — the type of damp most often misdiagnosed as something structural. |
| Written report before any treatment is agreed | You see the reasoning, not just the recommendation — and it doubles as documentation for Awaab's Law compliance if you're a landlord. |
| Honest referral when work falls outside our scope | Basement tanking is a specialist discipline in its own right — we say so, rather than stretching to cover it. |
Based in Formby. Genuinely local, not a call centre.
We're based on Duke Street in Formby and cover Merseyside and West Lancashire directly — not dispatched from a national call centre with no knowledge of the local housing stock.
The best way to know if this approach is right for you is to see it in action.
Book a Damp Survey →Frequently Asked Questions
An evidence-first process that's published in full, not just claimed — the certified 7-Step Survey Method, named British Standards, and written reports that explain the reasoning behind every diagnosis, including when the answer is that no treatment is needed.
No. Damp surveys start from £249, with no VAT added. The exact price depends on the property's size, access and the scope of the survey, and we confirm it before you book. There is no obligation to proceed with any work we recommend.
The report says so. An honest "no significant issue found" is a genuinely useful outcome, and it's exactly what a diagnosis-first process is supposed to be able to say.
Yes. A dated, written survey report is directly useful for the record-keeping expectations built into Awaab's Law — see our full guide for landlords for the current legal deadlines.
We carry out both surveys and remedial work, so we are not an independent, survey-only firm and we don't claim to be. What we do instead is publish the exact method we follow, document every diagnosis in writing, and turn down work — like basement tanking — that falls outside honest scope. We'd rather you judge that on the evidence than take our word for it.