Posts Tagged ‘Customer Feedback’

SERVICE LEVEL CHANGES:

PROinspect are proud to announce that acting on customer feedback we have changed to way we deliver part of your Property Survey advice. Let me explain …….

If a client asks us to act for them, typically as a Consultant Surveyor upon a house purchase, we inspect-and-advise that client within a written report.

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Change 1 – we will ‘report” to that client by electronic means if at all possible.

Change 2 – if, for example, the main walls suffer from a problematic damp proof course we report the facts, the damage and the course of action that client needs to take and this in contained within our REPORT. In future we will also refer that client to our EXTENDED ADVICE “TAB” at our web-site. This area of our web-site provides the client with contextual background information and opinion plus links to others’ web-sites. By this method the client obtains a more balanced service from us, obtain a greater understanding of the defects and solutions and will therefore be better able to prioritise further actions and repairs.

Change 3 – rather than make that data confidential and only available to paying customers we have separated out the specific property data evidence and photographs etc…. but the scenario advice is freely available to any visitor to our web-site. A non-client web-reader will see advice and opinion but will not benefit from any individual property survey report, effect on premises value, mortgagability and saleability etc..

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PROinspect believe this is the way forward and is another way whereby we demonstrate our market leader, Expert status.

We still have some work to do to complete this change: we have currently scheduled the following Subject HEADINGS -

• CONDENSATION
• RISING DAMPNESS
• SUBSIDENCE
• ROOFING
• FLOOD RELIEF ISSUES
• INAPPROPRIATE WORKS
• CONSERVATION ISSUES

When we have completed all aspects of these subjects we may look to include others: IF YOU COULD HELP and submit such technical articles (on your own related Specialism) to augment this series, PROinspect would love to hear from you.

We are also looking to reciprocate business and are looking for certain types of trades and new contacts: EG: we need (1) Heating Contractors prepared to act quickly to check and test house boilers/systems in order for house price negotiations to continue, (2) Contractor underpinning and above-ground-wall-repair Specialists, (3) Chimney Sweeps, (4) Jobbing Contractors for basic maintenance repairs, (5) Flat Roof specialists, (6) Lime-Mortar repair specialists, (7) Period Timber Frame repair specialists (8) Asbestos diagnosis and testing plus reporting specialists, (9) etc………..

WE HAVE A PASSION FOR RESIDENTIAL BUILDING ISSUES, CAN YOU HELP US HELP OUR CLIENTS?

Looking for prime advice? I invite you to contact me for free further opinion and advice. Either use the CONTACT FORM above or call me on +44 (0)1489 896 174. Stuart Parrett.

ARCHIVE ARTICLE from 2008 IN RESPONSE TO FEEDBACK FROM A PREVIOUS ARTICLE

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This article is in response to customer feedback on our Update01 feature on replastering “old walls”. The following is based upon a trade article found on the internet which I really cannot better except to say that where Lime Mortars have been used historically then such materials should, ideally, continue to be used and NOT those mentioned below. All materials used must be compatible without each other and with those materials that they bind/attach to.

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Replastering Old Walls – an interior specification:

1. Hack off all old plaster to at least 300mm clear of all signs of damp or salt and at least 1 metre above ground floor level – use a meter to test the walls and remove plaster at least 300mm above the highest level that readings can be obtained.

Reason – This is to ensure that the residual ‘salts’ do not climb above the new plaster in the future.

2. Brush the walls to remove all plaster residue, particularly around angle beads.

Reason – old plaster will have ‘salt’ in it and will cause damp spots to appear in time.

3. Repair any holes or poor joints with sand and cement (4:1) using washed, sharp (means slightly gritty) plastering sand (sometimes called screeding or rendering sand). Do not use fine, unwashed sands.

Reason – fine, unwashed sands often contain salt and the fine particles are too numerous to find enough cement particles to bond together tightly – these two problems make for a weak render, prone to the easy passage of ‘salts’.

4. Special Note – walls made with non-porous stone or brick, like granite or blue brick, will require an adhesive to help stick the render coat to the wall – use SBR concentrate)

Reason – normal renders and plasters stick to the wall by suction – the surfaces need to absorb some water. Without this suction the render or plaster will not grab the wall and may become loose and hollow as it dries.

5. Damp the walls lightly (to reduce ‘suction’, which can cause excessive drying and cracking) and apply a thin coat (maximum 1/2 inch, 12.5mm) of render consisting of 3 parts sand – dry, washed, sharp (means slightly gritty) plastering sand (sometimes called screeding or rendering sand) with 1 part of fresh (free flowing – no lumps) Portland Cement.

Reason – thick coats are more likely to slump down the wall during application and crack during drying out.

6. Scratch the render surface liberally all over with a nail board, trowel, metal float or similar object.

Reason – without these scratches the natural drying shrinkage will cause cracking, crazing and hollowness to develop – the next coat will probably pull the first coat off as it dries.

7. Use only Renderproof water proofer/plasticiser in the water that the render is mixed with, at the rate of 1 part Renderproof to 40 parts of water. Do not use fine, unwashed or wet sands.

Reasons – Renderproof binds the sand to the cement and prevents liquid water passing through. It also makes the mix stickier (plasticising) which help to hold the render together. Wet sand weighs more than dry, so it will make your mix weak. Fine sands produce a weak, powdery render, which will not resist ‘salts’. Do not allow the plasterer to add plaster (usually ‘browning’) or washing up liquid to the mix.

8. When the render surface is firm enough (but not bone dry, or it will need re-wetting) apply a second coat to exactly the same specification – if further coats will be needed to reach the desired thickness don’t forget to scratch liberally. In hot weather spray the render surface with water to slow the drying process.

Reasons – excessive drying out increases the suction and can prevent one coat sticking to another. Rapid drying always increases shrinkage, which gives rise to cracking of the render or finish plaster.

9. Whilst still damp (or re-wet again) apply a skim coat of Universal or Board Finish. Do not polish or add water.

Reason – this will produce a shiny, glazed finish which looks good, but is prone to condensation, black mould growth and poor drying.

10. Delay any decoration for at least one month and then only apply a thin coat of breathable emulsion paint (not a heavy vinyl). Do not repaint or wallpaper for at least three months.

Reason – the paint or paper will fall off the wall due to the water vapour that will be trapped underneath in the new render.