Bubbling paint, crumbling render and a white salty tide mark at the base of the walls. We find why moisture is rising, install a new damp proof course and repair the damaged walls properly.
Rising damp happens when moisture from the ground is drawn up through brick, stone or mortar by capillary action. In a healthy wall a damp proof course (DPC) stops it near the base. When the DPC has failed, been bridged or was never installed, moisture keeps climbing.
It is especially common in Sydney's older terraces and cottages, where original DPCs were often slate or bitumen that has deteriorated, and where later paving, garden beds or render have been built up over the DPC line. As the water evaporates it leaves salts behind, which crystallise and break down plaster, render and even the masonry itself.
Treating rising damp properly means fixing the cause and then repairing the damage. That usually involves lowering bridging ground levels, improving drainage and sub-floor ventilation, injecting a new chemical DPC, and replacing salt-contaminated render and plaster with a breathable, salt-resistant system.
If any of these sound familiar, it is worth a free site visit. We will tell you straight what your site needs.
A horizontal band of staining or salt, usually up to about a metre above floor level.
Paint lifting at the base of internal and external walls.
Salt damage breaks down the surface until it powders or falls away.
Fluffy white efflorescence on brickwork, stone and plaster.
Persistent damp smell in rooms with affected walls, often worse in winter.
Timber in contact with damp walls swelling, staining or rotting.
Tide marks or crumbling render? Send us photos of the affected walls and outside ground levels and we will give you an initial view.
An injected DPC alone will not fix a wall if the ground is still bridging it or the old salt-laden render stays on. We fix the whole problem.
Moisture readings and inspection to confirm rising damp, not a leak, condensation or a plumbing fault that looks the same.
A chemical DPC injected into the mortar course to create a new barrier against rising moisture.
Remove contaminated render and plaster and replace it with a breathable, salt-resistant system.
Lower paths and garden beds that bridge the DPC, and fix drainage directing water at the walls.
Clear or add vents so the sub-floor can dry out and stay dry.
Replace fretting bricks and sandstone and repoint with lime-based mortars suited to older walls.
A selection of recent rising damp projects across Sydney.
View all projects
Every rising damp job follows the same five steps, from diagnosis to handover.
We attend site, inspect the defect and its surroundings, and identify the cause rather than just the symptom. Where needed we take photos, moisture readings and cover measurements.
We coordinate a remedial or structural engineer where required and agree a written scope of works that fixes the cause, not only the visible damage.
You receive a clear, itemised written quote with methodology, materials, access, programme and any approvals. No vague lump sums.
Our crew carries out the work to the engineer's specification and Australian Standards, with progress photos and hold-point inspections at each critical stage.
Final inspection, clean-up and a handover pack: photos, product data, engineer sign-off where applicable, and your statutory warranty under the Home Building Act 1989.
Before and after moisture readings, photos, product data and a clear record of what was done, useful for insurers and when you sell.
Rising damp is often misdiagnosed and over-sold. We confirm the cause first and fix it with the right combination of treatments for your walls.
We diagnose why the defect happened. Patching over the symptom is why so many repairs fail twice.
DBP General Unrestricted (BUP4254812). Qualified for Class 2 apartment remedial work under the Design and Building Practitioners Act 2020.
Builder Licence 384697C, $20M public liability, workers compensation and HBCF cover where required.
We work with remedial and structural engineers from diagnosis to sign-off, so the fix is designed, not guessed.
Photos, product data, hold-point records and certification. Exactly what strata committees, insurers and buyers ask for.
Hands-on remedial and heritage work across Sydney since the 1970s, including jobs other builders turned down.
Real reviews from homeowners, strata and builders.
Constatine and his team were outstanding from start to finish. They responded quickly, arrived on time for the quote, and once awarded the project, completed everything on schedule. The property was built in 1880 and presented a very difficult scope of work, but the team handled it expertly. We received regular updates, excellent advice, and the quality of workmanship was exceptional. They were also extremely tidy throughout the process. I could not recommend METCON highly enough.
We have been undertaking a considerable repair and restoration of our 1850 residence in Darlinghurst. Constatine and his team completed outstanding work, all at a very competitive price. Every deadline was met with no increase to the original quote. Their knowledge, gathered over many years, and their incredible eye for detail significantly improved the final outcome beyond what was originally proposed. I rate them very highly and would recommend them wholeheartedly.
Constatine and his team were always extremely friendly and easy to deal with, which made the entire process smooth from the very beginning. We were absolutely thrilled with the final outcome. They took great pride in their work, constantly suggesting ways to improve the result and offering cost-effective alternatives. They went above and beyond, even helping us with our own DIY improvements once they had finished the job. We can highly recommend Constatine and his team.
Straight answers from the builder. Anything else, just ask.
Remedial building is the repair of defects, damage and deterioration in existing buildings, such as concrete cancer, leaking balconies, failed waterproofing, rising damp and cracked facades. The aim is to fix the underlying cause and restore the building's performance, not just its appearance.
For Class 2 apartment buildings in NSW, remedial work is regulated under the Design and Building Practitioners Act 2020. METCON holds DBP General Unrestricted registration (BUP4254812), so we can carry out that work and lodge the required declarations.
It depends entirely on the defect, its extent, access and the specification. A small concrete cancer patch is very different from a whole-building balcony programme. We inspect for free and provide an itemised written quote so you can see exactly where the money goes.
Residential building work in NSW carries statutory warranties under the Home Building Act 1989: six years for major defects and two years for other defects. We provide full documentation at handover.
Remedial problems rarely come alone. Leaks cause concrete cancer, damp causes render failure. We fix the whole chain.
Back to Remedial BuildingPlain-language guides from our team on the questions we are asked most.
Terraces and older homes in the Inner West, Eastern Suburbs, inner city and lower North Shore are where we see it most.
Photos of the affected walls inside and the ground levels outside are enough for an initial view. We will book an inspection to confirm.
