Damp Proofing and Timber Repairs - Cambridge

For over 70 years, Peter Cox has been protecting homes and businesses across Cambridge with industry-leading property surveys and treatments. Whether you are dealing with an ongoing issue or need an expert diagnosis, our team delivers reliable, tailored solutions to safeguard your building.

Our experienced surveyors and technicians specialise in identifying and treating damp problems, condensation and mould, timber decay and woodworm, as well as structural faults and wall tie corrosion.

From your initial survey to the final repair, we provide clear, straightforward advice alongside long-term solutions designed to protect both the value and structural health of your property.

If you suspect damp or timber damage in your Cambridge property, Peter Cox offers comprehensive professional damp surveys to pinpoint the exact cause and deliver clear, actionable recommendations.

Our detailed inspection covers both the interior and exterior of your building, ensuring external defects, which often allow moisture to seep inside, are caught early. Using advanced diagnostic tools, including moisture meters and thermal imaging cameras, our surveyors accurately identify damp and condensation, while thoroughly checking all accessible timbers for signs of fungal decay or woodworm.

We schedule appointments at a time that works best for you, allowing us to discuss your specific concerns in detail. Following the visit, you will receive a comprehensive report outlining only necessary treatments. For added peace of mind, most of our remedial work is backed by a 20-year guarantee to ensure long-term protection.

Due to local property age and annual rainfall, damp proofing is a frequent necessity for homes and businesses across Cambridge. Without proper care, issues like rising damp, penetrating damp, condensation and mould can quickly compromise your building.

If you suspect moisture damage, our specialists will conduct a thorough survey to pinpoint the exact type and extent of the issue before recommending targeted, long-term solutions. When repairs are needed, our expert technicians, highly skilled in specialist damp proofing and joinery, execute every job to the highest industry standards.

We respect your home throughout the process. Using commercial dust extraction units, vacuums, protective floor coverings, and heavy-duty sheeting, our team works efficiently to minimise mess and leave your property spotlessly clean.

Across Cambridge and surrounding areas, Peter Cox provides expert diagnosis and specialist treatment for both wet rot and dry rot in homes and commercial premises.

To determine the full extent of fungal decay and provide effective solutions, our qualified surveyors carry out thorough timber inspections. Decay develops when prolonged moisture enables spores to germinate and feed on structural wood, a common issue caused by poor ventilation, leaking plumbing, or water ingress from damaged roofs and gutters.

Wet rot thrives in continuously damp environments, leaving timber soft, cracked, or discoloured. It remains localised around the moisture source, such as plumbing leaks, roof defects, condensation, or rising damp.

Dry rot (Serpula lacrymans) is far more invasive, capable of traveling through masonry to compromise uninfected areas. It flourishes in hidden, poorly ventilated spaces like subfloors and wall cavities, often causing extensive damage to timber before being noticed.

Because wet rot and dry rot require completely different remedial techniques, an accurate survey by a trained professional is essential to identify the precise fungal decay affecting your building.

If you are worried about a wet rot or dry rot issue in your property, Peter Cox delivers expert solutions for fungal decay across Cambridge.

Our team is on hand to offer specialist advice and effective, permanent treatments. Following a thorough inspection, we provide transparent guidance regarding your property's timbers and what needs to be done. We prioritise eliminating the underlying moisture source while repairing or replacing damaged wood to stop decay from recurring.

Treatment may include:

• Eliminating moisture ingress via damp-proofing solutions, upgraded ventilation, or repairing external property defects.
• Cutting away infected, decayed timber and treating the remaining structure with targeted fungicidal applications as required.
• Removing surface growth such as hyphae, mycelium, and fruiting bodies, alongside sterilising affected brickwork and masonry where necessary.

All work is completed by skilled technicians dedicated to upholding the highest industry standards. Rely on Peter Cox to safeguard the structural health and overall value of your property with proven wood rot treatments.

Left untreated, woodworm can cause severe damage to both decorative and structural timber. The most common woodboring beetle (woodworm) in the UK is the Common furniture beetle (Anobium punctatum).

A qualified surveyor from our local branch covering Cambridge and the surrounding areas will carry out a thorough timber survey to identify any woodworm infestation in your property and specify professional treatments if the issue is active.

Early detection is essential to prevent further timber degradation and keep your building safe and structurally sound. Following the visit, our local specialist will supply a detailed survey report outlining all findings and any necessary action.

Properties with original structural timber are particularly vulnerable to woodworm, especially where poor ventilation or elevated moisture levels are present.

If one of our surveyors identifies an active woodworm infestation and you decide to proceed with treatment, we will eliminate the beetles and protect your timber, preserving the structural integrity of your property:

• The first step is a timber survey to accurately identify the woodworm species and assess the extent of the infestation.
• The findings and treatment process will be detailed in the survey report.
• This usually involves the application of a surface insecticidal treatment to affected timbers, applied by spraying, fogging, or brush treatment, which kills the eggs, larvae near the surface, and the emerging beetles on contact as they exit the wood.
• Timber repair and replacement may be necessary in cases of severe infestation or associated fungal decay, to restore full structural strength.

Converting a basement or cellar is one of the most effective ways for homeowners to expand their living space and increase property value across Cambridge.

Because below-ground structures are naturally vulnerable to damp and water ingress, professional structural waterproofing is essential to guarantee a dry, well-ventilated, usable environment and protect your property's integrity.

Peter Cox provides comprehensive basement waterproofing solutions designed fully in line with British Standard 8102 (BS 8102). Our team of CSSW-qualified surveyors can assist at any stage of your conversion, whether collaborating early with your architect on initial design plans or inspecting an existing basement structure.

Peter Cox offers a range of basement waterproofing solutions tailored to Cambridge properties, designed to create dry and usable spaces:

• Type A cementitious tanking systems for robust barrier protection
• Type C cavity drain membrane systems (CDM) for effective water management, complete with sump and pump installations
• Combined waterproofing systems for high-risk environments and compliance with NHBC Chapter 5.4, requiring maximum moisture protection

If you have spotted cracking across your external brickwork, your building may be suffering from structural faults or failing cavity wall ties.

A variety of factors, including property age, general deterioration, water ingress, ground vibration, flooding, and subsidence, lead to structural issues in homes and businesses across Cambridge. Corroded wall ties break the bond between the inner and outer masonry leafs, leaving structures vulnerable to bulging, bowing, and serious structural failure if left unaddressed.

At Peter Cox, our specialists inspect and assess wall tie conditions to deliver accurate, reliable replacement proposals. Partnering with structural engineers as needed, our qualified technicians install industry-leading Helifix structural products to restore full stability and long-term safety to your property.