Sussex Heritage Damp Restoration (SHDR) Reviews

I am really thrilled that SHDR were recommended to me by a neighbour. Aaron West’s knowledge and expertise on damp and how to fix it is second to none. He understands older period properties better than anyone I have met. I have spent twenty years throwing money at solutions that did not treat the root cause. He surveyed our house and pinpointed the main source of our issues. He was scientific and reasoned at every stage, providing clear and empirical data. Aaron came up with a plan to restore our home and resolve our damp permanently. He is familiar with legal and planning laws and showed us a way forward. We decided to use SHD’Rs project management to implement the measures they identified. We felt we were in good hands and all work done was sympathetic to the age and construction of our home. Aaron personally oversaw the work and provided us with regular updates. We can finally use our lounge again, the house smells great, looks fantastic and the humidity is greatly improved. I recommend SHDR and Aaron without reservation. 5 stars all the way.

Aaron and the team at SHDR have been nothing short of incredible. When our building’s freeholders attempted to carry out unnecessary and costly repairs, we reached out to Aaron for help. During a site visit, Aaron handled all the correspondence with the opposing surveyor, who eventually backed down, and we never heard from them again. SHDR has also been instrumental in detecting and diagnosing a slow, hidden leak in our bathroom. They used specialised equipment to provide evidence to our insurance company and supported us throughout the legal process for the claim. Additionally, they’ve guided the tradesmen with expert damp guidance, ensuring that the repairs are thorough and done correctly. We’ve recommended SHDR to several friends and colleagues who’ve faced similar issues, and they’ve all expressed their gratitude for our recommendation. However, it’s SHDR that truly deserves the credit for their exceptional service and expertise.

Aaron and the SDHR team are beyond excellent! Guys, I cannot thank you enough! We were having a damp problem in our basement flat so I asked Aaron if he could investigate. What we go back was a full diagnosis and action plan which Aaron and the team were able to implement in a very short timeline! We now have thermal proofed walls, a ventilated underfloor cavity, moisture sensitive fans and an active ventilation unit for the main living space. The team put it all in in a single day owing to access constraints. Aaron’s electrician even came back the following Sunday to make sure an unrelated problem with the power supply was nothing to do with the SDHR installation (it wasn’t!). Total total legends!

Significant damp patches on an upstairs wall; after being recommended SHDR by a friend, I was really impressed with the knowledge and experience Aaron & Matilda possessed. I was given different options to rectify the problem and actions to stop it recurring in the future. Particularly impressed with Matilda’s knowledge and hands on approach to preparing the wall for the plasterers.

Three areas of my house concerned me as to their ‘dampness’. In my bedroom the plaster on one wall was completely shot, in the bathroom were large stains and cracks, and my kitchen had peeling paint and crumbling plaster near the radiator (see pictures). I asked a local damp company to come round to assess/quote and their answer to all the areas was a one-size-fix-all solution – take the plaster off back to the brickwork, tank the walls, then replaster (it would cost about £5,000). Thinking this was expensive, let alone the massive disruption the work would cause, I decided to get a second opinion from another company who might offer alternative solutions/costs. So I sought out Aaron at Sussex Heritage Damp Restoration. What a revelation. He was so friendly and passionate about his work. Within no time at all, he explained everything in clear simple terms, reassured me that my house wasn’t in fact damp, and that the different areas of concern could be sorted with massively less disruption and considerably less cost. Together, we are currently putting together a plan to get this ‘remedial’ work done. I am so pleased I trusted my instincts. Thanks Aaron.

After consulting some 'damp experts' regarding the high moisture reading on my wall, I was told that tanking was required. Given the large costs involved I sought a second opinion. I'm glad I did. After finding Sussex Heritage Damp Restoration through Google I contacted Aaron and he had a lengthy conversation with me over the phone, and by this stage had already pinpointed what was going wrong with the moisture in my house through chatting and the photos I had sent. After purchasing some relatively inexpensive Hygrometers I sent him the data from these and he confirmed his hypothesis that I did not need tanking. After attending in person he told me that the issue was to do with a lack of ventilation beneath the floorboards. All in all, this saved me thousands in costs. Unbelievably, Aaron didn't actually charge me anything as there was no work to do. We are just going to monitor the moisture levels in the house going forward. It was an absolute pleasure to meet someone who is a genuine nice guy with no ulterior or nefarious motives. Thank you Aaron! Aaron came, he saw, he conquered. Go with Aaron and you can't go wrong!

I have used Aaron and the teams services for a number of years now, both in my professional (property manager) and personal life (with the purchase of my new home which suffered from moisture/damp). There are many crooks in the industry that will sell cheap (or in many cases expensive) fixes which do not solve the issue at hand. SHDR are fantastic at finding the correct solution with the appropriate costs to boot. The couple that previously owned my house suffered from damp for 40 years. SHDR has given me the advice to tackle the problem and let my property breathe within a matter of a week. At long last! SHDR makes complicated issues simple. I highly recommend their services to absolutely anybody.

I have used Aaron and the teams services for a number of years now, both in my professional (property manager) and personal life (with the purchase of my new home which suffered from moisture/damp). There are many crooks in the industry that will sell cheap (or in many case expensive) fixes which do not solve the issue at hand. SHDR are fantastic at finding the correct solution with the appropriate costs to boot. The couple that previously owned my house suffered from damp for 40 years… SHDR have given me the advice to tackle the problem and let my property breathe within a matter of week. At long last! SHDR make complicated issues simple. I highly recommend their services to absolutely anybody.

I cannot recommend Aaron highly enough. His knowledge and enthusiasm about helping our homes breathe is quite contagious and I have found myself becoming totally obsessed with hygrometers. He has given his time generously asking nothing in return and has diagnosed the humidity problem in my home – which currently is around 65-75% throughout most of the time – and has recommended a plan of action that can be followed in bite-sized steps making it far less daunting than previously anticipated. A friend recommended Aaron and I am very happy to recommend him to anyone reading this. Give him a call – you have nothing to lose and everything to gain!

Hands-down the best surveyor we've ever worked with. We purchased a period home last year, only able to visit it 2x ourselves. Alexander Lyons, Alpine Preservations and the bank all came in to look at the property on our behalf, with Alpine doing a double-click on the damp and potential woodworm issue and recommending ~£8k worth of remedial work. When we arrived at the house, it was in a cold sweat. It was so bad, we resolved to get a second-opinion, and searched for the highest-rated local expert: we found Aaron West ("Dr Damp") and SHDR. Aaron and his team went above and beyond for us, from start to finish. On short notice, they fitted us in and conducted a full survey, providing immediate to-dos to get things on the right track and following up with a comprehensive report for medium- and long-term fixes. They confirmed there were *no* woodworm and no underlying damp issues - we saved £8k right there. They flagged multiple issues that we needed to tackle, providing easy-to-follow and cost-effective methods to do so: from removing non-breathable paint from the window frames (causing cracking and rotting) to repointing (the concrete used in the brickwork was damaging the bricks and had led to window and facade damage), to removing a vigorous climber from the front facade, which was strangling one of our drainage pipes and letting mice into the property. For us, what sets Aaron and SHDR apart are three things: 1) The level of expertise is unmatched 2) They put your interests as a client first 3) They treat you like family - with integrity, respect, and giving 100% to equip you to achieve your goals with the budget you have - whether that means giving you the knowledge and tools to address issues yourself or providing trustworthy tradespeople who can help. If you suspect you have a damp issue, or want a property you own or are thinking of buying, looked at properly, do not hesitate to engage SHDR. Without doubt, they must be within the top 10% of surveyors in this country.

Aaron is absolutely amazing! There seems to be a lot of bad advice out there from surveyors and damp proofing 'specialists', and Aaron is the exact antithesis to this - he is so knowledgeable, enthusiastic, trustworthy and generous with his time and advice. I really can't recommend him highly enough or thank him enough for how much he has helped us!

Outstanding Service and Expertise - Highly Recommend! We genuinely cannot thank Aaron, Matilda, and their team at SHDR enough for their incredible advice and hard work in helping us restore our home, after damage caused by a neighbouring property. From start to finish, Aaron was amazing. His advice and expertise are second to none, and his passion for what he does shines through. From the first moment we spoke, he was true to his word, completely resolving all our problems and going above and beyond at every stage. Impeccable customer care and outstanding workmanship - A gem of a company! All the stars!

We were looking to buy a Grade 2 listed property and needed a surveyor. We found Aaron from Sussex Heritage Damp Restoration via the Listed Property Owners Club where he had written some really good articles on damp and its associated problems. After speaking to him and two other surveyors who specialised in listed properties, he was by far the most knowledgable and enthusiastic. And we felt safe in the knowledge that his continued services would help us through the many problems that such an old property would throw at us. However, Aaron saved us before we even started, pointing out so million problems that would take forever and a day (and a whole lot of money) to fix. We will always be grateful for his honesty at this stage – he saved us a lot of heartache. We then found another property (not listed), and immediately got him involved. Again, he was invaluable – like a damp-finding super sleuth! He gave us the thumbs up (and a comprehensive survey with remedial tasks) on the smelly, fungally tumble-down bungalow (it's been empty for over 10 months), and we are now in the process of buying it. We would highly-highly recommend Aaron - aka Dr Damp - if you have a property that has damp or structural issues, or need one surveyed. Both he and Georgia (in the office) are so helpful, reassuring and friendly. SHDR is a professional and committed company with a big heart.

Aaron is amazing, he’s Dr damp and knows what he’s talking about, there is a reason why SHDR are the best in the business. Aaron is transparent, and fair and tells you what you need to know openly and is always willing to provide advice and goes above and beyond to look at pictures and provide his expert guidance. Honestly, don’t go elsewhere, just call Dr Damp! Thanks again Aaron and SHDR team!

What a splendid service! This organisation provides first rate expertise, and was able to diagnose an issue with my property that perplexed myself, my family & friends and multiple trades for approx four years. After many attempted 'fixes' including by multiple roofers I was introduced to Aaron who managed to determine the cause at pace (cold wall + warm humid air = condensation, enabled due to lack of home mechanical ventilation). His considerable expertise established the facts using objective data rather than conjecture, and he defined effective solutions for the short as well as long term. Such a relief to find a collaborative, trustworthy and effective expert - who is also a pleasure to work with. Renewed my faith! Totally recommend.

Finally - a company that actually understands the needs of trickier period properties. After we wasted money, time, and materials using 'roofers' and builders to try and remedy our water ingress issues, we finally came across SHDR who came up with an effective, wholesome, and mindful solution for us (we wish we'd found them sooner). Rain was penetrating so many weak spots; it made winter months quite miserable to be frank. We loved our home in summer, but winter was bleak. We dreaded it every time it rained. Not only did their comprehensive survey highlight our roof issues (we have a complicated roof design as well) they suggested further ways to help keep our Victorian house warm, dry, and damp-free in the future. It is now all of those! For someone who is hands-on, nearly all of their suggestions have been completed myself. It was reassuring having a team come in, and not just add another patch-up job on top (and make it worse), but to actually fix the issue. And to do it well too - the work was done with care & attention. Their work ethic & comms were top-notch, with any questions answered by either email or Whatsapp. If I could turn up the star review to 11, I would.

We had the pleasure of working with Aaron the passed few weeks with a damp problem. He is extremely thorough and cooperative. He updated us regularly as we are currently abroad. He also gladly helped us with other matters. The work done was impeccable! I absolutely recommend working with him.

Having worked with Aaron on a few small issues over the years we contacted SDHR for a much bigger issue which we faced after previous builder used the wrong materials. Max was excellent in identifying the issues and coming up with solutions. Together with their team who worked incredibly hard over the summer we are thrilled with their work. The team were polite, always asking questions, extremely tidy and professional, went the extra step to ensure we were happy and I would HIGHLY RECOMMEND SDHR for any damp problems. They were a just a lovely bunch of hardworking caring people who clearly enjoy their job.

Aaron was amazing to work with. He is kind, informative, and has your best interests in mind. Buying a home is an overwhelming feat, but Aaron's ability to instil confidence and support has helped massively relieve stress and worry during the process. Would recommend 100%.

I was recommended Aaron by a friend and I will also be recommending him to everyone I know. He is incredibly kind, helpful, polite and quick to answer. He simplifies matters and is very practical in his approach. I’m on my own as a first time buyer, learning as I go. A lot of people have been a little patronising, but Aaron is incredibly supportive and educative