Damp advice needed pls

[Karmakiller]

Hi ppl we've decided to buy our first family caravan and we've been hunting around and found a Bailey pageant bordaux at a great price although there's a hitch it has shown damp on a test in the front top corner where the cupboards are where the front panel meets the roof it's been patched up on the strip of metal end with mastic there isn't any visual damage inside although they say it's a little soft right near the top the owner seems very trustworthy and honest so I'm really considering buying and repairing as long as the cost doesn't come into the thousands...thanks in advanced any help is great thanks.
Also I have a photo but I don't know how to upload x

 

[Pauljw]

Hi KK , I think fixing damp problems and I couldn't do it , You need a mobile fitter to test for the amount of damp present and if a worthwhile repair cost wise was worth the money . You may be excited about buying the van , but it could possibly cost a lot to get fixed . There's plenty of vans out there and without trying to give You advice , I would probably walk away .
Good luck ,

Paul

 

[Karmakiller]

Thanks for the reply Paul
I completely understand what your saying I would usual be exactly the same it's just that if the repair cost me say £1000 it would still be a good buy but then again I don't want a problem I can't fix

 

[Pauljw]

Ps , please come back and let the forum and posters know what You do .

Paul

 

[ProfJohnL]

Hi ppl we've decided to buy our first family caravan and we've been hunting around and found a Bailey pageant bordaux at a great price although there's a hitch it has shown damp on a test in the front top corner where the cupboards are where the front panel meets the roof it's been patched up on the strip of metal end with mastic there isn't any visual damage inside although they say it's a little soft right near the top the owner seems very trustworthy and honest so I'm really considering buying and repairing as long as the cost doesn't come into the thousands...thanks in advanced any help is great thanks.
Also I have a photo but I don't know how to upload x

Hello Karmakiller,

Welcome to the forum, and I hope we can help, however the big problem with dealing with damp issues on a forum is we can't see the actual problem, and unfortunately, is rather like an iceberg, what you can see is only a fraction of whole story.

Damp can be repaired, but to get a true picture you do need some expert advice, or to jump in and start to strip back the caravan shell to expose the whole of the affected area.

The general view is that if you find a caravan and it has visible damp, then its arguably better to walk away, as they can be a money pit. You will almost certainly find a similar model in better condition before too long.

 

[Damian]

The cause of the problem described is the roof strap which is the metal strip running across the back and front panels where the front panel ,and back panel, join the roof.

It is a very common problem with Bailey vans and the only way of fixing it is to remove the metal strap, thoroughly clean ALL the old mastic off both metal strap and van roof, and reseal with Soudall Fixall or Sikaflex 512.
Using a thick bead that will squash out as you fix with new stainless steel screws, and a dab of mastic over each screw head.

As you say the strip has been "patched", this is a complete waste of time and money and does NOT work.
New mastic will NOT adhere to old mastic, or give a watertight seal .

 

[Gagakev]

At least you were sensible and had a test, who did the test?
What were the reading's over a larger area? Or was is confined to inside the cupboards.
Follow this link on How to post photo's

 

[Karmakiller]

Thanks for the info guys it's really helpful but would any of you know a rough figure of the cost as thos is what I need to find out so I can weigh my options up....the damp read 50 in the very top corner every where else was fine...i didn't do the test the lady had a test done her self and showed me the result sheet
Kind regards Anthony

 

[Sproket]

the damp read 50 in the very top corner every where else was fine...i didn't do the test the lady had a test done her self and showed me the result sheet

That's been leaking for a while for the wood to become soft hmy: Put the extra money that you were going to spend on the repair into a dry van

Put your rose tinted glasses down and Walk away !

 

[Karmakiller]

Well I think you guys have made my mind up for me i just thought a 2008 with everything Inc 2 awnings and mover was a steal at 5k but obviously not

 

[Raywood]

I am with the Prof. If there is damp then walk away. You can only be sure of the extent of any damage when the area is stripped out so giving an idea of the cost is not easy. You might have a word with a repairer but they can only give you a best guess.
If the inside panel is soft then that will need replacing and to me tends to show the problem has spread and you simply do not know what else you will find. It has to be cheap because you could be facing a fairly hefty bill for repairs if stripping reveals more damage than first thought.

 

[ProfJohnL]

Well I think you guys have made my mind up for me i just thought a 2008 with everything Inc 2 awnings and mover was a steal at 5k but obviously not

Hello Anthony,

Well at least the seller wasn't trying to hide the problem, and that is a refreshing change, but she would have more chance of selling it if she had already had it repaired and could show the difference it had made.

As fort £5K being a keen price, a quick look on a well known auction site shows main dealers with 2008 Bailey pageant Bordeaux at £8K5 but a salvage sale for £4K5 so I can see why you were tempted. But damp can be such an unknown as to how far it has gone its a very risky strategy.

With the owners permission you could of course engage a mobile caravan engineer to do a full condition survey, and that would give you a more factual basis on which to make your decision. Search for the MCEA who list engineers across the country.

 

[chrisn7]

Although Damian described to repair needed, it doesn't end there. Just stopping water getting in isn't enough, as that which has already soaked the wood can't get out due to the vinyl wallcoverings, So the affected areas do really need stripping back, otherwise rot will continue...Also there are sometimes steel fasteners hidden within the structure which are against the aluminium outer skin. Once the steel and aluminium become damp this sets off corrosion where the alloy comes off worse leading to bubbling of the outer skin, and eventually holes in it.

 

[TD42]

these vans were subject to stress cracks in the plastic front & rear panels ,these appear as tiny (2/3 mm)hairline cracks emanating from under the awning rails & from under the roof cross bars .These cracks can cause dampness much as you describe .
Repair of these cracks can be very expensive & the only sure way is to replace the front panels which can cost £1000 to 1500. so if there is ANY sign of hair line cracks walk away
the cause was due to the panel being fitted without drilling oversized holes for the fixing screws which eventually leads to these stress cracks

 

[Karmakiller]

Wow great info there guys you have prevented me getting myself into a nightmare...what great forum this is