Damp and moisture meters
The report places stipple render, the north elevation and moisture trapped behind the texture in one paragraph. Which of those were inspected, and which were merely named?
The stipple render and the north elevation were inspected as surfaces that could be seen. Moisture trapped behind the texture was named, not measured. Stipple is a thrown or patterned face, and the north elevation is which wall it is on. Trapped moisture would sit in or behind that coat, and the coat was not opened. The survey has not cored the render, has not proved water is held there, and has not decided the texture must be removed.
Last reviewed 24 October 2026. Written for buyers in England and Wales unless this answer says otherwise. No named surveyor has signed this page. It is general guidance, not a report on your house, and not legal advice.
What is the fuller explanation?
Stipple is thicker on the high spots, so it holds dirt and looks darker on a north face that sees little sun. Darker does not mean saturated. Moisture trapped behind the texture is a concern about the coat, not a result. Proving it would need openings or a moisture investigation. This visit looked at the face only and left the coat unopened.
Tell the solicitor the face of the north elevation was seen and the trapped moisture was not proved. A render or damp specialist can investigate the coat if you need to know whether water is actually held. Do not hack the stipple off on the back of a named risk. The lender has no core result and no moisture profile. Any specification for the render is a later document, not this survey.
What should you ask your surveyor?
- Was the stipple itself seen, rather than opened?
- Was trapped moisture named without a measurement?
- Did you identify the north elevation without testing the coat?
What are the typical next steps?
- Separate the visible stipple from moisture that was only named.
- Ask a specialist to investigate the coat if you need proof.
- Tell the solicitor the render was not cored.
Costs vary with the building and with who you instruct. Where this page does not cite a published figure, ask the surveyor, a relevant specialist, or your solicitor for a written quote. Do not treat a forum average as the price.
Also asked about this
Does a green north wall mean the render is saturated?
Not from colour alone. A north face stays damper and grows more marking, and stipple holds dirt. The survey saw that elevation. It did not measure water in the coat. Green or dark texture is not a moisture reading, and it does not prove water trapped behind the face.
If the stipple is cracked, has the trapped moisture been confirmed?
No. A crack is another face defect, and this paragraph's point is that moisture behind the texture was named rather than measured. Cracks were not turned into a test. Water may be getting in, or it may not. The survey has not confirmed a reservoir behind the stipple.