Builder 'impressed' with efforts of previous builder

Called to a suspected case of rising damp in a 1970's lean-to kitchen extension, builder James Dudley of Hertfordshire has declared himself impressed with the efforts of the builder originally responsible for the construction.

'Whoever built this', he said the day before yesterday, 'certainly knew what he was doing.'

It all started when housewife and mother of three Jennifer Preston began to smell damp in the kitchen. Suspecting her washing machine was backing up she called a plumber, a costly mistake.

'He spent an hour poking about before telling me that the smell was likely coming from rising damp and that I should get the damp course sorted.'

James Dudley inspected the property and found that it was indeed the damp course.

'Yes, there was a little crack in the outside wall. I realised that the wall had subsided a bit on one side, creating effectively two walls. Between them both, like tectonic plates, the damp course has come asunder', he said, demonstrating the effect by rubbing the sides of his hands together.

'But whoever did this considered the possiblity of this occuring and made sure the kitchen was future proof.'

As a result Mr Dudley would only have to remove a few bricks, replace the damaged section of the damp course, tidy up some of the pointing and the kitchen would go on another thirty years. Best of all, the work would take only a few hours.

'Yes, the previous builder was certainly no cowboy', said Mr Dudley.

'By building, as we all strive to do, to the very highest standards he has saved Mrs Preston a lot of money.'