House & Building Construction in Sintra

About our service in Sintra

Damp is Sintra's structural problem and it has three origins that are easily confused. There is water rising from the ground by capillary action in walls with no barrier, which leaves the characteristic tide mark; there is infiltration through roofs, gutters, flashings and facades exposed to damp wind; and there is condensation, made worse in old houses fitted with new airtight windows and little ventilation. Each one calls for a different treatment and all of them produce mould on the walls. We always diagnose carefully first, because applying the wrong solution costs the same and resolves nothing. Often more than one origin is at work at the same time, and that shows up in the diagnosis too. In restoring hillside houses, we work with materials compatible with what is already there. Thick stone walls perform well when they are allowed to dry, and sealing them with cement and plastic paint is the most repeated and most expensive mistake: the water is trapped and the paint blisters months later. We use mortars with a compatible base, treat timber against moisture and fungal attack, overhaul roofs before touching the interiors and ensure proper ventilation in kitchens and bathrooms. It is slower and it is what separates work that lasts from work that has to be repeated. On the hillside quintas we also review the drainage of the ground around the house, which stops the water before it reaches the walls. On licensing, Sintra demands patience and preparation. Classified areas, protected landscape constraints and heritage requirements mean opinions from outside bodies on siting, massing, materials and facade alterations. It does not pay to design first and ask afterwards. We check the status of the property before the design advances and assemble the application with the right documents. In a municipality where badly prepared files sit for a long time, that is the fastest route through. We explain from the start which part of the programme is not ours to control.

In Sintra we regularly handle:

Services Included

• Diagnosing all three origins of damp before any work
• Restoring stone houses with compatible mortars
• Overhauling roofs, gutters and flashings exposed to hillside rain
• Treating timber against moisture and fungal attack
• Preparing applications in classified and protected areas

Areas We Serve

We work in Sintra town, Estefânia, Portela de Sintra, São Pedro de Penaferrim, Colares, Monte Santos, Mem Martins and Algueirão.

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