Cause before surface
Our chief engineer records the damage at the site visit and identifies the cause before we quote. Painting over it is not remediation — the moisture would stay in the wall.
Damp remediation in Zurich.
Damp patches, flaking paint, a musty smell: before we renew plaster and paint, we find out where the moisture is coming from — a leaking pipe, joint or seal, rising damp or condensation. Only once the cause has been fixed and the wall is dry do we rebuild: plaster, waterproofing, paint. In Zurich, Winterthur and throughout Switzerland.
Three firm commitments.
Pipes tested
If a pipe is the cause, we repair it and test it with a pressure and leak test — with a test report for your files and for your insurer.
One sequence through to the finished wall
Strip-out, plumbing, plastering, waterproofing, tiling and painting come from one company, and we coordinate the technical building drying. Fixed-price quote within 48 hours, labour and materials separate.
First the cause, then the wall.
Mould and damp damage always have a cause. The Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH, BAG) states that materials which stay damp for several days are very likely to grow mould — and that no mould grows without moisture. As a common cause, the FOPH names poorly insulated external walls on which moisture condenses, together with inadequate ventilation, for example due to defective extract systems. Less often, water gets in from outside — through driving rain, cracks, inadequate drainage, leaking pipes or rising damp from the ground. Sanitary sealant joints that shrink over the years also let water into deeper layers. That is why we work in a fixed order: identify and fix the cause, remove damaged plaster and coverings, let the wall dry until the moisture measurement allows, then re-plaster, waterproof where needed, prime and paint. Close up too early or simply paint over it, and the stain often comes back the next winter.
Strip-out and rebuilding — from our archive.
From our photo archive — every image can be opened.
Strip-out & dismantling
Full strip-out before fit-out
Zurich
Strip-out & dismantling
Partition walls, shell stage
ZurichFrom damp patch to dry wall.
Five steps — and the first is always the cause.
- 01
Site visit and cause
Our chief engineer records the damage: where, how large, since when, and which cause is likely — pipe, joint, seal, moisture from outside or condensation. If a building-physics assessment is needed, we tell you and coordinate it.
- 02
Fixed-price quote within 48 h
Fixing the cause and rebuilding, item by item, labour and materials separate — ready to forward to the property management and your insurer.
- 03
Fixing the cause
Repairing the pipe with a pressure and leak test and a test report, renewing joints and seals. If the extract fan is the problem, a licensed electrical contractor does the work, coordinated by us.
- 04
Strip-out and drying
Removing damaged plaster and coverings, photographed before disposal. We coordinate the technical building drying; nothing is closed up until the measurements allow it.
- 05
Rebuilding and acceptance
Plaster, waterproofing where needed, primer and paint — in wet rooms waterproofing and tiles. Joint acceptance with a report, 5-year warranty from acceptance.
What it costs.
What damp remediation costs depends on the cause and on how much surface is affected. The binding figure is the fixed-price quote after the site visit. Our 2026 unit prices for labour (excl. VAT, materials separate): plaster repairs CHF 25 per m², cement plaster on walls up to 15 mm CHF 32 per m², two-layer masonry waterproofing CHF 38 per m², primer CHF 7 per m², crack reinforcement CHF 18 per m², water supply pipe CHF 55 to 70 per running metre including a pressure test. There is no guide price for technical building drying: we give you the price after the site visit; it depends on the damp surfaces and building parts, and on how long the measurements require drying to continue. In Zurich and the surrounding agglomeration travel is included; further afield it appears as a fixed item in the quote. Guide prices for the other work:
Removing tilesCHF 32–40per m²
Waterproofing wet areasCHF 28–40per m²
Skim coating Q2 / Q3CHF 18–25per m²
Painting wallsCHF 18–25per m²
Painting ceilingsCHF 20–28per m²
- On-site survey and advice
- Binding quote, item by item
- Waste and packaging from our work
- Pressure and leak test with report (plumbing)
- Site cleaning and broom-clean handover
- 5-year warranty from acceptance
Frequently asked questions.
What we are asked most often about damp walls and mould.
Where does the moisture in my wall come from?
The FOPH names as a common cause poorly insulated external walls that cool down in the cold season and become damp, and inadequate ventilation — not always because of the occupants, but also because of defective extract systems, dirty cooker hoods or very small windows. Less often the water comes from outside: driving rain, cracks, inadequate drainage, leaking pipes or rising damp from the ground. Which cause applies in your case is what we clarify at the site visit.
Is it enough to paint over the patch?
No. According to the FOPH, no remediation can lead to a satisfactory result if the cause of the excess moisture has not been identified and fixed. Anti-mould products are no substitute for remediation, the FOPH says, and the FOPH and trade associations advise against biocidal interior paints and plasters in living spaces. We fix the cause first, remove damaged plaster and rebuild the wall once it has dried.
What should be done about mould?
The FOPH recommends removing mould growth in living and occupied rooms promptly and professionally, and states that the causes of the moisture problem must always be identified and eliminated as well. For the remediation, the FOPH refers to the leaflets of Suva (the Swiss accident insurance fund) and of the Swiss painters' and plasterers' association (SMGV). The FOPH does not recommend air measurements for hidden mould; according to current knowledge, there is no reliable method for this. How we proceed in your case and which protective measures are needed is something we discuss at the site visit.
I am a tenant — who is responsible?
Report damp and mould to the property management or landlord. Under Art. 257g of the Swiss Code of Obligations (OR), tenants must report to the landlord any defects they are not themselves required to remedy; if they fail to do so, they are liable for the resulting damage to the landlord. The FOPH advises describing or photographing the damage. Further investigation is the responsibility of the landlord or property management; claims to a rent reduction are governed by Art. 259d OR.
Will the insurance cover the costs?
That is for your insurer to decide based on your policy. In the canton of Zurich: according to its own information, the GVZ (Gebäudeversicherung Kanton Zürich, the cantonal building insurer) does not insure damage that was not caused by the sudden action of natural forces, such as the effects of moisture, nor damage caused by burst pipes; these are to be covered on a voluntary basis by private building water insurance. We provide photos, the test report where pipes are involved, and a quote with labour and materials shown separately.
How much does damp remediation cost?
That depends on the cause and the area; the binding figure is the fixed-price quote after the site visit. Our rates for labour: plaster repairs CHF 25 per m², cement plaster on walls CHF 32 per m², two-layer masonry waterproofing CHF 38 per m², painting walls CHF 18 to 25 per m², water supply pipe CHF 55 to 70 per running metre including a pressure test. Materials and VAT are added; we give the price of the technical building drying after the site visit.
How long does the wall need to dry?
No fixed figure can be given in advance: it depends on how damp which building parts are. We coordinate the technical building drying; the moisture measurement is what counts. We only plaster and paint once it allows — otherwise moisture stays trapped.
What helps against condensation?
As a rule of thumb, the FOPH recommends a relative indoor humidity of 30 to 50 % during the heating season and airing with a through-draught at least three times a day for 5 to 10 minutes. Defective extract systems must be repaired promptly. If moisture still keeps appearing at the same cold spots, the wall and its insulation belong in the assessment.
Do you also work in Winterthur?
Yes — in Winterthur, in the city of Zurich and throughout Switzerland. Outside Zurich and the agglomeration, travel appears as a fixed item in the quote. If water is still escaping, our emergency plumbing service is available around the clock on +41 76 524 98 98.
Related:
What does it cost? Guide prices in 30 seconds.
Choose an area, choose a service, move the slider — you see the guide price for the labour straight away. Materials and VAT come on top; the fixed-price quote is binding.
Area
Service
Guide price for Painting walls · 40 m² wall area
CHF 720 – 1'000
CHF 18–25 per m²
Two coats, covering included (paint as materials extra)
- Labour only · materials extra · excl. VAT
- Budget range — not a binding total price.
Unit prices for the labour from our 2026 price list (lower price segment), excl. VAT. The higher figure applies in difficult conditions. Materials, disposal of strip-out material, crane, scaffolding and permits come on top. The guide price does not replace a site visit.
Let's talk about your project.
The consultation is free. You get a confirmation straight away, and we call you back within one hour (Mon–Fri 08:00–18:00).