Builder and architect have just taken my kitchen apart - plaster off walls, kitchen units taken out, floor tiles removed, believing there was rising damp underneath. What they found was underfloor pipes leaking in several places. The property is a period property, and the quote I've been given to fix matters (excluding kitchen at 8k) is 30K. This includes replastering and tanking the walls and floor, disposing of all the rubble, and chaning the central heating system to a closed sytem - involving a new boiler and pipework, and reconnecting plumbing and electrics afterwards, repainting, tiling and blocking up one door. The insurance assessor will only cover the cost of replastering and tiling. He will give me something towards new kitchen units, and something towards loss of rent. It is a rental property and I have currently lost two month's rent. He won't cover the cost of new pipe work, or new boiler (have to have new boilder as my crrent boiler has no expansion tank in it). He won't cover the cost of removing plaster and tiles on floor, or disposing of same, although this could not be avoided. I meant to ask him would he cover the cost of architect fees for project management which are 5.5k, but I forgot. Does anybody out there know what I can claim for. Do I need an independent assessor of my own? Would really appreciate any advice. Thanks, Elaine.