0161 723 2000
8AM to 5PM
0161 723 2000
8AM to 5PM
Japanese knotweed can be a nightmare for the homeowners as monetary implications often extend beyond just paying for its treatment or removal. This troublesome weed can lead to devaluations in property value, as well as the refusal of mortgage and planning applications due to the potential damage that the plant is capable of inflicting to walls and foundations of building.
Japanese Knotweed Solutions Ltd provide customised and site specific services to private and commercial clients for the treatment, control and eradication of Japanese knotweed. The cost of removal varies between sites and is dependent on the methodology undertaken and any specific site requirements.
We are considered as an affordable but quality knotweed removal company. Each scenario is different
and you will receive a bespoke quote. An idea on costs and what you could expect is below.
Our first step is to identify if you have Japanese knotweed. For a quick ID, you can send us some photos. Alternatively, we can carry out a full site survey to confirm the extent of the infestation.
Our first step is to identify if you have Japanese knotweed. For a quick ID, you can send us some photos. Alternatively, we can carry out a full site survey to confirm the extent of the infestation.
Our first step is to identify if you have Japanese knotweed. For a quick ID, you can send us some photos. Alternatively, we can carry out a full site survey to confirm the extent of the infestation.
When assessing the cost of treatment or removal, it is recommended to consult with an expert, who can determine the area and severity of the infestation as well as advising on the legislative obligations involved in the treatment or removal of the weed such as the selection of herbicide and regulations concerning disposal. It is important to understand that the cost of allowing Japanese knotweed to grow is far more troubling than the cost of its removal.
The area of infestation should be inspected by a professional who can complete a suitable management plan for the site which includes treatment options and associated costs. This document may be required by the mortgage lender.
The cost of treatment of the Japanese knotweed includes the services of the specialist as well as the costs for equipment and herbicides and are dependent on the methodology. Chemical treatment is highly effective and often one of the cheapest methods for control, however it could take up to five years for the Japanese knotweed to be completely eliminated.
If you choose to remove the Japanese knotweed by cutting or digging it out, you’ll need to bear in mind the cost of disposal. Since the plant is classified as controlled waste, it must be transported by a licensed carrier and disposed of at a licensed landfill site. This is to ensure that the plant is not unintentionally spread.
There are various factors that should be considered when calculating the cost of removal, including the size of the area, the method of treatment i.e. spraying or stem injection, whether the waste will be treated onsite or transported and disposed of off-site, and the time required to complete the treatment or removal.
The cost of treating or removing Japanese knotweed is minor when compared to the potential damage the plant could cause to buildings. For more information on the treatment of Japanese knotweed, get in touch with JKSL, the leading specialist in the identification, management and removal of the weed. With over 15 years of industry experience, JKSL have tried and tested methodologies backed with a 10 year Insurance Backed Guarantee for private and commercial clients.
I believe I have a Japanese knotweed infestation.
How can I contact you?
Japanese knotweed can cause problems when applying for a mortgage as the aggressive growth pattern of Japanese knotweed is capable of exposing weaknesses in hard engineered structures such as concrete, tarmac, brick walls and foundations.
Specific problems caused by Japanese Knotweed are:
All of which are reasons why mortgage lenders are reluctant to lend on properties with Japanese Knotweed.
Our specialist surveyors will carry out a full site survey at your property in order to assess the implications the Japanese knotweed has on both yours and the surrounding properties.
Our surveyors will then produce a report which includes your treatment options, the different methods we use, COSHH (Health Risk Assessment), a cost breakdown, photographs and a marked drawing. We will put together a management plan which will satisfy the criteria stated by the mortgage lender in question.
When it comes to matters related to Japanese knotweed and mortgages, JKSL work closely with the Council of Mortgage lenders to provide a practical hassle free specialist package to make selling or buying a property with Japanese knotweed easier for all parties concerned, due to our reliable removal of knotweed from domestic homes.
JKSL offer 10-year Insurance-Backed Warranties.
These warranties cover any works completed by JKSL and all works are carried out in accordance with the INNSA Code of Practice & SEPA guidelines, allowing you to have full confidence in any of our Japanese knotweed mortgage services.
Our warranties are issued to the property, therefore should the property be sold, the warranty will remain in place and any future treatments will still be carried out. We can speak to you in more detail about our knotweed mortgage solutions and make sure you are fully informed on the impact of Japanese knotweed and mortgages in the UK.
I believe I have a Japanese knotweed infestation.
How can I contact you?
What is Japanese knotweed?
Japanese knotweed is an invasive plant which attacks our gardens at will and which can seriously damage buildings and construction sites if left unchecked. It’s been in the papers so much that we’d practically need a live blog to keep up, with our efforts in raising awareness here at JKSL a big part of that. To cut a long story short, Japanese knotweed was introduced to the UK in the late 1840s, when a Dutch doctor called Philipp von Siebold came here and began to sell it to botanical gardens and high society figures in the guise of an ornamental plant, largely because it is rather nice to look out upon. Which was all well and good until the turn of the century, when the public’s perceptions of Japanese knotweed changed, and many gardeners began to regard it as a nuisance. In fact, it quickly picked up a bad reputation, starting to ‘escape’ and grow in the wild. In the 1930s, its presence was so intense that it began to reduce house prices by £100 in the geographical locations where it had started running riot. That impact of reducing house prices is still prevalent today, although we may be talking many thousands of pounds at this point, but more on that later.
It came via the aforementioned Dutchman by the name of Philipp von Siebold who brought it back to Europe around 1829. The original plant was propagated in his native Holland and marketed around Europe by Von Siebold & Company of Leiden. It was sold (notably to botanical gardens and the upper classes) principally as a decorative plant, similar in look to bamboo. Thereafter, the Victorians cherished the plant because they liked the look of it at the time; failing to appreciate what a mistake that would be for the future.
The best time to spot Japanese knotweed is during mid-summer and early autumn. During spring, reddish/purple shoots appear from the ground, readily able to grow up to 2cms a day, forming into dense stands of bamboo-like stems that develop green heart or shield-shaped leaves. However, there are a number of other plants which bear an uncanny resemblance to Japanese knotweed (such as dogwood, lilac, ornamental bistorts, Himalayan balsam, broadleaved dock and bindweed to name but a few Japanese knotweed dopplegangers). Therefore if in any doubt, we’d urge you to contact us ASAP, and we’ll send round one of our team of experts to give it a positive ID, or not, as the case may be.
We’ve all heard big claims and boasts at various times in our lives, but when it comes to debunking the myths surrounding the subject of Japanese knotweed, some go a little far. The truth is, while Japanese knotweed is an aggressive plant, it cannot shatter through concrete on its own. But before we get complacent, Japanese knotweed can make its way through concrete; all it needs to find is a hairline fracture in any surface area – which can supply the weed a direct link to both light and water – and it can begin to push on through to the other side. Over time, the knotweed will build pressure in the object it’s pushing through which can of course compromise the overall rigidity of the structure, be it concrete or otherwise. So while Japanese knotweed can’t penetrate through a solid slab of concrete per se, it can habitually make its presence felt in and around poorly laid/formed patios/driveways/block paving as well as underground sewage pipes, drains, cavity wall spaces, vents, air bricks, fences and walls. This presence can result in a range of subsequent issues from subsidence to burst water pipes.
There are a number of reasons why we think we’re the best service in the business. For starters, we’ve been at this as long as anyone, (since 2002 to be precise) with our founder, Mike Clough, leading the charge in raising awareness about the dangers of Japanese knotweed. One of the main reasons there have been stories about the plant on the BBC’s Inside Out and in various national newspapers is because of our efforts.
That said, awareness alone isn’t enough to prove our qualification. So how about the fact that we operate a team of trained and experienced professionals, are available throughout the week and around the country, offer a 100% success guarantee, can deal with commercial and domestic properties, and also invented our own technology to deal with the issue more effectively?
Basically, we have the expertise to go with our passion. It adds up to an integrity and reliability in the way we work, providing you a real peace of mind when confronted with Japanese knotweed issues and the stress and worry they can cause.
JKSL are also the founder member of INNSA, the Invasive Non Native Specialists Association. INNSA is the industry body for companies involved in controlling and eradicating invasive non-native species and aims to improve standards within the industry.
Similar to a lot of Japanese sports cars, Japanese knotweed is certainly no slouch. Whilst its 0-60 time isn’t quite comparable with that of a Nissan GT-R, it’s not that far behind. Described by the Environment Agency as ‘indisputably the UK’s most aggressive, destructive and invasive plant’, Japanese knotweed has the potential to grow 10cm a day on average (20cm at its most prolific). Within a couple of months, its stems can reach 3 – 4 metres. Underground, the rhizomes – the mass of roots – are also growing, and can spread up to 7 metres horizontally and 3 metres deep.
The one word answer to this is ‘yes’. More so if your property already has existing weak spots. Basically as the extensive network of Japanese knotweed roots grow, it will cause the soil around it to shift. So if the knotweed is located within 7 metres of a habitable space – and is causing damage to boundary walls – there’s a significant likelihood subsidence could become a factor.
It all depends on your budget, location and timeframes, but once these key factors are taken into account then there are a number of options available to you. These range from chemical or biological extraction through to traditional excavation means and our very own, bespoke MeshTech solution. Additionally, you could choose either on-site incineration or composting methods. To discuss your exacting Japanese knotweed removal requirements you should contact us today, but also feel free to take a look at our Treatments page.
No, not in the slightest. In fact, in some trendy restaurants Japanese knotweed is considered a delicacy of sorts; it appears as the core ingredient in a variety of lemony rhubarb, soups and fruit crumbles. In terms of household pets, the jury is still out, but probably best they don’t ingest.
The ideal time of year to tackle the threat posed by Japanese knotweed is during the summer months, which is essentially the period when the plant is in flower and the foliage is absorbing the most nutrients into its all-important roots. From a chemical/herbicide-based Japanese knotweed removal viewpoint, Autumn is the best time to spray the treatment directly onto the foliage. Having said that, there’s a counter argument that suggests that to afford greater access to the root cause of the problem, the winter provides the perfect window of opportunity; when the Japanese knotweed lies dormant for all intents and purpose. So, it really depends, but we’re available to provide professional advice & support on the ideal plan of action for your location.
Yes. Because as well as it posing a serious threat to the structural integrity of a property, it also throws up potential mortgage/selling issues if and when the problem is uncovered by a surveyor at any juncture in their process. It could also be your responsibility to ensure that the superweed doesn’t encroach on a neighbouring property or piece of private/commercial land.
Due to the ferocity and intensity in which it spreads, you can’t just sit back and do nothing when confronted with the spectre of Japanese knotweed. If you turn a blind eye to it, the superweed will get stronger, more difficult to treat and be more costly when it comes to the removal process. As we’ve already highlighted, it can cause extensive damage to structural work, including walls, fences, drainage systems and paving which could adjoin a neighbouring property.
As for the legalities, it’s worth noting the recent developments, because as of November 2014, ASBOs (or Community Protection notices) can now be issued to land owners with Japanese knotweed. The Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 notice can be used to require someone to control or prevent the growth of Japanese knotweed or other plants that are capable of causing serious problems to communities. The test is that the conduct of the individual or body is having a detrimental effect of a persistent or continuing nature on the quality of life of those in the locality, and that the conduct is unreasonable. Under section 57 of the Act, that “unreasonable conduct” includes “a failure to act”.
This depends on a number of factors, including where the knotweed is sited, how dense the knotweed is and whether there are any environmental impacts on the land and surroundings. Here at JKSL, our team of Japanese knotweed experts will take all of this information into consideration before devising a treatment package, which is bespoke to your land and area. Depending on which treatment you plump for, you can expect – on average – to see a turn-around time of a matter of weeks regarding excavation and on-site incineration processes, while the chemical treatments could take 2-5 years to see full returns. A lengthy, but vital, process.
You can, but we’d never recommend it as it will always make matters worse. Even a tiny fragment of the cut rhizome (root) is capable of regeneration, which in turn can lead to a significant increase in stem density. Apparently the royal household were doing this for many years at Buckingham Palace and the knotweed still came back. Also, spreading any soil contaminated with Japanese knotweed – with contamination reaching up to 7m of the plant – could contain the highly regenerative rhizome; which will readily grow into new plants.
JKSL offer two main forms of insurance, giving you a choice of cover during and after the process. The available options are Insurance Backed Guarantees, and Performance Bonds. Beneath are brief summaries, with far more detailed information available from the team here at JKSL.
For a Domestic site: JKSL include a 10 year insurance backed guarantee (IBG) on every domestic project. This is underwritten by an insurance company and backed by the trade body INNSA. For a Commercial site: The same cover as above but for 10 years on commercial projects. Not automatically included with every project, but it is available.
JKSL Performance Bonds are the forerunner and a separate option to the IBGs. Here at JKSL, our Performance Bond runs alongside our in-house warranty (the in-house warranty includes anything from quarterly to annual inspections). This is underwritten by a leading international specialist insurance group.
Finally, we thought you’d never ask! The easiest way is to visit our Contact page for our email and phone details. We’re happy to speak to you in more detail about how we can help you with any aspect of Japanese knotweed identification, treatment and removal.
I believe I have a Japanese knotweed infestation.
How can I contact you?
Japanese knotweed is spreading rapidly and could endanger your home.
Japanese knotweed or Fallopia Japonica is a highly invasive weed that is capable of causing serious damage to buildings and their foundations if not removed in a timely and correct manner. There are many different ways of treating and removing Japanese knotweed and we provide the most effective solutions, both in terms of cost and complete, permanent removal.
It used to be the case that only commercial developers knew about Japanese knotweed, but now insurance companies and mortgage brokers have caught on, and are now insisting on Japanese knotweed free properties. Do not worry however, as this is only normally an issue for property owners if you are considering selling or buying a property and are applying for a mortgage.
What do I do if I am buying or selling a property with Japanese knotweed in or around it?
Japanese knotweed is now recognised as a threat to the security of a property by numerous mortgage lenders. Many RICS surveyors are now advised to report the presence of Japanese knotweed as a notifiable incident in their reports. Unfortunately, some major lenders have even taken the action to flatly refuse to lend on such properties. However, at JKSL we have been working closely with RICS surveyors and mortgage lenders to provide you with a full comprehensive site survey and bespoke report that is aimed at the mortgage lenders. In these reports we will supply an accurate scaled drawing of the site and the Japanese knotweed infestations, along with a full site report where we use our experience and knowledge of the plant to assess any risks and the overall impact of its presence. From this we can then comprise a realistic treatment methodology. We also offer a full range of standard and insurance backed warranties. We understand that selling or buying a property can be a stressful ordeal and appreciate that there are many tasks and complicated paper work to be completed in this process. We therefore aim to offer you with a stress free service that is completed entirely in house by a specialist team from start to finish.
Even after all papers are exchanged and keys have been handed over we will continue our work and regularly monitor the property through our unique warranty system in order to safe guard the property. If you are considering selling or buying a properly and have concerns about Japanese knotweed please feel free to contact our specialist survey team.
I believe I have a Japanese knotweed infestation.
How can I contact you?
I’m beginning to think there is no such thing as impartial advice. In this day and age who can you believe about anything? On a typical day when I start to read the paper, I realise that I am being manipulated into making decisions that ultimately line somebody else’s pocket.
Everything is about money.
This thought process started years ago with me when I was first married and wanted nice places to take my new wife for weekends away. I bought a ‘hotel’ guide which I (naively) thought would be an unbiased review of hotels on which you could rely.
On looking through the guide I realised that there was a review of the hotel round the corner from where we lived. The pictures were unbelievable – it looked as though the guesthouse was in the middle of open countryside, having cropped out the quarry and the tip which sits just in front of the building.
The obvious thought process then follows – if this review is so inaccurate then it throws doubt on all the other hotels in the guide.
To be in this particular guide you have to pay a fee. Simple as that – there appeared to be no checks on authenticity of photographs or quality of service.
A new hotel opened recently in Buxton within ‘the crescent’ which is a wonderful architectural listed building. The hotel has a spa and a pool and by all accounts will be a popular place to visit. The hotel opened during lockdown…. yet managed to get a number 3 position in the top ten UK spas in a review in The Times newspaper.
How can that possibly be accurate? Nobody had been …?
When having been in business for a few years, I remember being contacted by an awards company who led me to believe that through hard work and quality of service, I had been nominated for recognition by the industry. When following this up (in my over excitement) I signed up for sponsoring the dinner and buying multiple tickets for the event.
This was just a money-making scam.
I was recently contacted by a company who offered to award me ‘Best Knotweed Contractor’ in the UK. When I quizzed him on what standards this was based, he stated out right that all I had to do was pay the fee and I would get a small silver cup and a mention in his magazine.
What gradually dawns upon you is that – NO – YOU DID NOT WIN A POPULARITY CONTEST – you were suckered into paying out money to win a fake award that means absolutely nothing.
So, apologies to all you ‘winners’ of various awards that you so proudly present on ‘Linked-in’ – ‘what an amazing night’ – ‘congratulations to the team’ etc. etc. …. it’s all bollox.
I’m convinced this goes on at every level of contact that we have with social media…and in fact any media.
Buy this ….and you will look like David Beckham, wear this…. and you will smell like Brad Pitt, drive this…. and you will save the planet.
There is soooooo much misinformation out there that it is impossible tell what’s really going on.
I was quietly having a coffee in my local cafe the other day when an elderly lady passed me a pamphlet titled ‘SAVE THE PLANET’. She wanted me to join a protest against fossil fuels and to sign a petition against the use of glyphosate.
I told her that I was actually a user of fossil fuels and that I ran a weed control company that used glyphosate.
She then told me that she actually never drove.
She had never learnt to drive.
She had never actually left Glossop in her life …but was convinced that cars were bad.
She then went on to tell me that Japanese knotweed wasn’t really a problem and that Himalayan balsam was good for bees.
She was aiming to do a sit in protest on the Tesco petrol station from 8am on Saturday with a group of her friends.
In The Times this morning I read that one of the leaders of the protesters camping out on the M25 campaigning for insulation for social housing …. ‘Iives at home with his mother …’ ????♂️
What the f**k are we supposed to do when the world has idiots like this claiming to own the moral high ground when actually knowing NOTHING about what they are protesting about.
Seriously it just makes me want to build the wall higher round my garden and retreat into solitude.
The truth is out there somewhere ….but until then ….
Just leave me alone.
Mike C
