What is the difference between damp proofing and waterproofing?

When people refer to damp proofing they are generally talking about measures to keep ground water out of a building while waterproofing is used to describe treatments that prevent any water entering a property.

A useful guideline when thinking about the differences between damp proofing and waterproofing is to remember that damp proofing is typically used to prevent damp problems above ground, while waterproofing is generally employed to solve damp and flooding problems below ground, like a basement or cellar.