Viewed house... but it has two big vertical cracks... subsidence??

neas

Hi all,

Wife and I have started looking at properties.. and theres a nice one we just had a look at but a big problem with the back exterior walls appears to be present.

Theres 2 approximately 2 metre size cracks running vertically from befroom windows down to the conservatory door (down to red bricks above conservatory door anyways).

They easily noticeable from 20 ft away so fairly wide. Is this subsidence?

Also other houses next door and down street appear to have similar cracks going down the houses.

G_M

A 2 metre crack? That's called a door isn't it?

:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

Seriously, sounds like subsidence. The whole street has it? Is the street on a slope? Or the gardens slope away?

I'd be cautious. A survey would tell you if it's serious but do you want to spend money on a survey and mortgage application fees, not to mention getting emotionally attached to house, only to have to pull out later.

You could try direct questions to the owner and/or agent, but bear in mind they both want to sell the house....

Fire_Fox

The only person who can tell you is a surveyor who has inspected the property, or someone who has already dealt with such a surveyor. Have you asked the vendors what they know, or the neighbours, or the estate agent? Do so to the former and latter in writing, so they don't have the opportunity to fib.

1984ReturnsForReal_2

Doesnt sound like subsidence.

It sounds like when they made the conservatory door (or made it bigger) & when they put a beam in it dropped like it does sometimes.

But the only person who can tell you that is a structural engineer.

neas

Its also near a mobile telephone mast i think... so am trying to 'turn off' from getting it

elfen

Get it surveyed, I'm guessing from the cracks it either needs or will need VERY soon to be underpinned. If you still want it, make an offer accordingly.

googler

Was the conservatory installed after the house was built? If so, sounds' like a bodge it & scarper on the construction......either wrong kind of lintel or no lintel on the door (which has maybe been converted from a window...?)

marcg

If the door has been converted from a window without widening it doesn't need a new lintol.

The cracks sound like the building is either spreading or squashing in the plane of the wall - so either the bottom of the doors is getting narrower or wider. Either way, not good - avoid.

Any future buyers will ask the same questions.

PasturesNew

My money is on the conservatory opening not being supported sufficiently (or at all).

clutton_2

i agreee about the conservatory construction possibility as the cause... do the other houses in teh street which have similar cracks also have conservatories ?

i am assuming the 2 meters is vertical length..

how wide is it ? - one finger, two fingers... ?

is it in a mining area ?

how old is the house ?

is it terraced or semi ?

wuckfit

It's always worth paying the extra and getting a full structural survey done in these situations. Is there a history of mining in the area and the whole street might have settled since the properties were built?
As others have said, it does sound like it's connected with the conservatory.