just viewed a house that may have subsidence, please help

Richard_Webster

Even if you can transfer an insurance claim, that is all you are having transferred. So the insurer may decide there isn't a problem or may think the results are inconclusive and want further monitoring... Basically there are no guarantees as to what, if anything, the insurance company will pay for.

So what happens if they are still doing their monitoring in a couple of years time and you wnat to sell the house, but nobody is interested because they want to know the outcome before they proceed?

courtjester

Doozergirl wrote:

You're right courtjester.

Very gracious of you - thanks:j

Ems*Honie wrote:

Our garage has subsidence. Because it doesn't have the right depth foundations. It will have no effect what so ever on future sales and purchases once it is rebuilt, not all subsidence is that straight forward. As the gargae is attached to the house, it was considered part of the house during sale.

I could never understand the problem with underpinned houses, theres no subsidence there anymore, its been fixed!

Garages generally have shallower foundations than the main house and (usually) it is more economic to knock down and rebuild with better foundations at a depth below the problem. Underpinning is not a consideration on grounds of cost and this makes dealing with garages much easier - there is also not the internal extra cost or disruption associated with habitable parts.

The problem with underpinned houses is (1) whether it was done properly and the cause correctly identified and (2) insurers paranoid attitude to such property. Underpinning does not guarantee that the problem will not re-occur.

If there is evidence of a proper insurance repair with engineers reports confirming the likely success of the project then such properties are of course worth consideration subject to obtaining continuation of the insurance cover, but you can't necessarily expect everyone to take an enlightened view which could lead to future 'blight'.