Structural Surveys

Mattc-Teesside

Hi all

My name is Matt and I need a little advice

We've recently noticed our house has a couple of cracks next to the upstairs bay window, the driveway is getting more and more uneven.

We have plans to do a lot of renovating this year, but we don't want to pay out all the money if the structure is essentially broken.

I was looking at getting a survey done, but I don't know what things I should be asking for, or what sort of budget I should put together for the report. Can anyone help me understand what I should be asking for.

We have a couple of things we have thought.

1. The windows are old and simply need replacing and the brickwork repointed.

2. The driveway was 'done on the cheap' hence all the moving.

3. We had new central heating done last year and we suspect they poured the concrete down the drains and the pipes have cracked and water is seeping into the ground.

4. We have a large tree in the garden and with the dry weather, its been sucking all the moisture out the ground causing it to sink.

Maybe its one of these or none of them, but would appreciate advice on how to proceed.

Many thanks

Matt

111KAB

Approach a few structural engineers (try to obtain recommendations) and ask if they will visit you to provide a quote for a full structural survey. During their visit they are likely to comment on your problems and this may well determine if you decide to go ahead (and pay for) a full survey.
I will PM you re your 'thoughts'.

galleywench100

Hi Matt

I would get some quotes from a struct eng, also if you suspect the drains were filled with concrete you may wish to get a cctv survey done on the drains?

Hope it all works out.

cattie

Did you have a survey done on this house before you bought it? Only I'm sure some of those problems should have been pointed out in that if you did.

My last house had an uneven driveway & homebuyer's report identified it as not being laid with proper foundations (done by cowboys) so I knew it needed work when I bought it. Also, trees close to the house are normally commented on too.

Tr1pp

As cattie says, did you get a full survey (not homebuyer) report when you bought the place?

As for getting a survey done now - have you tried calling your building insurers, they may do a survey for you on the insurance.

afm_2

Tr1pp wrote: »

As cattie says, did you get a full survey (not homebuyer) report when you bought the place?
.

May I know why you are asking that to the OP? Is it because he would have some kind of protection if he did a full survey?

I am asking this because I am about to buy a property that had an extension done by one of the previous owners who was a builder. This scares me a bit specially because there are quite a few long and a bit large cracks on the extension and some on the top floor of the house that don't look very nice.

We will get a homebuyers report but we are unsure if that would be sufficient. Can you please tell me your thoughts on this?

Sorry Matt for posting in your thread but I could use a bit of help as well.

Mattc-Teesside

We've been in the house 5 years. When we had the survey done, none of these issues were there.

I worked abroad and we had new central heating fitting 2 years ago, I wasn't home when it was done so I can't honestly say what they did, but I suspect based on conversations with neighbours about this company, they did.

I'll get a survey done and maybe the CCTV to make sure its all OK and I'm worrying about nothing.

111KAB, thanks for the info. I think I will leave the drive for the time being and get it rectified next year.

The tree may have to come out, its bloody massive

Stacy1911

I had a full structual survey undertaken by MillerMetcalfe last year. Booked online so got a discount thoought it would cost around £600, but was charged £370. They were excellent.

The survey was very detailed. Only wish I'd paid attention to every bit of detail (house prurchase would have cost me less - lesson learned)!

iamcornholio

Don't waste money on a full structural survey

You only need comment on the things of concern not the whole house. So instruct a partial, or limited survey of those items

Cracking internally may be just plaster. Cracks that are on bother side of an external wall may need looking at though

New central heating changes heating patterns and so often causes plaster cracking and internal movement

If there are cracks to an external wall, then engineers will tend to want a drain survey as well, and if there are trees nearby, then they will invariably get the blame

So from an initial partial survey of something like £300-400, you should allow for a drain CCTV survey of say £150, and then the engineer may comment separately so perhaps another hour or two at £100/hour