We’d like to remind Forumites to please avoid political debate on the Forum.
This is to keep it a safe and useful space for MoneySaving discussions. Threads that are – or become – political in nature may be removed in line with the Forum’s rules. Thank you for your understanding.
PLEASE READ BEFORE POSTING: Hello Forumites! In order to help keep the Forum a useful, safe and friendly place for our users, discussions around non-MoneySaving matters are not permitted per the Forum rules. While we understand that mentioning house prices may sometimes be relevant to a user's specific MoneySaving situation, we ask that you please avoid veering into broad, general debates about the market, the economy and politics, as these can unfortunately lead to abusive or hateful behaviour. Threads that are found to have derailed into wider discussions may be removed. Users who repeatedly disregard this may have their Forum account banned. Please also avoid posting personally identifiable information, including links to your own online property listing which may reveal your address. Thank you for your understanding.
📨 Have you signed up to the Forum's new Email Digest yet? Get a selection of trending threads sent straight to your inbox daily, weekly or monthly!
HELP - Have we got subsidence?
devmcc
Posts: 216 Forumite
Hi all… not sure if this is the best place for this thread but here goes..
We bought a 1930’s semi detached house around 4 months ago – had a homebuyers survey which noted the house had moved in the past but nothing to look any further into.
Now, the window frames were rotted – and we had 3 at the back replaced – we left the kitchen as we are going to extend…removing the window to become a walk-through. The kitchen window now has a 20cm crack from under the middle of the frame right down the brickwork – at its widest around 1cm thick – this goes right through to the inside wall. Could this just be water damage as the frame has rotted so much or is it more likely to be subsidence?? There is also a very fine crack from the bedroom window down to the living room – these are the ones we had replaced..
Can anyone help as we are driving ourselves mad!!
Also, should we notify the Insurers or the mortgage lenders???
Any help would be great…
We bought a 1930’s semi detached house around 4 months ago – had a homebuyers survey which noted the house had moved in the past but nothing to look any further into.
Now, the window frames were rotted – and we had 3 at the back replaced – we left the kitchen as we are going to extend…removing the window to become a walk-through. The kitchen window now has a 20cm crack from under the middle of the frame right down the brickwork – at its widest around 1cm thick – this goes right through to the inside wall. Could this just be water damage as the frame has rotted so much or is it more likely to be subsidence?? There is also a very fine crack from the bedroom window down to the living room – these are the ones we had replaced..
Can anyone help as we are driving ourselves mad!!
Also, should we notify the Insurers or the mortgage lenders???
Any help would be great…
0
Comments
-
You didn't say whether the cracks have appeared since you moved in?
It's quite common to get cracks around replaced windows if there wasn't adequate support when the old windows were removed. If the crack is down to that factor, then that's not subsidence and just needs the cracks filled in.
The other crack in the kitchen seems more of a worry. Again, is it a new crack or an existing one? If it's an old crack then your surveyor must have seen it.
Why not try to contact the surveyor - the details will be on your HBR - I'm sure they'd have some words of advice for you - he may even pop out to have a look
Don't panic though, buildings insurance is a godsend 0 -
Hi there-thanks for replying ...
The crack in the kitchen seems to have appeared since we moved in. I didnt even notice the crack between the bedroom and living room - it was the window fitter that pointed it out to me - the house is 1/2 pebbledashed so it was hard to spot!
I will give the surveyor a bell tomorrow - I have just read all sorts of nightmare stories about the surveyors washing their hands when things go wrong.. I have been googling for an hour and driven myself to despair!!
Thanks again... and you are right - thank God for the insurers!!0 -
Googling things like that is almost as bad as self-diagnosing before seeing your doctor!
I ran survey offices for 12 years - surveyors are very conscientious - tell them exactly what you've said above and I'm 99% sure they'll pop back for a quick look. They're probably in your area at least once a week so it wouldn't take them 20 minutes! He'll probably want to look for his own peace of mind - to make sure he didn't miss any cracking when he inspected it last time.
Good luck and let me know how it goes 0 -
Tiger_greeneyes - I hope you have the best week of your life.. you should be a shrink!! You have put a tired mind at ease...
THANKS a million and one.0 -
Awww, bless ya Devmcc, you're more than welcome 0
This discussion has been closed.
Confirm your email address to Create Threads and Reply
Categories
- All Categories
- 351.7K Banking & Borrowing
- 253.4K Reduce Debt & Boost Income
- 454K Spending & Discounts
- 244.7K Work, Benefits & Business
- 600.1K Mortgages, Homes & Bills
- 177.3K Life & Family
- 258.3K Travel & Transport
- 1.5M Hobbies & Leisure
- 16.2K Discuss & Feedback
- 37.6K Read-Only Boards