Buying a house with a crack in the wall, serious? (Picture)

sgtpepper_2

This problem is a bit beyond my basic DIY knowledge, but would anyone know if this crack that is filled is likely to be something serious like subsidence or something more superficial?

Basically I'm buying a property and it has this crack running up the outside wall, I've question the vendors but have only been told that its been there since the 1970's and its fine.

Would you buy a house with this issue?

trollopscarletwoman

Absolutely get a full survey.


Not the valuation and not homebuyers in my view. Could be settlement. could be ongoing. Needs to be looked at.

Even if it is declared as settlement which has stopped home insurers seem to view it as a potential plague. Even though it probably doesn't exist. if there has been movement then they see it as you have to declare it.

sgtpepper_2

trollopscarletwoman wrote: »

Absolutely get a full survey.


Not the valuation and not homebuyers in my view. Could be settlement. could be ongoing. Needs to be looked at.

Even if it is declared as settlement which has stopped home insurers seem to view it as a potential plague. Even though it probably doesn't exist. if there has been movement then they see it as you have to declare it.

Thanks, I will request a full structural survey as part of my bank's property valuation, but wanted to get some opinions before that costly stage.

trollopscarletwoman

I'm no builder but looks from the picture that the cracks in the bricks has simply been cemented over.

Would not the cracked bricks have been chopped out and replaced to make a more permanent repair?

sgtpepper_2

trollopscarletwoman wrote: »

I'm no builder but looks from the picture that the cracks in the bricks has simply been cemented over.

Would not the cracked bricks have been chopped out and replaced to make a more permanent repair?

Maybe if it was subsidence but if it was purely cosmetic then they might have done a quick job to try and cover it.

G_M

I woudn't bother with a 'full survey' (unless you wanted one anyway). It would likely simply refer to 'evidence of movement' and recommend a "Structural Engineer's report".

So I'd instruct a SE straight off to look just at that issue.

A structural engineer is not a chartered surveyor. He's a specialist (think GP Vs Consultant in a medical scenario)

ruggedtoast

That is one massive ugly looking crack my friend.

Wi88le

Not only is there the line all the way up it looks like there have been further repairs done near the front, can see long lines of vertical mortar.

bluebeary

grass in the guttering

I_have_spoken

COuld come tumbling down at any moment

DaftyDuck

That is a nasty, nasty crack, travels through multiple bricks and beyond both floors. There is an appalling repair and that too has failed. There is some evidence of recent movement from the freshness of the cracking, so it is an ongoing problem. There is also grass growing in the gutter and the roof margin is poorly laid ..... So maintenance has been lacking and jobs that have been done have been done cheaply and poorly.

I'd say it had and has subsidence, and I'd expect repair costs to cost many tens of thousands, insurance to be costly, and resale difficult.

I agree with G M that you need a structural engineer to look at this one defect, but you certainly need a full survey of the whole property as well.

Any buyer would want an opinion of that crack, so try to get the vendor to pay upfront.