Subsidence?

Mattvw

Hi all,
We have just had an offer accepted for our first house. However, now that things seem a bit more real, we have concerns over a considerable crack about 1.5" wide we noticed on our second viewing. It comes from the upstairs window, and almost reaches the patio doors below. The patio doors were a later addition to the property and it looks like the area has been patched? There are some half bricks added in the area and the bricks in the area a slightly different in colour. When we questioned the seller about it, they played it down and said it had been checked and had been given the all clear as no further movement was occurring (evidence of the check can be seen on the wall by small holes either side of the crack where it was apparently monitored, which has been filled with some sort of compound).
I would like to know if anybody has any experience of an issue such as this, and any advice they can give as our best course of action, if nothing else, will this affect our insurance premiums? I've tried to post a photo, but the page just crashes when I try. I'm starting to get cold feet but don't want to pull out unnecessarily...

HappyMJ

Mattvw wrote: »

Hi all,
We have just had an offer accepted for our first house. However, now that things seem a bit more real, we have concerns over a considerable crack about 1.5" wide we noticed on our second viewing. It comes from the upstairs window, and almost reaches the patio doors below. The patio doors were a later addition to the property and it looks like the area has been patched? There are some half bricks added in the area and the bricks in the area a slightly different in colour. When we questioned the seller about it, they played it down and said it had been checked and had been given the all clear as no further movement was occurring (evidence of the check can be seen on the wall by small holes either side of the crack where it was apparently monitored, which has been filled with some sort of compound).
I would like to know if anybody has any experience of an issue such as this, and any advice they can give as our best course of action, if nothing else, will this affect our insurance premiums? I've tried to post a photo, but the page just crashes when I try. I'm starting to get cold feet but don't want to pull out unnecessarily...

You will need to commission the services of a structural engineer. If they come back with a recommendation then make your mind up then. They can be quite expensive so you can just ask the engineer to look at that specific part of the building rather than the building as a whole.

Cracks could be anything they aren't always subsidence.

HouseBuyer77

It comes from the upstairs window, and almost reaches the patio doors below. The patio doors were a later addition to the property and it looks like the area has been patched?

Any significant hole in the wall (for windows/doors etc) will need proper support, a lintel of some kind (imagine a brick wall with something heavy sitting on top of it, now remove many of the bricks in the middle you'll have lines of bricks holding up the heavy things only being supported by the mortar on their sides rather than from below). It's possible the patio doors were not fitted correctly and the wall above not correctly supported.

When you say crack how deep is it, is it in the actual bricks or the rendering above? A dodgy (or simply old) surface finish could crack without any underlying structural problem. A 1.5" crack seens rather large, if it's got any depth whatsoever (and especially if it's in the brick itself) that doesn't sound good at all.

If the vendors say they have had it examined and have been told its fine ask to see the paperwork from the structural engineer who declared it so at the very least.

Have you had a mortgage valulation or any kind of survey yet? A valulation doesn't do much but should point out signs of major movement.

Mattvw

Thanks for the replies, the crack goes straight down, cracking the bricks as it goes. The more I write the worse this sounds!
I think they did the patio doors themselves so perhaps there is a problem with the support. We've been searching for ages for the right property and have our mortgage appointment tomorrow. I think you guys are right and we need to have it examined by a structural engineer before going any further, I suppose it's that (will probably cost a grand I guess which we definitely do without) or we walk away 😒

HouseBuyer77

I suppose it's that (will probably cost a grand I guess which we definitely do without) or we walk away

Whilst a full structural survey may cost a pretty penny the surveyor may be willing to do you a specific report just on this crack for much cheaper. Of course if it's got this problem this may mean others exist too.

MadelinesMum

It could be the lintel that has failed or if they put in their own patio door, then they may not have put in enough support.

Or it could be a sign of structural movement. You're only going to find out if you pay for a structural survey and that could cost £1000.