Bay window crack Help

Moh_29

That house does require extensive work. Both front and back bays need looking at. Roof needs looking at and total renovation.we have negotiated and they have knocked of 5k they wont budge further. Survey suggest 20k worth of work. Potentially they may reduce another 5k.
What is the potential cost to reconstruct the bay?

stuart45

Difficult to price over the net. I've worked on a total rebuild for a firm I worked for and there was a fair bit of work in it. A day for a couple of chippies to board up inside, strip the roof and take out the window. A day for me and a labourer to dig out the footings and concrete them. Another day to build up the brickwork. Another day for the chippies to put the window and roof back. Then the roofer and plumber for the flashings. Plasterer for inside, and chippie for 2nd fix. Luckily no rad in the bay.
Don't think 5K would have gone far in todays prices. Never underpinned one, so it may work out cheaper.

g1001

Common problem with bays. I live in a 1930s semi which has a two storey bay. Every year we end up with some cracks in the plaster APPX. 5mm this is due to seasonal movement of the ground. The bay is lighter and shallower then the main house walls and so moves at a slightly different rate. I'd suggest unless there are signs that the bay is moving away from the main house walls rebuilding seems a bit over the top. The size of bay is small so I'd try underpinning the existing foundations first but don't forget to form transition zones where the bay wall meets the house walls.

Moh_29

I'm sure the cracks I've pictured have been there for quite sometime. How do I know if the cracks are formed due to seasonal movement and not because it going to "collapse".
I ask now as the vendors have reduced the price by a further 5k.

Has anyone have any experience or know anyone who has had their house underpinned? And what is underpinning?
 

EssexExile

Underpinning is basically just digging a hole below the foundations and filling it with concrete. It's done a bit at a time, say a metre, so the building doesn't fall down during the process. We had our garage underpinned when we built over it. It's not complicated or difficult but your buildings insurers will probably want to know about it and may reduce your cover for subsidence.

g1001

Moh_29 said:

I'm sure the cracks I've pictured have been there for quite sometime. How do I know if the cracks are formed due to seasonal movement and not because it going to "collapse".
I ask now as the vendors have reduced the price by a further 5k.

Has anyone have any experience or know anyone who has had their house underpinned? And what is underpinning?
 

EssexExile said:

Underpinning is basically just digging a hole below the foundations and filling it with concrete. It's done a bit at a time, say a metre, so the building doesn't fall down during the process. We had our garage underpinned when we built over it. It's not complicated or difficult but your buildings insurers will probably want to know about it and may reduce your cover for subsidence.

To be 100% sure get it checked by a chartered surveyor or chartered structural engineer. However an indication that the bay is moving away from the house could be a full height crack that widens as it goes upwards this would indicate that the bay is pivoting outwards from the top which is common.  Unless there are other things going on with it underpinning the foundations and possibly introducing some stainless steel restraint straps sxrewed into the bay and back to the main house walls could be the solution you need. I haven't done any of this with my two storey bay by the way I just fill in the cracks and paint over them again. I'm happy with that personally.