First time buyer - Horizontal crack on external wall

Davesnave

It's pretty normal for cellars to have a few inches of water in them during periods of heavy rain. Obviously, if it's a lot more than that it would be a problem, but totally dry cellars are less often encountered than people imagine.

FreeBear

Rowingirl said: When the sellers removed the chimney breasts, did they remove or structurally support the remaining chimney stacks? If they did neither you could ens up with a chimney literally sitting in your lap.

And do they have Building Control sign off on the work. If there is no paperwork, run a mile, fast. Very fast.

As others have commented, the air bricks are partially (totally ?) blocked. This will compromise underfloor ventilation which could lead to the floor timbers rotting. Having a damp cellar liable to the occasional flood won't help - There should be a sump and pump down there to stop water lingering. If there is, is the pump working ?

If you go ahead with the purchase, don't waste money on having the cellar tanked. Cellars are inherently damp spaces, and tanking will only push water in to the upper walls and cause problems elsewhere.

Jack_Bauer

I can't thank you all enough for your comments and advice.

I have spoken to several RICs surveyors and most of them have suggested it would be better to instruct a Structural Engineer to ascertain the cause of the crack and other other potential structural problems. To that end, I have booked in a Chartered Structural Engineer for tomorrow for a site visit. They will be on site for roughly 1-1.5 hours.

I have exchanged pictures with them already and their preliminary suggestion is..

"The crack is definitely exhibiting signs of roof spread. The crack has started from the roof and worked down towards the windows. Hard to tell if the lintel has failed as there is render on the outside. Cracks travel to the edge above windows and doors as they are weak points in a structure".

The engineer also commented that the decking is high and would have that removed. Post that initial conversation, I have sent the following email to confirm the booking and to focus on the these items:

I look forward to reading your comprehensive assessment of the property, not limited to, but inclusive of the items of concerned I mentioned on our call, if applicable to a structural engineering report.

• Large crack at the rear of the property for which the neighbor has an identical crack.
• High decking covering air vents and if this is a concern with regards to damp for instance. I believe this was installed 5 years ago.
  
• Signs of damp on the rear of the property by the bay window
• Location of drainage and ascertaining access to drainage inspection chambers if possible
  
• Cause of the 1-2 inches of water that appears in the cellar during heavy rain, if this is a risk and how this can be remediated
• Checking of the roof supporting structure to ascertain roof spread
• Notes on if the window lintel has failed or not. The vendor replaced all the windows in 2013 I believe so potentially it wasn't done correctly?
  
• Determining if when the sellers removed the chimney breasts, if they removed or structurally supported the remaining chimney stacks
• Any other items you discover

I will of course update you all once I get the report back.

Jack_Bauer

Here are some more pictures of the house for those curious as to why I am pursuing it, just to put it into context

Rural_Puppy

Nice looking house inside. But you are quite right to try and ascertain whether it's a case of "all fur coat and nae knickers" as my gran might have said! Best of luck.

badger09

It does look good inside so I can see why you're attracted to it. Hope the structural engineer comes back with good news for you. Either way, it will be money well spent. 

Smodlet

It's a mid-terrace so not one I would consider but I wish you the best of luck, OP, and hope you will keep us updated.

Black_Cat2

Hiya Jack.  Looks lovely so I hope you get the outcome you want re. all the questions you have asked.  Never seen a building like the one in the garden before... is it a small studio or a shed or something? 

Jack_Bauer

Hi everyone,

Good news, I got a comprehensive 18 page structural report today from the Structural Engineer and touch wood, there doesn't appear to be any major structural concerns to note for the property. Excerpts from the report are below:

This report documents the findings of the non-invasive visual inspection of the structure conducted on the property ....

This report is based on a visual examination of the property. We have not inspected woodwork or other parts of the structure, which are covered, unexposed or inaccessible, and we are therefore unable to report that any such part of the property is free from defect...

The cracking that was observed generally under structural thesis was categorized as either negligible or slight. However, the extent of cracking displayed signs of movement that over the long-term must be rectified. Please see images below that display the areas that must be rectified and areas that are not of concern.

The engineer did comment that there appears to be no movement or bowing in the kitchen floor to suggest any concerns with the timber underneath this area caused by the covered air bricks. He did suggest that if an issue were to occur somehow that was still hidden, 5 years after this kitchen floor and garden decking was laid, that the kitchen flooring would have to come up and the underlying support made good. The remedial job would be simple and therefore the costs low. The greater cost would be in getting new flooring in place.

In terms of drainage, the engineer did not see any signs that there may be drainage issues with this property, side as movement and cracks to the sides of the building for instance. He didn't have any concerns about drainage but did suggest if I was concerned, I could conduct an independent drainage assessment if and when I moved in.

So it doesn't seem to be that bad, all things considered although there is one issue remaining. The vendor did have planning permission approved to get his chimney breasts removed and through lounge made, however he failed to get building regulations sign-off from building control therefore has no certificate.

Speaking with the engineer, he didn't notice any bowing or cracks in the through-lounge area to suggest that there is anything unsafe, and gallows brackets are used everything to support chimney breast removal including in his own house. Since there are no signs of stress in the through lounge in the 5 years this work was done, the engineer suggested the work was likely done well, using an adequate steel beam and padstone. The loft however could be supported with a steal beam if needed, but this can be done at the same time as a possible loft conversion, at which time, building control can sign this off.

He suggested, should there be any cause of concerns around this, and in the worst case, as mentioned in his section "recommendations for remedial work", for this work to be certified retrospectively,

" This would require the existing finishes to be removed to expose the supporting element to determine its capacity.The finishes in the wall where the support is resting must also be exposed to determine the size of the padstone or bearing of the support"

Doing so, including redecoration, shouldn't cost more than 3-5k, if it needed to be done, as I was told. Worst comes to worse, I can take out some kind of indemnity insurance for this?

Would love your feedback on this report, especially from those more in the know about these things but I am inclined to go for it and instruct the solicitors to begin the legal work. The price for it's location and condition seems to be a steal. The house did have an offer for £30k higher in August which fell through due to the buyer just going on a media blackout.

Indeed properties in the area seem to be priced similarly, however they all need tonnes of work to get them to scratch. I mean this literally. This house has had everything done. The engineer himself suggested he thinks this house is quite worth it, even with the potential overheads which shouldn't exceed 10k ish in the worst case. The house is in an area with outstanding schools, access to London in 30 minutes, lovely parks etc

Keen to hear your thoughts.

Doozergirl

That's a great, comprehensive survey. 

You can see what your issues are and they're presented sensitively with additional
photos.

A hundred times better than the average Homebuyers Survey that sends people screaming for the hills. 

Negotiate your vendor down a bit on those remedial elements and enjoy your new home!!