Possible subsidence. How concerned should I be?

Black_Cat2

Didn't anyone notice the burglar in the picture? 😉

greatcrested

Black_Cat2 said:

Didn't anyone notice the burglar in the picture? 😉

I assumed it was the OP's partner:

I'll leave structural comments to the more expert posters here, but whilst it won't affect the foundations,peeing up against the wall may not be the best idea!

jimbog

Are those sliding doors upstairs leading onto the roof? 

MovingForwards

@Doozergirl may have a few ideas

Norman_Castle

If this was deemed to be subsidence removing and rebuilding this corner on better foundations might be an option.

Its possible its moved because of the drop to the right.

The new fence covering the window suggests the neigbours were miffed about being overlooked.

KJIWTIStructE

This extension looks quite poor. The crack is located where the wall is weak due to the window, the small panel below the cill takes very little load. Hopefully the corner has a post where the windows meet, who on earth puts windows around a corner looking into a neighbor's garden? Looks like they came by some spare double glazing and cobbled together a dodgy extension, sorry but it is bad...
1. The sliding doors upstairs indicate the roof is used in some way. There is no barrier so this is possibly illegal, plus the roof probably isn't designed for the imposed loading that walking on it would apply, not saying it will fail but the finished might and then it will leak.
2. Whole thing looks damp.
3. Does it have planning and building regs?
I would not buy it but if you really like the house get a full structural survey of the whole thing and try to get someone with a damp meter also.

tui85

Hello all and thank you for your responses 

Chandler85 said:

I'm no structural engineer but the whole extension looks wonky.

Those small holes look like the signs of an injected chemical damp proof course. Which  would seemingly be pointless given the ground is an high as it.  That is assuming chemical damp proofing actually works, but we don't need to get into that.

Alter_ego said:

The last picture seems to show a line of holes disappearing into the ground, what are they ? DPC injection? 
Is the extension leaning or is that an illusion caused by camera angle?

The extension is sloping, in a big way. No optical illusion. Our builder suggested this was simply so that rainwater would run off... Why they'd choose to make the slope sideways though I don't know..... Or perhaps the roof is sloping because somebody left their spirit level at home. 
The holes are apparently from damp proofing. Why do you suggest this is pointless given the height of the ground.....?

jimbog

tui85 said:

Hello all and thank you for your responses 

Chandler85 said:

I'm no structural engineer but the whole extension looks wonky.

Those small holes look like the signs of an injected chemical damp proof course. Which  would seemingly be pointless given the ground is an high as it.  That is assuming chemical damp proofing actually works, but we don't need to get into that.

Alter_ego said:

The last picture seems to show a line of holes disappearing into the ground, what are they ? DPC injection? 
Is the extension leaning or is that an illusion caused by camera angle?

The extension is sloping, in a big way. No optical illusion. Our builder suggested this was simply so that rainwater would run off... 

Did the builder actually say that? The convention is to just pitch the roof to let water run off. 
I think you need to find a new house (and a new builder)

tui85

KJIWTIStructE said:

This extension looks quite poor. The crack is located where the wall is weak due to the window, the small panel below the cill takes very little load. Hopefully the corner has a post where the windows meet, who on earth puts windows around a corner looking into a neighbor's garden? Looks like they came by some spare double glazing and cobbled together a dodgy extension, sorry but it is bad...
1. The sliding doors upstairs indicate the roof is used in some way. There is no barrier so this is possibly illegal, plus the roof probably isn't designed for the imposed loading that walking on it would apply, not saying it will fail but the finished might and then it will leak.
2. Whole thing looks damp.
3. Does it have planning and building regs?
I would not buy it but if you really like the house get a full structural survey of the whole thing and try to get someone with a damp meter also.

Thank you for your message. 

1. There is no post in the corner where the windows meet. It's all window....

2. Our builder suggested that the roof would be fine to use for walking, sitting, laying decking etc. But I'm beginning to wonder if perhaps he just wanted us to buy the house so that he could complete all of the work he suggested we have done! The roof has leaked in the past and has been repaired (to what standard I don't know)

3. What in particular makes you say that the whole thing.looks damp? Aside from the evidence of damp proofing?

4. No record of planning permission with the council, but have been advised by council that planning permission may not have been required, and due to it's age (80s), even if it was built without permission, that would no longer be an issue. 

5. Anything else indicating that the extension is "bad"? Any other general thoughts? Feels a real stroke of luck to have a structural engineer on here :-)

We'll be getting a structural surveyor out ASAP. 

Many thanks 

tui85

tui85 said:

KJIWTIStructE said:

This extension looks quite poor. The crack is located where the wall is weak due to the window, the small panel below the cill takes very little load. Hopefully the corner has a post where the windows meet, who on earth puts windows around a corner looking into a neighbor's garden? Looks like they came by some spare double glazing and cobbled together a dodgy extension, sorry but it is bad...
1. The sliding doors upstairs indicate the roof is used in some way. There is no barrier so this is possibly illegal, plus the roof probably isn't designed for the imposed loading that walking on it would apply, not saying it will fail but the finished might and then it will leak.
2. Whole thing looks damp.
3. Does it have planning and building regs?
I would not buy it but if you really like the house get a full structural survey of the whole thing and try to get someone with a damp meter also.

Thank you for your message. 

1. There is no post in the corner where the windows meet. It's all window....

2. Our builder suggested that the roof would be fine to use for walking, sitting, laying decking etc. But I'm beginning to wonder if perhaps he just wanted us to buy the house so that he could complete all of the work he suggested we have done! The roof has leaked in the past and has been repaired (to what standard I don't know)

3. What in particular makes you say that the whole thing.looks damp? Aside from the evidence of damp proofing?

4. No record of planning permission with the council, but have been advised by council that planning permission may not have been required, and due to it's age (80s), even if it was built without permission, that would no longer be an issue. 

5. Anything else indicating that the extension is "bad"? Any other general thoughts? Feels a real stroke of luck to have a structural engineer on here :-)

We'll be getting a structural surveyor out ASAP. 

Many thanks 

Also, any thoughts on the slope?