Bay window subsidence?

uneverknow

Hello, I'm considering putting an offer in on a house that's showing some cracks around the 1st floor bay windows. I'm worried this could be due to subsidence.
Pictures attached, wonder if it's more likely to be subsidence or just old settlement?
The agent said this could be due to concrete tiles that were put the roof a few years back, and that the roof was further reinforced with timber beams in the loft and that the cracks are old and settled. But it could also be due to the bay moving.

I would do a structural survey before buying the house, but if it's already looking like subsidence I'd rather avoid the cost of the survey and walk away. Would be a shame as it's the right house and location otherwise, but I'm a single parent and don't want to get into dealing with property complications. Thanks in advance for any feedback.

JJR45

I personally hate houses with render as I always think it is hiding something.

hazyjo

Very common for bays to crack or drop slightly. I had similar cracks in my last house. Buyer sent round a structural engineer who said nothing to worry about.

That'd prob be your next move.

justworriedabit

JJR45 said:

I personally hate houses with render as I always think it is hiding something.

Totally agree and the render look newish so imo it is trying to hide something

it could be that there is a leak or tree close by and easily fixed,

to me it looks as though the insides of the sills has been filled before

i'd steer clear and only go for it with a full structural survey 

justworriedabit

Btw, where about is the house as london has clay soil and known for faults like that.  do any other houses on the road have cracks and/or rendered other than next door. possibly knock on next door and ask if you feel ok with that.

has anyone else had a survey on the house or wait a bit and let someone else do the survey and then pick EA's brains and or make an offer or higher offer if another in situ.

I'm almost 100% cert someing has been going on but it could be historical but i doubt it

DYOR and good luck

FreeBear

Subsidence is a problem with foundations. What you have here is higher level cracking that might be a result of heavy loads from the roof. The first thing to do is look at the windows on the ground floor - Are the frames distorted. Is the ground floor ceiling flat & level and free from cracks. Is there adequate support on the corners of the bay, both ground and upper floor. Put a spirit level on the upstairs floor - Does it slope down in the bay..

That socket on the wall is non standard, and needs to be replaced - They are unsafe and a danger, especially if you have inquisitive children around.

justworriedabit

FreeBear said:

Subsidence is a problem with foundations. What you have here is higher level cracking that might be a result of heavy loads from the roof. The first thing to do is look at the windows on the ground floor - Are the frames distorted. Is the ground floor ceiling flat & level and free from cracks. Is there adequate support on the corners of the bay, both ground and upper floor. Put a spirit level on the upstairs floor - Does it slope down in the bay..

That socket on the wall is non standard, and needs to be replaced - They are unsafe and a danger, especially if you have inquisitive children around.

I've seen a house with poor foundations/problems to the front and the front of the house falling away from the rest with cracks like that - it could be poor foundations under the bay window part.

theoretica

FreeBear said:

That socket on the wall is non standard, and needs to be replaced - They are unsafe and a danger, especially if you have inquisitive children around.

They look like normal sockets with 'protectors' (which are usually of very questionable safety, but the work of moments to remove) https://www.safetots.co.uk/babydan-twisting-plug-socket-covers-pack-of-24.html

justworriedabit

Jsut showed the pics to my OH - he believes it's poorly installed windows.

Ask  when windows installed and by a fENSA reg outfit

FreeBear

theoretica said:

FreeBear said:

That socket on the wall is non standard, and needs to be replaced - They are unsafe and a danger, especially if you have inquisitive children around.

They look like normal sockets with 'protectors' (which are usually of very questionable safety, but the work of moments to remove) https://www.safetots.co.uk/babydan-twisting-plug-socket-covers-pack-of-24.html

OK.. I don't have any, so didn't recognise them as "protectors". Rather a pointless device as the UK has some of the safest sockets in the world.

uneverknow

Thanks everyone for your responses! The house is in Bournemouth, so there is some subsidence in the general area, the soil is clay and sand. Many properties in the area have rendering, partly to protect from the coastal winds I guess, so it doesn't look too unusual.
 
The market is mad at the moment and houses go so quickly, and I'm in a position when I have to move houses but there's not much on the market. I will probably end up make an offer subject to survey and have a structural engineer assess the situation.