Anyone have any idea about these cracks? Subsidence? Bressummer beam?

mdotp

Hello there,

I'm knee deep into the purchase of a Victorian terrace house and the Level 3 survey has noted a few issues. One of which is causing me the most concern - and is related to the front bay window, in addition to the ceiling and first floor sagging.

"The front bedroom floor is sagging in the middle over the area of the bressummer beam which may be defective and so I recommend that the bressummer beam is inspected as soon as possible and that if necessary, the main floor here is propped as this is currently a health and safety hazard and could be in danger of structural failure. "

I had booked a specialist company to come and survey it today but they cancelled - in the meantime I was able to get a lot more photos of the issue and I thought I'd see if anyone might have an idea of what we're looking at here.

There's cracking to the corners of the bay window at either side and it seems to extend across the entire of the ceiling.

The ceiling sags by about 10mm and upstairs the first floor is sagging too. 

I also noticed a large crack around 0.5m up from the floor on the side of the LHS of window internally.

The cracks are sufficiently big to have cracked through the millions of layers of dates wallpaper, then filled over and painted.

Our surveyor only really mentions a failing bressummer but it's difficult to know without an invasive survey.. Our builder thinks it's likely just down to shallower footings on the bay + settling, but he needs a closer look.

Does anyone here have any thoughts?

Thanks

mdotp

Photo of the front elevation of the house here too, and what looks like some patched up brickwork in the areas of concern..

stuart45

Looking at the brickwork above the bay roof, I would say that it's quite possible that the beam is failing. The foundations of the bay may be failing as well.

mdotp

stuart45 said:

Looking at the brickwork above the bay roof, I would say that it's quite possible that the beam is failing. The foundations of the bay may be failing as well.

Thank you - I'm wondering if it might be 2 separate issues at play here - or whether the presumed subsidence crack (horizontal on front wall) has in turn caused further issue with the bressummer beam slipping down.

The Level 3 survey recommended further investigation regarding the bressummer and I think he's right that it will likely need reinforcing and the ceiling propping.. The horizontal crack is bugging me separately through as this wasn't picked up on the survey for some reason.

Not sure what to do from here.. These seem like pretty big issues to take on!

FreeBear

mdotp said: Not sure what to do from here.. These seem like pretty big issues to take on!

Ask your surveyor what he thinks it might cost to make repairs. Did he do a valuation at the same time, and is it close to the offer price taking in to account any repair costs ?

You have three options.

1. Pay the asking price and suck up any repair costs.
2. Renegotiate a lower price taking in to account the reported defects.
3. Walk away.

A failing bressummer is repairable, but needs the advice from a structural engineer both on the specification of the replacement and propping up the floor/wall above whilst the work is being carried out. Won't be cheap, so don't try skimping on costs such as Building Control oversight or structural engineers.

stuart45

Whoever you get in to look at the issues will need to look at the flashing at the roof/main wall junction, which looks on the photo like a sand/cement fillet, and also the roof/firewall junction. These areas could be the cause of damp in the beam bearing ends.

Rosa_Damascena

FreeBear said:

mdotp said: Not sure what to do from here.. These seem like pretty big issues to take on!

Ask your surveyor what he thinks it might cost to make repairs. Did he do a valuation at the same time, and is it close to the offer price taking in to account any repair costs ?

You have three options.

1. Pay the asking price and suck up any repair costs.
2. Renegotiate a lower price taking in to account the reported defects.
3. Walk away.

A failing bressummer is repairable, but needs the advice from a structural engineer both on the specification of the replacement and propping up the floor/wall above whilst the work is being carried out. Won't be cheap, so don't try skimping on costs such as Building Control oversight or structural engineers.

If you really love it, Option 2 would be my preference. It's for the vendor to suck up a hard lesson in not maintaining their home, not for a buyer to bear the costs of this negligence.

Be prepared to walk away and tell the EA to do better next time.

mdotp

If you really love it, Option 2 would be my preference. It's for the vendor to suck up a hard lesson in not maintaining their home, not for a buyer to bear the costs of this negligence.

Be prepared to walk away and tell the EA to do better next time.

Inclined to agree here. Really disappointing but this can't be turned into our problem.

Thanks for your insight