Rainwater downpipe subsidence

Holdonaminute

Hi everyone,

I've just moved into a Victorian house and along the bay next to party wall I have a large diagonal crack. I have the same crack in same position in my upstairs bay. Also brick at first floor cracked externally. Had a cctv survey done, all clear. No other issues identified in my house.

Today noticed next door have a wall separating our driveways and where the wall is generally connected to the house wall, saw rainwater downpipe set up to chuck rainwater on to driveway as there'sno gully, no soakaway just set up to chuck rain down onto the driveway wall they've built. Could this possibly be causing the cracking?

Thanks

Green_hopeful

It’s difficult to say without photos but there is a great Facebook group called “your old house uk - repair and conservation” they really know their stuff. They will need photos to be able to help. https://www.facebook.com/groups/youroldhouseuk/

Holdonaminute

Thanks @Green_hopeful. First pic is downstairs and second is upstairs. I'll post them on the Facebook site you've suggested as well.
 

stuart45

External photos would help a lot as well.

Green_hopeful

@holdinaminute will see you on Facebook. 😊

Spikeygran

Worrying with it on both floors.  I wonder if the lintel has cracked over the ground floor window?  

It looks like a lot more is going on behing the wallpaper to the right on the first photo.  If it were me, I'd probably get some expert advice, especially if nothing was flagged up on the survey. 

Holdonaminute

Thanks all. I think I'd better peel the wallpaper back on those bits. I was trying to avoid peeling back as we're not able to redecorate yet but it seems like there's no other way to actually see what's going on. Will post some further pics here and on Facebook

Holdonaminute

Hi everyone. I've managed to peel the wallpaper back. I did give the walls a basic lick of paint in the process. First set of pics are downstairs bay

Holdonaminute

These are upstairs bay

Holdonaminute

So downstairs got a crack on party wall. Party wall side of bay and along ceiling.

Upstairs both side of the bay.

Had a helifix person come round and they said it's the neighbours downpipe that's not connected to gully that's causing movement. It's literally draining here

grumpy_codger

Old bay windows are notorious for being prone to subsidence just because of very poor foundations. Rain water possibly contributed to this