Possible subsidence?

[Stefxg]

Hi all,

We have had an offer accepted on a house, but are concerned there is structural damage. The home is a deceased persons home, so their solicitor is acting as executor. There has clearly been previous tests for subsidence, but apparently they have no documentation or reports relating to this for us to see if it was subsidence and what the cause was.

I booked a building surgery and attached some photos of where the previous owner has tested for subsidence, and he told us to save our money and pull out as it needs a structural engineer.

If there is structural damage, I have a feeling it could be from the big trees outside. We would be knocking the garage down anyway for better foundations as we would want to extend above. But I am also concerned about cracks inside and outside the front of the property. I’m not sure whether this is as there isn’t enough lintel support as the windows are very large, or whether it’s structural.

We have been quoted £1200 for a structural engineers report, but I’m reluctant to start spending that amount of money for a house we might not keep if it did have subsidence.

I’ve attached some photos of the garage, internal and external front of the house, and a photo from outside showing the trees - can anyone with experience help on whether this looks like subsidence please?

Thanks.

 

[Londoner2]

Leave it, find another house.

 

[^woody^]

Catch 22. Wants to know if subsidence, don't want to pay someone to see if its subsidence.

 

[RonnyRaygun]

Need photos of the whole elevations to have any idea

 

[Fred Blogs]

No idea and neither will you have unless you pay the money. I wouldn't buy it with those cracks anyway. walk away.

 

[^woody^]

Need photos of the whole elevations to have any idea

He he. Can't you tell from the photos posted?

Subsidence would be top of the list by the looks of it. But who relies on the internet when spending a few hundred thousand?

 

[kingandy2nd]

There’s been some crack measuring previously, those plastic trackers that have been partially removed. So certainly a history of subsidence monitoring.

Even if it’s not subsiding, getting insurance or reselling the house that has a history of possible subsidence will be difficult.

 

[RonnyRaygun]

There’s been some crack measuring previously, those plastic trackers that have been partially removed. So certainly a history of subsidence monitoring.

Even if it’s not subsiding, getting insurance or reselling the house that has a history of possible subsidence will be difficult.

Yes, and you would expect the vendor to have some crack monitoring records and reports that they could pass onto the OP. There would potentially be recommendations of work to be carried out (such as pollarding or removal of trees).

If there is a report that states that mitigating work has been carried out, the movement has stabilised and a repair schedule has been provided, then once repaired the property could be stable for the forseeable future, provided tree planting and sizes are limited, for example.

Also important to know if any monitoring, reports etc were paid for as part of an insurance claim as this will affect future insurance and property value.

Potentially room for negotiation and getting a property for a lower price but you need to be armed with all the facts to know if it's a risk worth taking.

 

[^woody^]

The thing is, when paying for a structural engineer's report, you are not payng for someone to say "It's subsidence, that's £1200 please"

Rather you are paying them to say "This is the problem, this is the cause, this is what needs to be done, this is what you need to do, and this is what it will cost to be done. That's £1200 please"

Then you take that info and decide on the risk or opportunity, and make an offer accordingly.