Large Crack on Exterior of Wall

Daz_col

New Member
I went to view a property on Friday and although the house felt extremely run down and in need of serious renovation, there were no major concerns. I did have a bit of a moment looking at the exterior where I noticed a hairline crack between concrete render and brick work which joins an extension but after calling a builder pal of mine, we deemed it to be not a big deal as It’s an old house.

I was successful in bidding on the auctioned property, at the time I thought I got a steal of a deal and now I know why!

I returned to the property today to price up some jobs and I came to this outdoor crack. I looked all the way up to the roof and was majorly concerned to see a large crack all the way from floor to roof where the extension joins.

I dug around much more on the interior, and where the crack is externally there is definitely signs as to this problem entering inside (signs of damp).

1. What is the likely problem (i presume subsidence but I didn’t know how common this issue is with adjoining extensions as the crack is purely down the extension line).

2. How likely am I to get a mortgage on the property?

3. What are best options to fix this?

I'm gutted I didn’t scan up to the roof when I initially noticed the hairline crack on Friday as I would have seen this problem and reconsidered my offer. Naturally I’m rather miffed at myself for not noticing this sooner and gutted as i feel like i may be losing a lot of cash for a very simple blunder. To my untrained eye, this looks like quite a big deal and I’m rather worried. Any advice would be appreciated.
 

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OP,
Why not post pics of the interior cracks - first remove more plaster - to get a rough opinion?
And pics showing where the lower roof join(s) to the upper roof?
There might also be cracking on the 0pposite, far side of the extension?

In the long run you will need an opinion from a SE.
Items 1. 2. 3. I wouldn't try to answer - there are too many unknown variables.
 
I noticed a small crack on the interior yesterday. I’m heading back there today will try and get some more pictures
 

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I have just returned to the property. I chipped away at some plaster so unearth rather large cracks in walls and ceilings. I am now more confident at saying this is subsidence and footings will need underpinning.

if I underpin this property and restore the cracks would this ever be an issue in selling afterward?

is there ever a point these cracks would be deemed too much or would the property be sound after relevant works are carried out?
 

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I think I wouldn't go to an SE straight away - I would first get a good builder in to have a look and recommend work, which may be exporatory. Once more of the structure is exposed, an SE will be better able to determine whether any specific remedial action is needed.
 
Judging by issues with my parents’ house many years ago, they needed a surveyors report into the subsidence, the engineering plan of the underpinning and the Building Control sign-off. They were lucky as the subsidence appeared after they had been there for many years, so the insurance paid for the work, less an excess.


As it stands, I doubt you will get a mortgage.
 
I think I wouldn't go to an SE straight away - I would first get a good builder in to have a look and recommend work, which may be exporatory. Once more of the structure is exposed, an SE will be better able to determine whether any specific remedial action is needed.
Why would you reccomend a builder first? Just in case it isn’t as bad and could be fixed on a smaller scale?
 
The part of the building on the left, which I assume is the extension, has settled. This has been made worse by the lack of ties or 'keying in' of the new build into the old allowing each part of the building to move separately. This is a serious fault and is indicative of poor workmanship during the build of the extension, expect to find more horror stories.
 
If a serious fault, is it fixable? I don’t want to inject many tens of thousand into this project for the house to be unsellable afterward?
 
Why would you reccomend a builder first? Just in case it isn’t as bad and could be fixed on a smaller scale?
I would always start by collecting as much information as possible before spending money. Get some opinions from builders who can look around, assess the situation and give their opinion, which may involve getting an SE involved at a later stage.
 
The part of the building on the left, which I assume is the extension, has settled. This has been made worse by the lack of ties or 'keying in' of the new build into the old allowing each part of the building to move separately. This is a serious fault and is indicative of poor workmanship during the build of the extension, expect to find more horror stories.
Looking at the bricks in the second photo, I would expect the new part of the building on the right. Also, the flat roof is on the right, suggesting that is the extension. I think the movement is in the original building.

I think you’re right about insufficient ties between the main building and extension.
 
If a serious fault, is it fixable? I don’t want to inject many tens of thousand into this project for the house to be unsellable afterward?

Anything is fixable, depending how deep the pockets are and how strong the resolve is. For what it’s worth my guess is that the extension footings weren’t good enough and there was very little tying in to the main building done.


I would always start by collecting as much information as possible before spending money. Get some opinions from builders who can look around, assess the situation and give their opinion, which may involve getting an SE involved at a later stage.

An engineer first is the way forward, then builders can quote based on the remedial detail. Builders are not going to be thrilled at being called to a property to give their time, experience and opinion for free, with no immediate chance of getting any work from it.
 
I'd be inclined to get your builder mate back for a better look and his views: you obviously respect his opinion and a few pints of Guiness go a long way.

Differential settlement between original and extension is very common as the extension will typically be founded deeper.

You want an experienced SE rather than a 5minute look and "underpin" as a safe option.

Underpinning can actually make matters worse unless you do the whole structure. Back in '76 I had the dubious pleasure of suffering subsidence damage courtesy of a rather nice oak which affected the other half of the semi. The specialist send by the insurance company would cheerfully have pinned my half which would have increased the differential movement and made the cracking worse. In the event we removed the tree which turned out to belong to my neighbour rather than the council as we thought. Cracks closed up, making good done move on.
 
OP,
Your new pics of the interior, presumably mirror cracks, indicate the next obvious step is for you to email a SE - send the above pics to give the SE a heads up.
Dont waste any Builder's time - go straight to a SE.
Dont prescribe with your views about tie-ins or subsidence etc. Absorb what a professional SE who's on site tells you.

Ask for a written report of existing conditions and how to fix them - the best surveys, by whoever, include key'ed in pics to match the report items.
Walk the survey with the SE and ask questions,
Ask for sketches if you dont understand what is being recommended.

In the meantime, search the property for any other cracks, out of level floors, and frames that are stiff to open.
FWIW: if you come back here it would be interesting to see what eventually transpires.
 
Thanks very much for all of your inputs. I’ll be deadly honest I’m massively stressed and this is not how I expected my first renovation to go. Shows a bit of inexperience I guess!

In a slightly awkward position as I had to pay a 4.5% auction fee within 2 hours of my winning bid. It was a lot of money (non refundable) which I now feel like is hanging in the balance. Don’t know wether to cut my losses now and pull out or crack on (pardon the pun) and hope I can get a mortgage and try make good of the situation and continue my plan, albeit on a tighter budget and fingers crossed if it is underpinned it doesn’t devalue the house massively. That is even if I can get a mortgage, might fall short and lose the 4.5% anyway.

I’m meeting with an SE on Friday so will keep people updated.
 
OP,
Perhaps you were influenced by such TV shows as "Homes Under the Hammer"?
Many have been - we dont expect public TV to be full of fantasists and liars.
eg. people of no building experience claiming to have done most of a full refurbishment themselves, over six weeks, for a pittance cost - yeah!

But outside of the trades I'm just the same wanting to believe unbelievably cheap car schemes - we are all all too human.
 
I would not buy this place with the hope of refurb and sale at a profit. I would buy it to live in myself or rent to others over a long period.
 
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