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Home RepairRenovating
robin_turner7858034

Purrchasing a property with cracks in gable wall.

Robin Turner
4 years ago

I renovate property for a living and am currently looking at a property that is built on sand (literally on the sea front UK). the house is pebble dashed and has cracks running from the floor to the ground floor window and up to the window above.

I've had the survey back and it says that it's likely it's a collapsed drain (as the cracks seem to be coming from where a drain is) and the leak is moving sand away.

My questions - how difficult is something like this to repair? Is it similar to underpinning? Will this make it difficult for people to get a mortgage on?

Thanks!

Comment (1)

  • Jonathan
    4 years ago

    Any kind of movement like this
    means removing the cause of the problem before repairs. You haven’t said how big the cracks are- if they are hairline then you will probably be advised they are mainly cosmetic- if the crack is 6mm or bigger then the house needs more than some filler and paint- but I suspect you get that on a thread like this advice and opinion can’t be specific.

    Drains can costs thousands, only about 10% of subsidence is bad enough to need underpinning so odds are this won’t, but the house will need internal and external repair.
    Its the responsibility of the current owners although it may be covered by their insurance.
    The insurance company will inspect the drains, repair them and then after they are satisfied the property has stopped moving (via months of monitoring) they will repair the damage.

    Expect this process to take a year. It is possible that your mortgage lender will be ok with the work needing doing but you need to have that conversation with them before you go any further.
    Remember that any insurance claim will put up future insurance premiums which might affect how much you are prepared to pay for the house.

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