skip to main content
Photos
Photos
Advice
Stories From Houzz
Houzz Discussions
Houzz Research
Sign In
Houzz Logo Print
Explore Discussions
Home RepairOtherExteriors
faz1701

First time buyer - Horizontal crack on external wall

faz1701
3 years ago
last modified: 3 years ago

Hi,

Me and the mrs are looking to buy my first home in greater London for around £550k. I have offered on a property both myself and the Mrs really like which the owners claim was completely renovated by them around 5-6 years ago to the tune of close to £100k. Indeed it does look very nice inside. We were told no structural changes were done apart from knocking a wall to make a through lounge and making the upstairs bathroom 1m longer into one of the existing bedrooms.


During my first viewing with the estate agent, when looking at the property from the garden, I noticed the rear of the property had a very large diagonal, south easterly crack. The adjacent property had a similar crack in more or less the same place, albeit it was smaller and faced a south westerly direction. I raised this concern to the estate agent and he suggested it was the first time he had seen it too so wasn't aware it.

Fast forward 1 week later and we go for our second viewing, I have noticed the vendor has done a DIY job and plastered over the crack before I've had a chance to get the crack examined further.


I am wondering what I should do about this now. I really like the property but as a first time buyer...

  • The size of the crack worries me
  • The fact the adjacent property has a similar crack worries me
  • The fact the vendor has plastered over the crack before I can get a Level 3 survey booked in worries me.
  • Google searches indicate diagonal cracks are quite a bad sign?

What should I do?

The property is on a road which isn't flat but rather slopes downwards at one end. Not sure if that means it is more susceptible to subsistence or foundation issues?


Below is a picture taken by the estate agent on the property listing which shows the crack before anything was done to it. The crack on the neighbors property (on the right of the picture) is hard to see if at all, but starts at roughly the same place on the opposite site.



Featured Answer
  • eilidhmca
    3 years ago

    A building surveyor will be able to tell you whether that crack is a concern or not but they won’t be able to do any physical investigations,likewise with a structural survey they are unlikely to do any investigations into the crack - it’ll all be visual. It also looks like the windows have been replaced? The crack could be a result of these works, a building surveyor will be able to say if it’s a concern.

    My house has a cellar which has water seep through during the winter and during heavy rainfall, we have a cellar pump to remove the water. If a cellar isn’t tanked then there’ll always be water penetration. This didn’t impact my insurance or mortgage.

    Comments (8)

    • Jonathan
      3 years ago

      Is this it?
      If so a surveyor will likely tell you the cause of the problem is likely minor and just an inexpensive cracked lintel over the window.

      faz1701 thanked Jonathan
    • faz1701
      Original Author
      3 years ago
      last modified: 3 years ago

      Hi Jonathan, thanks for your comment.

      Should there be any concern as to the fact that the adjacent property has an almost identical crack albeit smaller, on the opposite side?

      It seems to be a symmetrical crack on both properties at exactly the same place. Picture below...



      The vendor seems open and genuine. I questioned them about any property concerns and this is what I was told...

      • When buying the property, the couple did not undertake their own private survey and the crack above the window has been there since they bought it. The reason he decided to cover it was because it has been there for 11 years and has never bothered them and didn't feel the need to worry about it. Since other potential buyers have also asked about it, he decided to just plaster it himself and save potential buyers the trouble of getting a builder to cover it, prior to selling the property. He is happy for any surveyor to remove the plaster to inspect it if needed.
      • The cellar gets 1-2 inches or so of water occasionally. There is a river nearby (River Roding) and he referred to this as as 'water bank' or something like that. Again it has never bothered him so he hasn't ever done anything about it in the last 11 years as he keeps his stuff in the cellar and it's all raised off the ground, but he suggested this was an easy fix.

      Based on these two points, I am wondering what the best steps are going forward.....

      • Can a RICS Level 3 Building Survey identify if there is any major issue going on with the property? As far as I understand it, their inspection is purely visual and they can't remove any plaster to see anything underneath.
      • Is a structural engineer report any different from a RICS Level 3 Building Survey. If so should I do it in addition to the above survey or instead of it?
      • Should I be worried about the 'water bank' issue and 1-2 inches of water occasionally turning up in the cellar? This kind of worries me a lot but I'm inexperienced so not sure if this is an issue.
      • Should I be concerned by the high decking and lack of ventilation? It looks like the decking is covering it all.
      • I think there is signs of damp on the side bay window next to the covered ventilation brick?








      Interested to know what you guys think.


      Thanks

    • Jonathan
      3 years ago

      If you do a google search on a cracked lintel you will see lots of similar pics- it the original builder put in a lintel over 100 years ago that wasn’t up to the job we really shouldn’t be surprised that the neighbours have the same issue. Most people do only a cosmetic repair in these cases but should you replace the lintel this is also not a major job. You might consult a builder to establish if they concur. You also understand that any advice on this forum is well meaning and often experienced but comes with no warranty.

      Water in a cellar- unless someone has spent thousands making sure there isn’t any water (in which case they would be using it as a habitable room and charging more for the house) there will be water in underground rooms.

      Decking- again ask a builder if there is any merit cutting it away near the air brick- personally I think the discoloured render in the bay is unrelated- I wouldn’t be at all surprised if they used to have a plant pot near there and it’s splash marks from the rain. To be sure look for signs of damp inside or ask your builder to check. Again this is best guess looking at a pic on my phone.

      Nearby river- your solicitor will do searches to see what the local risk of flood is. You might also speak to an insurance company to see if there is additional premium. A little water in the cellar does not mean the property has flooded.

      Surveyor- I’m in two minds since you seem nervous it might put you off or set you mind at rest. The thing to remember that unless you buy a brand new property there will always be responsibility for ongoing maintenance. In return you get a property with more character than most newer properties.

      faz1701 thanked Jonathan
    • Sonia
      3 years ago

      I would be more annoyed at the terrible render job done to the outside rather than one pretty thin crack. My sisters house had subsidence and the cracks were huge zigzagging across her rear wall. She too has a stream at the bottom of the garden. It was all dug out and underpinned and is solid as a rock now.

    • sarh123
      3 years ago

      You can look on the environment agency website to see if the property is in a flood zone- there are detailed maps. Also when choosing a surveyor have a chat beforehand and perhaps send them the photo and instruct the one who sounds as if they will take a proper look at the crack. This is a massive commitment and surely the last thing you want is an unsaleable or uninsurable house, however much you might love it.

    • Rowland
      3 years ago

      hi,

      I think that looking at the house there may be other work that needs addressing. The grey pacing surface has been laid over an existing paving and has increased the height of the ground level.

      this is evident at the air bricks that now seem to be level with the new increased ground level. The high pavement level can cause damp inside the property, so you should check and also ask when the pavement was laid.

      it is relatively straightforward to remove the paving and get levels back. but internally it will need more work. if it has only been in place a short time the internal issues may not have had time to manifest into a big problem.

      as for the exterior cracking, what can occur with replacement windows is that the firm installing the windows enlarges the opening orndisturbs a brick arch and the result is failure of the support of brickwork. if the property is victorian it will have brick arches over windows rather than lintel as suggested unless they have been replaced at some time.

      whilst I do not want to put you off your purchase, I would suggest getting a full structural survey carried out to ensure you are aware of what you are buying. Buying a home is a big investment and you dont want to skimp on the one thing that will give you peace of mind on the big purchase.

      best

      Rowland

      faz1701 thanked Rowland
    • Steph
      3 years ago

      I understand that the housing market in London is crazy at the moment with houses going under offer within the week of being listed. This can be very scary and intimidating, especially for first time buyers. You still have time on your side to get the stamp duty discount. If you think this is the one and you have an offer accepted, get the structural survey sorted ASAP. Then go round with a builder to get quotes for repairs. I would also get a boiler and heating pre-purchase survey and an electrics survey done (the structural engineer doesn't do these). Eg the boiler one costs around £100 (in my bit of London anyway) and will tell you if you need to spend a couple of thousands on a new boiler.

      faz1701 thanked Steph
    Sponsored

    Reload the page to not see this specific ad anymore

    More Discussions
    reconfiguring floor plan layout and would love help please
    2
    Interior Design Classes April to June 2024
    0
    House re-design
    0
    Authentic Feng Shui Workshop
    0
    Tiles for open plan space
    5
    Ireland
    Tailor my experience with cookies

    Houzz uses cookies and similar technologies to personalise my experience, serve me relevant content, and improve Houzz products and services. By clicking ‘Accept’ I agree to this, as further described in the Houzz Cookie Policy. I can reject non-essential cookies by clicking ‘Manage Preferences’.