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Surveyors disagree help!

4 replies

Cobnuts1 · 24/08/2015 10:55

Hi
We have had a ful structural survey on a 1950s bungalow and our surveyor thought there was evidence of subsidence. We informed EA who informed vendor who provided us with a report from 2008 confirming that the cracks are not subsidence. The EA also offered to arrange for another surveyor to meet us at the property and go through the report and cracks with us.
We did this and were going to go ahead subject to a structural engineers report which would arrange.
I went back to our surveyor sent him a copy of the report from 2008 and he has come back and said that the cracks on the report are not where he stated and that a structural engineers report would be a waste as he feels it would just show what he has already stated, he did say that the cracks are not enough to warrant not going ahead but that they need monitoring, we were going to rent until the work had been done so monitoring is not really an option.
I should add both surveyors fully qualified.
Now not sure what to do now, any advice would be great thank you.

OP posts:
Millymollymama · 24/08/2015 11:48

2008 is 7 years ago. If the cracks were not subsidence in 2008, what were they caused by? Why were they not monitored then? The cracks found recently appear to be new. How big are they? Miniscule or have they split bricks? What are the foundations like for the bungalow? What is the soil? Dothe foundationstske account of the soil conditions - clay needs deeper foundatons for example. Has the bungalow been extended or altered in any way? Have any trees been planted or removed near the bungalow? All of these are factors should be considered when assessing whether the cracks are serious or not.

A structural engineer may also say the cracks should be monitored but is likely to understand more about what is causing them. It could be heave and not subsidence for example. I am slightly concerned you have gone via the estate agent for a second opinion. They obviously want to make the sale, so how independent are they? Your first surveyor appears independent and I would stick with his report. I would probably get a structural engineer to take a look as there is now a history of cracks. Surveyors can be very cautious regarding cracks, so having it al looked at by a Structural Engineer may well put your mind at rest and enable you to make a decision. Not the cheapest solution, but at least it should resolve the situation.

Cobnuts1 · 24/08/2015 15:33

Thank you Millymollymama
This is a copy of the insurance report conclusions:

Discussion
In this case there is no evidence of foundation movement. The damgae may be due to differential movement between dissimilar materials possibly between the timber roof structure and the the supporting masonry.

Timber is vulnerable to changes in moisture, rather than temperature. It shrinks and swells in relation to changes in humidity.

Seasoned timber shrinks initially as part of the drying process and then undergoes seasonal changes.

Restraint has the effect of increasing dress locally. Forces (a0 dissipate through the wall or (b) cracks develop due to release of tension or failure in compression or shear. Restraint attempts to reduce movement. For example, cracks will appear where a strong masonry unit, with rich cement mortar abuts a block wall, with weaker mortar.

In short, strong parts of the building impose restraints on weaker parts and these result inserts. Sometimes this stress produces cracking.

Recommendations
The damage is not due to an insured peril. The insurance policy provides cover for the repair of damage resulting from foundation movement. In this case I saw no evidence of either subsidence or heave that appeared recent.

We will go ahead with the structural engineers report. At least we'll
know one way or another.

OP posts:
2catsfighting · 25/08/2015 12:08

I live in a house that had cracks that were monitored and no further action taken. I was worried in case it might affect any future sale, but was reassured that my insurer was OK to carry on insuring the property for a future buyer. so it may be worth finding out if the vendor's insurance company would do the same.

Cobnuts1 · 25/08/2015 14:49

Thanks 2catsfighting.
Our surveyor is now saying that the work we intend to will probably rectify the cracks and that if we get a structural engineer he will probably say the same!
I will check with the vendors insurance company.

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