Could anyone knowledgeable tell me if this looks like subsidence to you?

[Eppia]

A house has come up that on paper ticks all the boxes. Right area, period property, right size, beautiful inside, etc.
But...there’s always a but! The outside of the house has left me feeling a little uneasy.

It appears the bricks have been re-mortared in certain places. It looks like there must have been zigzag cracks across the front of the house.

Is this a sign of subsidence, do you think?

How old is the house?
What’s the geology like (e.g are you on London clay etc?
Any large trees etc. nearby?
Has the internal structure been tinkered with - walls removed etc.?
Do any other nearby houses show this too?

Thank you so much for taking the time to reply!

1. Not sure, but probably around the early 1900s. Not sure where I can check for this.
2. Soil type is described as loamy/clayey.
3. No big trees nearby.
4. No major internal changes downstairs - rooms are still separate. However, it does have a loft room with ensuite.
5. I can’t see any other houses with this...

Thanks again

Replacement windows? I thought subsidence meant more of a central split.

Any evidence inside? Cracked cornices eg? Might it just be a really bad job of redoing the mortar, which has weathered particularly badly?

Looks like settlement or windows / improvements. Subsidence that i have seen has gone through the centre of bricks etc.

Have the windows got lintels above them, if they are newer than the property or the opening has changed then that may be the cause and it very easy / cheap to install one. Is the gable of the house leaning in or out, if so that may also be causing cracks, it may need strapping down? If a loft conversion has been added it will most likely have been designed so that it didn't add extra pressure to the existing structure but if you want piece of mind then maybe contact the builder who carried out that work and ask him for clarification or have a look at the drawings for the extension and see what engineering information is present.

The pattern of cracking looks (as far as I can see), consistent with a small amount of settlement of the end wall. Could be due to a tree, excavation /drain nearby, extra load on the wall. I would suggest a structural survey. It might be there was minor movement that has stopped or the beginning of a progressive issue.

I would also ask, is it an end terrace and in what county?

I would go with NotMeNoNO on this. It could be just a bit of settlement or could be the beginning of something else. I have seen corners of buildings subside like this from leaking drain issues. I would suggest a structural survey too. It has to be worth a few hundred pounds or so for peace of mind at least.

Thank you all so much. The problem is, we don’t want to risk spending money on a survey on a house that, if there is subsidence, we would likely not buy. Especially if we visited it and fell in love! The one thing that scares me most (other than knotweed!) is subsidence. It’s a shame though, as it really looks like a beautiful property otherwise.

It’s a semi-detached and is in South Wales, btw.

Ask when the cracks were repaired and is there any sign of them opening up again? If they were done 10 years ago it is very different to last 6 months.

I know you said their were no trees but could any in close proximity have been cut down in the last 10 years. Heave from trees being removed can take years to cause damage.

I can't tell from the pictures but are the mortar lines uniform in width or do they get wider at the top or bottom? Are there any cracks on the side walls? Can you take some pictures from slightly further away so we can see the whole elevation of the house?

If you are concerned get a surveyor to do a brick course level survey around the building. This will show if a course of masonry is level around the building or if it drops or rises up anywhere. Generally brick courses are pretty flat and level.

All these things help build a picture of how any movement has occurred in the building and whether anything actually needs doing. Not all cracks mean the building isn't safe or habitable.

Is mining a possibility? Www.old-maps.com should give you a clue. Again it may be historic not ongoing movement.

Sorry it was www.old-maps.co.uk.

ah, I hear you! we have just walked form a property because there was evidence of movement form inside, but the outside wall were inaccessible for survey (cladding), it broke my heart, I loved the property, same period, too! (1892)