I may be a property hypochondriac

[BabCNesbitt]

We have a Victorian end terrace on a hill. We have cracks running down the side of our stairs, just about the wall string (is that the right name for the wooden bit?) that have got a couple of mm larger over the last few years. I’ve been stressing about this since they started to appear but DH just insists that it’s the previous owner’s crappy replastering job.

Now the upstairs doors are starting to get sticky, and the box room has a crack in the plaster in the corner by the door, running all the way up to the ceiling. I’m worried about subsidence but I also don’t want to spend £800+ on a structural survey if I’m just worrying about normal house aches and pains. Is there someone else, like a joiner or someone, who could give preliminary advice on whether we need a full survey? Or do I just have to bite the bullet (and ignore ostrich DH)?

Afraid I can't help directly, but I found the following guide helpful when I was worrying about (mostly hairline) cracks in the walls.

www.comparethemarket.com/home-insurance/content/cracks-in-walls/

I'd advise taking photos and measurements as a way to keep objective track of any cracks, it will help put your mind at ease/or provide more of a reason to call an engineer.

A trusted builder friend might be able to give you a good steer about the type of cracks. It was a builder who suggested my sticky (as in wouldn't close) back door was subsidence.

Aren't insurance companies interested in this and will monitor if you ask them?

@Mosaic123

Aren't insurance companies interested in this and will monitor if you ask them?

Yes.

BUT if you approach your insurance co you will have to disclose that you were investigated for subsidence and your premiums will go up and future buyers will be put off. Even if in the end it turns out to be nothing to do with subsidence.

Do not contact insurers until you are pretty sure it is subsidence or some other cause that they would be responsible for fixing.

Following as I feel like I am going mad with the exact same issue! Victorian end terrace too. I tend to get carried away and worry about it more than I probably should

Another poster made a post last week on subsidence and other people commented telling her to under no circumstances tell your insurance company in the first instance coz as soon as you mention it your premiums will go up and you will have to mention it if you move even if it turns out to just be movement not subsidence . People on that thread were saying you only need to worry if the cracks are quite big / thick.

Definitely if you have a builder friend get them to take a look
I bought a house (Victorian end terrace) with quite large cracks in the same place you describe, (the box room is at the back), surveyor said needed underpinning but our builder neighbour said not he said more likely there were some collapsed drains under the back yard, the ground had shrunk causing movement, we fixed the drains and a good builder realigned the bricks, the largest crack met the box room window, its not moved since and we had a survey after the work for the remortgage and it wasnt picked up, its not moved an inch in 20 years

If you don’t have a builder friend? If I actually pay a builder (what kind? What should I be googling?) to have a look, do I need to disclose this to my insurance company?

We have external cracks. To monitor them we have had plastic telltales fitted. I'd search for building movement monitoring services in your area.

I'm a bit paranoid about cracks, but the one you describe on the stairs (if I understand your description correctly), our house has, as does our previous house. I don't think this type of crack is linked to subsidence, but just tends to crack because of the wear and tear to a heavily used area. You could always scrape it out, fill it with fine filler/decorator's caulk, sand it down and then repaint. If the cracks didn't reappear, then maybe put it out of your mind?
The second crack you mention, how deep and wide is it? Is it visible on the outside brickwork? If it's not deep and only a few mm wide, I'd probably fill it and keep an eye.
You could always have a structural engineer check if you're really worried? I'm no expert, but I think a structural engineer, or just a builder, would be preferable to having a full survey carried out.
The door thing - we had this when we moved into our current house - I know it can be an indication of subsidence, but doors also do warp due to temperature changes and it probably isn't uncommon for them to need to be removed, planed down in the sticky areas, and re-fitted.
If you're very worried though, definitely pursue the structural engineer or builder route before contacting your insurers. Even if you go straight to the insurers, they'll send someone out who'll monitor the cracks for a while and there won't be any immediate action. In fact, depending on your insurer, they might even require you to have a structural engineer's report first.

Thanks, all, especially @FayleWatersWaters - I think I’ll take some photos and measurements now and then have a look again in a couple of months. Hopefully the house won’t slide down the hill in the meantime