Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Property/DIY

Join our Property forum for renovation, DIY, and house selling advice.

Original poster

Cost of structural engineer? (? Subsidence)

27 replies

arikel · 06/04/2021 21:17

So I posted a couple of weeks ago and thank you for your replies. I've since been monitoring closely and I'm still not convinced there isn't a problem. Husband thinks I'm mad as a box of frogs... I'm actually a psychologist by background so I'm pretty perceptive (I think, for my sins!)
Anyway, I think the only thing I can do is get a structural engineer in to look. At least then we will know what we are dealing with ... I know they sometimes want to observe over time but I'm wondering what a rough fee is (west mids) for a walk around inspection?

Needless to say after getting a RICs building survey prior to completion (1 month ago) this is rather disappointing....

Also I could alert our insurer but I really don't want anything related to subsidence associated with the house unless it's a big job that we can't afford to do without insurance intervention! We are insured... though we don't have legal cover at the mo. Not sure if we might need it?

Cost of structural engineer? (? Subsidence)
Cost of structural engineer? (? Subsidence)
Cost of structural engineer? (? Subsidence)
OP posts:
Springchickpea · 06/04/2021 21:23

If you had a survey done that recently I would call the surveyor back in the first instance!

Zinnia · 06/04/2021 21:28

It really doesn't look like subsidence to me! But I am not a surveyor.

We paid about £400 for an initial report, if you need to get a full survey our surveyor said c.£2k for that (with investigations, soil analysis etc) but by the time we got to that stage the insurers were involved and appointed their own surveyors to manage it.

BananaPie · 06/04/2021 21:29

The first photo looks like a patio / step which has shifted a little. Can’t see anything significant in the others. Could you be transferring anxiety from the move onto minor issues with the house? Probably quite normal!

Andthenanothercupoftea · 06/04/2021 21:40

Maybe have a look on the RICS website for local surveyors and phone a few?

For what it's worth, our cracks were much worse than the crack in the first one, which seems to follow the mortar line? (I can't see anything in the second/third ones?)

I would say having someone look around would be an investment in your peace of mind.

DrDreReturns · 06/04/2021 21:53

I had a surveyor round last year to look at some cracks. It cost £300. The surveyor said there was nothing to worry about.

Bluegrass · 06/04/2021 22:01

Might be missing something but the second two pics just look like blown plaster, probably on top of a screw.

Original poster
arikel · 10/04/2021 21:14

The first pic (bricks) shows cracked render, which has a corresponding crack inside approx two bricks deep. The others show nail popping at the back of the house. In that same room there have been noises behind drywall as if something is falling behind it.
I wish I could shift this feeling but I can't so I've contacted the surveyor today and will see what he says.
It was all very newly decorated prior to us moving in and the cynic in me is wondering about that. I am terrified and I am usually a very level headed person :(

OP posts:
mayneedabiscuit · 10/04/2021 21:32

I don't think it's a problem either.
Our previous house had subsidence - it's a much bigger problem than that!
All houses move and settle a little. That's natural.
I think yours is fine from those pictures.

umbel · 10/04/2021 22:12

We’ve just booked a structural engineer for a problem with a property we are hoping to buy cost quoted is £115/hr and he estimates 1.5-2 hrs for a single issue investigation, with an additional hour to write the report. If you can get your original surveyor to look for free I would do that. If not, I would go straight for a structural engineer report. A RICS surveyor will probably charge you and then tell you that you’ll need a structural engineer to come out anyway - they won’t commit because it’s not their area of expertise. I would want to get the brickwork cracks checked.

BarbaraManatee · 10/04/2021 22:28

My DH is a structural engineer & he says his company would probably charge up to around £500, but it would depend on how in depth the survey needed to be. He recommended looking on the Institute of Structural Engineers' website to find someone local to keep costs down. He's done surveys on the other side of the country & always says it's insane to pay for his travel costs when there are other more local engineers!

Original poster
arikel · 10/04/2021 22:57

@BarbaraManatee

My DH is a structural engineer & he says his company would probably charge up to around £500, but it would depend on how in depth the survey needed to be. He recommended looking on the Institute of Structural Engineers' website to find someone local to keep costs down. He's done surveys on the other side of the country & always says it's insane to pay for his travel costs when there are other more local engineers!
Thanks for your reply! Do structural engineers also take trees close to the property into account in their advice? Bloody wish we'd done it before moving in but buildings survey didn't highlight any problems at all ...
OP posts:
Zinnia · 11/04/2021 11:34

@arikel Yes absolutely, that was the case with us and it was the main thing the surveyor flagged on our report.

Zinnia · 11/04/2021 11:35

Surveyor Engineer

Geranibum · 11/04/2021 12:25

Get the person who did your survey back in! Or at least send them the photos. Do it now while it's so recent. Thought tbh I don't even see an issue in photos 2 and 3.
You'll pay £500-£800 for an structural engineer's report, depending where you are in the country.

Original poster
arikel · 11/04/2021 16:22

Blergh - husband just had a proper look and noticed even more than I did..
😥

Cost of structural engineer? (? Subsidence)
Cost of structural engineer? (? Subsidence)
Cost of structural engineer? (? Subsidence)
OP posts:
Mintyt · 11/04/2021 16:25

You have insurance for a reason- if you have concerns they will send someone out to look that is not a subs claim

Geranibum · 11/04/2021 18:38

@Mintyt

You have insurance for a reason- if you have concerns they will send someone out to look that is not a subs claim
But you also paid for a survey for a reason That would be my first stop. Have them send a proper structural engineer; I'm sure they won't argue because they might have missed something important here. They might advise to put your insurer on notice - or they might just say it's nothing, don't worry about it.

It's clear there has been some movement at some point, but that's really not substantial cracking, believe me. They're all short cracks and none of the bricks themselves have cracked through. It's an old house; it might have shifted 20 years ago and just need repointing. Houses move all the time; it doesn't mean they are moving progressively.

Even if it was deemed to be subsidence, they will fix whatever they decide is the root cause, trees nearby or a leaking drain and then just patch up the pointing / walls inside. They won't underpin or anything dramatic.

GraveyardKate · 11/04/2021 19:05

OP - I've just read your other threads in this forum; is this the same house as the one you mention which had a loft conversion in 2010?
If so, it's completely normal for a few small cracks to open slightly since then, given that the "load" on the house has changed so much with the addition of an extra storey. I really wouldn't worry too much.
If you're still concerned, by all means ask the surveyor who did the recent purchase report to clarify why these cracks you've now noticed were not deemed significant. I would think you could just email the pictures to him. I think it's very likely he'll say the same as me.
Otherwise I would get a decent decorator in to repair them properly with some tape in the plaster if necessary, when you come to redecorate, and do some minor cosmetic repointing outside.
Just photograph and keep an eye on them, if they return then obviously speak to your insurer. But I bet they won't.
[Disclaimer I'm NOT a surveyor or engineer, but I did once own a property which suffered with minor subsidence and have been thru the whole claim malarkey]

Original poster
arikel · 20/04/2021 07:20

Thank you for all replies. Have alerted the surveyors and they are reviewing the file. Still got the heebie jeebies! Wish I could shake them as it's affecting my sleep Hmm not helped by a relatively large crack I noticed under the stairs last thing last night...fingers crossed it's nothing.

OP posts:
Original poster
arikel · 30/04/2021 07:19

How do I find out whether a structural engineer has chartered status?
I've contacted one and he's an 'associate member' of istructe but I can't seem to see chartered status... it may just be me!
Any advice appreciated:)

OP posts:
Bluntness100 · 30/04/2021 07:21

Op do you suffer from anxiety? Is there something else behind this? These clearly don’t look like subsidence and totally normal cracks you’d expect to see?

Original poster
arikel · 30/04/2021 07:29

No I don't experience anxiety... well I haven't thus far in my life anyway, but thank you for your bluntness! Living up to your name :)

OP posts:
Tubs11 · 09/11/2021 10:45

How did this pan out for you OP? Interested as we are about to buy a property and there are quite a lot of cracks so wondering if its worth getting out a structural engineer

ChalfontPark · 09/11/2021 10:50

@Tubs11

How did this pan out for you OP? Interested as we are about to buy a property and there are quite a lot of cracks so wondering if its worth getting out a structural engineer
Oh my goodness. DEFINITELY get someone properly qualified to look at a property with cracks before you part with hundreds of thousands of pounds of your money. Of course it's "worth" it, fgs!!
Faz444 · 29/12/2021 09:21

@arikel would be nice to have an update to what happened?