Subsidence

[Fluffy]

Any advice would be welcome please.

We live in an end terraced house built 20 years ago. The area is hilly and our neighbours (the ones we are joined to) are above us (further up the hill). We've lived here 13 years and some year's ago noticed a crack running from below one of the bedroom windows to above the back door. Hubby filled the crack, but is was a hot summer and the back of the house where the crack is faces south. Anyway, obviously didn't do something right because most of the cement fell out! The crack is on the party wall end of the house.

Since then we've had a lean to conservatory built on the back and now part of the crack is in the conservatory and the other part above it.

I wouldn't say the crack has got any bigger over the years, but obviously when he filled it he must have dug out some of the original cement so the gap in one place looks deeper.

In some places the crack follows the mortar line, but in a couple of places the crack goes through the brick.

I'm worried this could be subsidence - any advice would be very welcome please and what would be the best thing for us to do to get it checked out? The outside is constructed of reconstituted Bath stone.

Thanks in anticipation.

 

[david and julie]

You don't have much option really but to get professional advice.

I don't want to sound unhelpful but you must realise the problem won't go away or repair itself.

You could ask a reputable local builders for their opinion as a starter, these problems are usually covered by your insurance so don't leave it to get worse.