Help needed on a property I want but it as cracked wall???

[Leecampbell]

Hi i'm new to this forum so I'm not sure if I'm in the right place but I hope someone can help me.

Ive seen a property I like but it has cracks on the front and at the side of it. It was built about 1950's there is 5 in a row all the same all detached. This one is built higher than the others having 2 steps into the door. I've been told by the estate agent that it's due to contaminated hardcore expanding and thats causing the bricks to move and crack. At the front of the property near the door a row of bricks is about 2cm over the other bricks and at the side the wall looks like it bowing out. The damp course is about 7 bricks high it's under that where it's all moved. The damp course at the other side is level with the soil as the street starts going up. I've taken some pics to try show you my concerns and to see if anyone has seen movement due to contaminated hardcore before? Please help!!!! Any information would be greatly appreciated. Thanks lee

 

[Leecampbell]

Hi i'm new to this forum so I'm not sure if I'm in the right place but I hope someone can help me.

Ive seen a property I like but it has cracks on the front and at the side of it. It was built about 1950's there is 5 in a row all the same all detached. This one is built higher than the others having 2 steps into the door. I've been told by the estate agent that it's due to contaminated hardcore expanding and thats causing the bricks to move and crack. At the front of the property near the door a row of bricks is about 2cm over the other bricks and at the side the wall looks like it bowing out. The damp course is about 7 bricks high it's under that where it's all moved. The damp course at the other side is level with the soil as the street starts going up. I've taken some pics to try show you my concerns and to see if anyone has seen movement due to contaminated hardcore before? Please help!!!! Any information would be greatly appreciated. Thanks lee

Not sure how to get the pics on here but if you can help I'll email them to you

 

[tim00]

Ask the agent how he came by the information that he gave you - what's his evidence? Obtain copies of any documents or reports or surveys. Check with local BCO and planning dept. Talk to neighbours.
Typically,if a structure has severe ground difficulties then walk away from it unless it is unbelievably cheap, and if it's too good to be true then still walk away.
Anyhow, perhaps you will post some pics?

 

[Leecampbell]

I've spoken with the guy who went out and he said he's seen it before. But he will go back to check it for £300 I've been and spoken to the neiboughs theyve had no problems but that house is about 7 bricks higher. The back wall what's level with the ground as no cracks on it so there will be more hardcore at the front. It is a cheap house but I don't think I'll get a mortgage on it how it stands at the moment. I'm using a iPad and it won't let me upload off here for some reason

 

[stuart45]

Contaminated hardcore sounds like a sulphate attack in the floor and walls.

 

[^woody^]

Sulphate attack can cause this, and if it is, it will be about £15-20k worth of work and if in a known area, lenders wont lend on the property unless remedial work has been done and certified

Don't waste £300 sending a surveyor back, instead spend it on a structural engineer to report. A surveyor will only recommend further reporting from an engineer

 

[Leecampbell]

Sulphate attack can cause this, and if it is, it will be about £15-20k worth of work and if in a known area, lenders wont lend on the property unless remedial work has been done and certified

Don't waste £300 sending a surveyor back, instead spend it on a structural engineer to report. A surveyor will only recommend further reporting from an engineer

Thanks for that woody. It as an structural engineer what I'm sending back. If its Sulphate attack I think I'll be leaving it. Does contaminated hardcore sound an option. He said it'll cost around 2k for someone to go under the floor and pull it out from around the edges so if it wants to expand again it can freely?

 

[stuart45]

It's not usually the hardcore that expands, but the sulphates in the hardcore get washed into the concrete slab which makes the slab expand and lift up and push out the walls.
Since 1965 DPM's have been a Reg which stops moisture taking the salts up into the slab.

 

[tim00]

Stuart, thank you for that. I never knew that that was the process, i assumed it was expanding in the hardcore/fill, no evidence i just assumed. So much for assuming things!

 

[masona]

Nor did I, interesting, have google but confused, is the Sulphate attack the same meaning as in Sulfate attack or what is the difference?

 

[^woody^]

Sulfate is the modern (Americanised?) preferred spelling of good old British Sulphate

Ground water of a certain quantity (wet winter, broken drains) causes a reaction between Sulphates in the ground or hardcore/ash fill, and the cement in the floor slab or wall mortar - causing expansion and removing the cement bond, turning the concrete or mortar back to sand