Lots of render cracks on house/subsidence? Possible purchase

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Hello,

Really hope you do not mind me posting and that I am in the correct section.

Need some knowledgeable advice from anyone kind enough to offer...

We have today viewed a property we are considering buying. However, it has a lot of cracks all over the render - the back wall and the left wall of the house (front door and attached to garage)

**PICS BELOW**

Having no experience with any sort of building with cracks/subsidence - we are not sure what we may be dealing with here to be honest. Partner is a carpenter, no experience with structural work.

It's a house we love and in the right area, we are considering getting a full structural survey done before placing an offer so that we may get quotes for the work and offer accordingly. If I could get someone with experience to give me a general idea what is potentially wrong first (before spending £100's on survey) then we could assess whether it was too much work for us or not.

Things to mention - whole back of house downstairs appear to be sloping towards garden - gap beneath skirting at end of house has a approx. 50mm gap below. However upstairs floors level.

Both bedrooms in gable ends have damp/black mould on window frames/cills/reveals.

Also as a side note - the chalet appears have built in (concrete?) guttering? Anyone come across this before - potential problems with having this type?

Thanks very much! Melanie

 
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The render on the main house and garage will have to come off, and be re-rendered.

The conditions in the bedroom are probably due to internal condensation (more heat & ventilation req'd) and perhaps moisture penetration thro the render - are the walls solid? The conc. gutters are also suspect for moisture penetration.

The bedroom heater should be checked.

All the visible door and window heads are level. The visible roof lines and planes appear to be correct.

The garage: the lintel over the door appears to be dropping to the right - perhaps an effect of the pic focus?
The verge above the garage door appears to be a non-standard arrangement.

A drop of 50mm is significant - all the floors are presumably on a monolithic concrete slab. Eyes on site are necessary for any further comment.

The concrete gutters will have to be replaced by modern guttering - no big deal.

Is the property on a hillside?
 
Things to mention - whole back of house downstairs appear to be sloping towards garden - gap beneath skirting at end of house has a approx. 50mm gap below. However upstairs floors level.

Both bedrooms in gable ends have damp/black mould on window frames/cills/reveals.

Also as a side note - the chalet appears have built in (concrete?) guttering? Anyone come across this before - potential problems with having this type?

..and you're considering buying this place?...
 
There is nothing to suggest subsidence but it will need to be completely re-rendered as others have suggested. Another concern I have is that it appears to have Finlock gutters which will cause cold bridging issues internally and subsequent dampness.
 
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There is nothing to suggest subsidence

Sorry, I thought this might have suggested subsidence:

'whole back of house downstairs appear to be sloping towards garden - gap beneath skirting at end of house has a approx. 50mm gap below.'
 
There is nothing to suggest subsidence

Sorry, I thought this might have suggested subsidence:

'whole back of house downstairs appear to be sloping towards garden - gap beneath skirting at end of house has a approx. 50mm gap below.'

I don't think so Tony but that doesn't mean I'm right. This is based on what I can see in the pictures and there is no rotational cracking of the brickwork and no cracks that would merit serious attention according to the BRE crack interpretation guide. There may be some external land slippage but to my eye nothing that has seriously affected the property.
 

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