Bulge above the new patio doors

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We have done a structural survey on the terraced house we are looking to buy and the surveyor is concerned about the patio doors the seller has just installed, specifically that they are rendered around (rather than covered with bricks like the rest of the house) and that there is this bulge above the doors, he's thinking this may be hiding some defect. I will be having a chat with the surveyor later but some people I showed this to think that this indicates that when the opening was made for the doors the lintel was installed incorrectly / was wrong size etc so there was a movement in the construction and this may further affect the wall above it as well (it's a three storey building).

Does anyone have any thoughts about how bad this is and what the impact might be? Also how would I investigate this further, will I need a structural engineer to look at this?

(Also attaching an picture of the neighboring house to show the 'before' stage)

Thanks
 

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Can’t really make out the bulge in the pics, but could be they used an I beam steel on the outer skin which they then had to infill/mesh and render over
 
I can clearly see the bulge. You need to ask the vendor to see the paperwork on how it was constructed and what size/type lintel they installed.
If they don't have any paperwork, or say they don't know how the builder did it, I would be quite suspicious of it's integrity. I'm already suspicious as to why it's been rendered in such a fashion when there is no other render anywhere.
 
We will request paperwork through the solicitor, but there's a building control approval for it
 
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Not necessarily. The bulge may have developed and then they have recently rendered over it.
Perhaps in an alternate universe, maybe. But I don't think things work like that here on earth.
 
Perhaps in an alternate universe, maybe. But I don't think things work like that here on earth.

Not come across many cowboys posing as legitimate builders then?
My first house, many years ago when I was in my very early 20's, I was told it had been rewired. The guy even undone a socket and showed me the 2 grey T&E cables disappearing under the floor boards. Moved in and fuses started blowing. On closer inspection the 2 T&E's were terminated in a JB under the floor boards and the rest of the house was old VR cable. Didn't have a claim as nothing in the contract and no witnesses to the conversation. Since then I've come across a number of cowboys/rip off merchants but usually sussed them before they start or stopped them progressing once I realised.
 
Not come across many cowboys posing as legitimate builders then?
My first house, many years ago when I was in my very early 20's, I was told it had been rewired. The guy even undone a socket and showed me the 2 grey T&E cables disappearing under the floor boards. Moved in and fuses started blowing. On closer inspection the 2 T&E's were terminated in a JB under the floor boards and the rest of the house was old VR cable. Didn't have a claim as nothing in the contract and no witnesses to the conversation. Since then I've come across a number of cowboys/rip off merchants but usually sussed them before they start or stopped them progressing once I realised.
I don't see the connection :rolleyes: with T&E and bulging brickwork following a new door being installed. Are you posting in the wrong thread?

For clarity, brickwork can bulge with no problems. If there is a problem with a wall bulging (as stated by the OPs cautious/clueless surveyor), and it is then rendered, the render will crack. I will stake your reputation on it.
 

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