Have i got subsidence

A

adam0303

Joined
23 Jun 2008
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Cambridgeshire
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Hi all the other week i noticed these cracks at the front house under the kitchen window, i have a tree about 4-5 feet away in the garden next door and not sure if it has caused it luckily its owned byt the council so i can go to them to sort out the tree but i am just worried that this maybe an issue or is it just pointing.
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Are any bricks cracked right through?

Any problems inside the building?

What did you mean by "get the council to sort out the tree"?
 
Hi there are no cracked bricks. Unfortunately i cannot see inside due to the kitchen units being in the way. Re the council i basically complained the tree was to close its some sort of prickly conifer but looks more like an xmas tree they are looking into digging it out and moving though im blaming them for the cracks and they at first admitted liability then changed theyre minds and reckon the tree isnt to blame but im worried as was looking at sellimng my house now this happens.
 
If those cracks have appeared recently then it is highly likely that the dry weather is to blame.

If they are historic and now dormant then you are fussing over nowt.

Do you live in an area with a clay substrate?
 
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Hi first time i spotted them was may i live in peterborough which i suppose is classed as fens and i think is a pretty mediocre area for clay it was built on a lot of old brick pits in that area.
 
Hi

You have a small amount of movement and it looks more like heave rather than subsidence, which would suggest that your property in built on a clay subsoil.

Monitor the situation and if the cracks get worse then you may wish to consider having a detailed investigation/inspection carried out on the foundations and subsoil - At this time you do not have a severe enough problem to warrant going down this road, so don't worry about it for the time being!

Regards
 
Well i spoke to the council they said they will remove the tree but god knows when that will happen, a builder came an looked as well today and he said if i really want to repoint it but nothing like subsidence is going on, its just annoying as i want to sell but something always goes wrong.
 
For peace of mind, I suggest getting some strips of glass about 1 inch wide and 5 inches long from a local glazier, the thinner the better. If you can't find glass, try cutting an old mirror with a tile or glass cutter. Be careful and use the right protection.

Next use something like grab adhesive (no more nails) and stick the glass over the crack, so that it bridges across the crack and is secured only at the ends.

If the walls move any more, the glass will break and you know that what ever has caused the initial upheaval is still going on, if nothing happens till winter, you are pretty well OK, but by that time you may have sold up!
 
Don't necessarily rush into getting the tree removed. If you do, and then it's no longer drawing water, you may find the clay getting saturated and may be exacerbating the problem. Glass over the crack will tell you if it moves, but you could just get a crack gauge to stick over it for a tenner or so, then you can actually track how much it's moving over time. Glass is an outdated method that will tell you if it moves once but then is useless.
 
I agree with Ossy, taking out the tree could be worse.

Didn't know about the crack monitor, if you can get one cheaply, then use that. Less chance of accidental breakage compared to glass
 
A builder suggested i just fill the cracks rather than repoint would that be very noticeable and is it adviseable or should i wait until the weather cools down see if they shrink at all. Also why is it the cracks dont go all the way down to the ground they dont start until about 2 feet up and are intermittent all the way.
 
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