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Hi,
I am currently looking to purchase a semi detached house about 50m from a beach. The house is built primarily on sand or very sandy soil and is around 100 years old. The house is pebble dashed (as are most on the street) and the pebble dash appears to either be original or long standing pebble dash. There is cracking in the gable wall outside the kitchen window where the drain (soil and kitchen) enter the ground. The cracking runs from the floor to the ground floor kitchen window and then from the lintel of the kitchen window to the first floor (bathroom) window. There are a 4 or 5 cracks in total. I have had a structural survey carried out and the surveyor says it is probably due to a leaking drain which has washed away some of the sand/soil and is ongoing but cannot be certain that it is a leaking drain without excavating and knocking off the pebble dash render to see the extent of the cracking. He also says that if it is a leaking drain and it is repaired then it is likely that it will not get any worse and will not require underpinning.
Does anybody have any experience with something similar and would be willing to share their knowledge and experience? I am most concerned about the requirement to underpin due to the cost and prospects of a sale in the future.
I am most grateful for any input and thank you in advance.
I am currently looking to purchase a semi detached house about 50m from a beach. The house is built primarily on sand or very sandy soil and is around 100 years old. The house is pebble dashed (as are most on the street) and the pebble dash appears to either be original or long standing pebble dash. There is cracking in the gable wall outside the kitchen window where the drain (soil and kitchen) enter the ground. The cracking runs from the floor to the ground floor kitchen window and then from the lintel of the kitchen window to the first floor (bathroom) window. There are a 4 or 5 cracks in total. I have had a structural survey carried out and the surveyor says it is probably due to a leaking drain which has washed away some of the sand/soil and is ongoing but cannot be certain that it is a leaking drain without excavating and knocking off the pebble dash render to see the extent of the cracking. He also says that if it is a leaking drain and it is repaired then it is likely that it will not get any worse and will not require underpinning.
Does anybody have any experience with something similar and would be willing to share their knowledge and experience? I am most concerned about the requirement to underpin due to the cost and prospects of a sale in the future.
I am most grateful for any input and thank you in advance.
Just mentioning it but as you probably know there are cases on the east coast where the sea keeps 'reclaiming' land and houses nearby eventually collapse into the sea.
