Minor structural movement to bay window - insurance issues

[steviewander]

Hello, I am a new member and this is my first post.

We are in the very final stages of buying a house and at the very last minute when we tried to get house insurance, we have encountered problems obtaining insurance. This is because both the full building survey and the structural survey we commissioned mentioned very slight structural movement in the brick work of the double story bay on the front of the house.

We had thought nothing of the cracks mentioned in the reports, because both reports said that removing the shrubbery and the large cherry tree in front of the bay should be enough to stop any further movement.

However, when we declare this to insurance companies, over 90% of them are refusing to cover us because we cannot say for sure that there is no ongoing movement.

I have attached a few photos of the cracks in the brickwork and wondered if people (any builders or engineers out there?) might comment on it. Would you buy a house with these cracks in it if you were a new buyer?

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• steviewander
• 25 Aug 2012
• 1

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• steviewander
• 25 Aug 2012
• 1

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• steviewander
• 25 Aug 2012
• 1

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• steviewander
• 25 Aug 2012
• 1

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pictures fixed, moderator 9

 

[tony1851]

You should also show a few pics taken from a little further back so that the context of the cracks can be seen.
Looking at those few pics though, if it's just brickwork under the bay window, it doesn't look too serious.
Is there any cracking internally?

 

[steviewander]

Thanks for your reply.

We should have taken some photos from further back. When I was taking the photos from further back, you can't see the cracks because they are so slight, but I take your point, I should have taken it for context. The structural report does have one taken from a little further away, I will try to get an electronic copy and post it.

The current owners have line papered the wall on the inside, so you can't tell if the cracks go through to the inside. The structural surveyor said he expected there be small cracks in the plaster work due to the slight movement, but not major structural cracks. I did wish I could peel the paper back on our 2nd viewing!

 

[^woody^]

The simple answer is don't declare it to the insurers

 

[steviewander]

The simple answer is don't declare it to the insurers

I am learning fast! This is my first house purchase. I didn't realise how difficult this would be. I've been warned that if you lie or give misinformation, your entire policy becomes void.

 

[^woody^]

Re-read the actual questions, you may find that you can honestly answer them without lying.

As far as you know there is no ongoing movement until you actually know that it is ongoing ... ie you need to be monitoring it over a year or so.

If the tree is the cause and is removed, then the ground may well swell back up and the cracks could close.

You've had your two surveys so it's no good us commenting on that. Just think about the insurers questions

 

[tony1851]

Re-read the actual questions, you may find that you can honestly answer them without lying.

As far as you know there is no ongoing movement until you actually know that it is ongoing ... ie you need to be monitoring it over a year or so.

If the tree is the cause and is removed, then the ground may well swell back up and the cracks could close.

You've had your two surveys so it's no good us commenting on that. Just think about the insurers questions

These posts bring to mind someone who's driven the wrong way down a one-way street, and then trying desperately to reverse out before the police see him!

 

[^woody^]

Are you drunk? What are you on about?

 

[tony1851]

Are you drunk? ?

yyes its is satarday nnight........

 

[^woody^]

Well drink more often in the week then, as your posts make more sense than when you're sober

 

[tony1851]

Well drink more often in the week then, as your posts make more sense than when you're sober

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• tony1851
• 25 Aug 2012
• 1

 

[doitall]

The problem you have now is the insurance are aware of the problem and you'll pay through the nose for ever and a day.

I would walk, simply on that alone

 

[^woody^]

The OP can just use a different insurance company

 

[steviewander]

Re-read the actual questions, you may find that you can honestly answer them without lying.

As far as you know there is no ongoing movement until you actually know that it is ongoing ... ie you need to be monitoring it over a year or so.

If the tree is the cause and is removed, then the ground may well swell back up and the cracks could close.

You've had your two surveys so it's no good us commenting on that. Just think about the insurers questions

Yes we have employed this approach and we have come across only a few that word it such that we wouldn't be lying. The vast majority ask if you know of any "signs" or words to that effect. We hope that a specialist insurer will insure fully, and once we have one insurer, we hope to fix it. I guess I was hoping I'd get a builder on here saying "oh that's no problem, anyone can sort that out!!!"

 

[^woody^]

A cracked wall is not a sign of ongoing movement, and is not even a sign of movement, as there are many reasons for cracks in walls and they can be normal

For ongoing movement, you as a layperson homeowner would have to actually witness ongoing movement by living in the property over a period of time