previous movement.. homebuyers report.

[russ72]

HI.. just had homebuyers report on a 1919 semi would be grateful if anyone thinks i should worry..
There is evidence of previous movement in form of slight distortions to external doorways as well as slight sloping/uneveness of floors. this is not of structual significance is considered to be in acceptable limits and has taken place over lifetime.
the structual condition of the property is satisfactory, there is no evidence of significant cracking or current settlement, subsidence or structual movement.
I know i shouldnt worry as the damp came out worse in every room but hopefully that can be sorted. I may be reading to much into this but when we viewed the property the first thing the owner said was oh did you notice the 2 windows to the side i had bricked up (it was the first thing we saw) don't know why the windows would have been there, could he have had repair work done to look like a window had been bricked up or am i being to suspicious, gonna ask naughbour if there ever was. Would a report have missed things if repair had been done, He hasnt maintained anything else to the property in 1 1/2 years he has been there, the sash windows don't even open..thanks anyone.

 

[jeds]

I'd stop worrying. There isn't a 1919 house in the country that hasn't had some movement and settlement. If it's not structurally active or significant then it's not going to cause you any problem. Surveyors are usually very careful about commenting on structural issues unless they are very sure. If he says it's fine it is fine.

 

[Ossy]

If you're worried about it, make sure that when you buy it you find out who the current insurers are. Make sure you take a policy out with them (even if they cost more) and you should be ok if you have a later claim. Put it in writing at that time that there may be subsidence concerns that may be ongoing. Problem is, if you go with a new insurer and you then later decide it's ongoing movement, the insurance company you've got will only cover you for a proportion of the remedial works equal to a proportion of the time they've been insuring it compared to the time they think the subsidence may have been happening. In theory this wouldn't be a problem, but if your insurance company then makes a claim against the previous insurers it can then take a long time and lots of lawyers to sort it out, which will probably leave you out of pocket.

Sloping floors and doorways is a fairly obvious sign of foundation movement, so you're right to be wary and err on the side of caution. Personally I'd leave well alone and find somewhere else with less stress factor....

 

[Thermo]

based on the fact a surveyours had a look at it and its a 1919 house i wouldnt worry either. funny things houses, they do tend to move a bit after nearly 100 years. if it was subsidence youd know it.