Vertical cracks on inside of Victorian end of terrace wall

[RobDIY]

Hi Everyone

Considering buying a period property which has a number of large cracks running from floor level to the ceiling along the corners that join the external end of terrace wall.

The cracks have appeared or at least worsened since the house was decorated I'd guess in the 70's.

The cracks are up to 15mm in places and appear along the bare brick in the under stairs cupboard, in the bathroom, at the top of the stairs and in the box room - all of which adjoin the external wall.

The stairs which run along the exterior wall also seem to have separated slightly from the wall.

The stone lintel above the front door (also on the side of the end of terrace wall) also has a crack running through it and is clearly broken through.

Has anyone experienced or seen this before? It doesn't look to be typical subsidence as there are no visible cracks on the exterior of the wall and it definitely hasn't been patched (the house has been empty for quite some time).

The picture of the bare brick is from under the stairs and seems to show that there has been a separation between the exterior and internal walls.

The other end of terrace houses on the street don't seem to have had their walls tied and are all of a very similar age/style.

Thanks in advance for any thoughts.

 

[Doggit]

Once you start getting broken lintels, you definitely know you've got movement of some sort. If it's in London, and built on clay, then it could just be general movement, but just because you can't see any cracks on the outside, doen't mean that you don't have a problem there. Is the pebbledash on the outside the same as the other properties, can you spot any differences. The outside wall could be coming away, and they've patched the outside, but not got round to doing the inside.

The side wall can be underpinned, but you might need to tie the side wall in to the front and back walls with helical ties, and I'm not sure if this can be done from the inside only, as you'd ruin the pebbledash if you did it from the outside.

You need a structural surveyor, and then the cheek to put in a hell of a reduced price.

 

[RobDIY]

Thanks Doggit.

It is London and quite possibly clay ground. The pebbledash is only on the front of the house and seems to be the same as the other properties. The side wall is still bare brick and there doesn't seem to be any clear signs of cracking or movement in the course. No obvious signs of bulging or bowing either. But as you say, something has definitely shifted.

If it's going to be a case of underpinning and tying, I may well walk away, as for that kind of money plus renovation costs, they'd have to be willing to take a very, very low offer. Particularly when considering insurance prospects and resale potential.

We'll be getting a full structural survey once probate is granted and the sale progresses. No point spending money until its a realistic prospect.

Thanks

 

[Nige F]

End of terrace - how big is the garden to the side/back ? Maybe worth demolishing and build something else there - It is London after all

 

[RobDIY]

There's a fair bit of space as the plot is on a corner so garden widens as it goes back, but I'd have to get it for an absolute steal if i was going to consider knocking down and building from scratch. New build costs in London can be a bit hefty

 

[Doggit]

It might be worth knocking on some of the neighbors doors, and see if they can give you any history that might help explain it. It may only be clay shrinkage and expansion on the side of the property (are there any trees near the house), and it'll be the cracked lintel wall that needs looking at.

Has the front of a lot of the properties dropped, hence that all have been pebbledashed.

You can ring a few companies specialising in underpinning, and ask for a general price per meter to get some idea of costs, but my father just used to get a few labourers in, dig a hole down about 3 foot wide, and then pour in concrete, then keep moving round the property - you do need to be carefull, but it isn't rocket science. The inside of the property can just be replastered, and putting in helical ties is dead easy to do.

But it may well be no where near as bad as it looks