DIYbanter - View Single Post

wrote:

Well, accordng to teh guys who did soil tests and advised on foundatns

or here, what happens is that teh tree roots permeate teh soil, and
lower the local water content, causing long term shrinkage.

Right. So building a shallow wall round the house isnt going to change
how much water comes into and out of the soil - I wouldnt think anyway.

It would seem to me that a concrete underground wall going down below
tree root level, would essentially place the tree in a 'pot' that

would

stop its roots drying out that part of the soil under the house, and
immediately adjacent to it.

I guess we made different assumptions, maybe if it went well below root
level it might work. But a surveyor will advise.

Oh yes. That is mandatory. Otherwise its totally useless - roots will
just go under. This was the philosphy teh soil people passed to me - get
your foundations below root hair level or else.

Willows travel far, but not deep IIRC. Beech likewise.

Ash and maple go deeper. Particualrly I think Ash.

Good. In the end, we may simply do nothing, other than cosmetic
patching, and pay extra insurance...and use that to get a price

reduction..

I dont see how that will run. Banks dont finance buildings without
knowing the slightest thing about them. And whatever you do, those
cracks are uninsured when you buy.

The bank doesn't care any more than the property is worth X in good
condition, and there is insurance to cover any potential reduction of
its value below X.

Do realise that house insurance is optional. Of course its

desirable,

but I would not assume that it was automatically essential.

It is when you borow money against...the property. Its a condition of
lending.

Yup, which is why I mentioned a sleeping business partner. But that
might not suit you.

Not sure what that has to do with anything?

This is not a cash buty - its part of a business plan doen on all
borrowed money. The option to have a total loss of the structure is

not

something the bank would contenmplate.

Then I see the present owner making a claim before exchange as being
your only option, unless youre going to go the wealthy partner route,
or take the dodgy risk of pretending the cracks dont exist.

Its importamnt to evaluate the risk and get insurance. That is true I
think. It may be better cost/benefit to get the place cheaper and pay
higher insurance though.

The important thing is to prevent localised lowering in the vicinity

of

the structure. Keeping the roots from appraching closer than about 6
feet is probably good enough.

I doubt that, but I lack the expertise to actually know.

I think there is alot of paranoia and myth about subsidence. Apart from
the few houses that fall into mineshafts or off the edge of cliffs, most
houses just warp, twist, settle and lean. Like the tower of Pisa. Took
several hundred years to et to a dangerous state...:-)

NT