Hi

We live in a house which has mixed construction; a 1905 brick built
standard square (ish) house, which was then extended in about 1998 at
the back to create a sort of L-shape. The extension houses a
downstairs room (and boiler / utility room), master bedroom (and
ensuite) on the first floor and then a loft bedroom on the second
floor.

Over the last couple of months, we've noticed some cracks growing ever
wider (now approx 3mm) at the join between the ceiling of the master
bedroom and the walls (all interior). I don't know whether this is
paranoia or not, but these are now starting to be mirrored on the room
below too. The cracks run more or less from where the old part of the
house finishes to about 1-1.5m from the end wall.

I've ordered "Has your house got cracks" (!) from the library to have a
good read, but I thought I'd come here for some sound advice in the
meanwhile.

My thoughts are that it is possibly the roof of the extension trying to
spread out sideways which is causing pressure on the left and right
walls. We are built upon a sandstone base, so I'm not imagining that
subsidence is likely, though I suppose the summer drying out might have
reduced the moisture below the footings.

Anyway, I am going to seek some professional advice, but in the
meanwhile I have a couple of questions:-
Does the roof spreading seem a likely scenario?
What type of professional should I engage? Building surveyor,
structural surveyor, structural engineer?
Is there any likelihood of insurance cover on this sort of movement
(should it come to an expensive repair job)?

We had some problems with the shower leaking in the ensuite (involving
rotting joists and a sizeable wet patch in the brickwork between new
and old parts of the house) which I've repaired (some would say
botched) by spanning the rotten timber with joists and bolting onto the
existing timbers. The alternative was to rip out the floors, a stud
wall, a toilet and a basin and replace the whole joist; not considered
a viable (financial) option (though reading on you may disagree!).
Anyway, repair job done and shower now properly sealed and repaired,
but I suppose that this may also have changed the moisture levels
within the house!!

Any pointers gratefully received!!

Matt
Frodsham (UK)

snip

Any pointers gratefully received!!

Exactly what I am experiencing at the moment.

Let the insurers know NOW, and advise them that you want a survey done. You
*might* have to pay towards the survey but it's a small price to pay given
that the bill may run into thousands.

Our problem is that over a long period a cracked drain flaunching has
provided enough wash out under the corner of the extension that the soil
beneath goes down 2.6m before solid clay/soil is found therefore causing
subsidence and cracking away from the main building of the 2 storey
extension.

The current situation is that the insurers are measuring monthly to check
for further movement before underpinning and making good the interior or
whatever.

NW Kent

6 wrote:
snip

Any pointers gratefully received!!

Exactly what I am experiencing at the moment.

Let the insurers know NOW, and advise them that you want a survey done. You
*might* have to pay towards the survey but it's a small price to pay given
that the bill may run into thousands.

Our problem is that over a long period a cracked drain flaunching has
provided enough wash out under the corner of the extension that the soil
beneath goes down 2.6m before solid clay/soil is found therefore causing
subsidence and cracking away from the main building of the 2 storey
extension.

The current situation is that the insurers are measuring monthly to check
for further movement before underpinning and making good the interior or
whatever.

NW Kent


Whatever you do please check for any reasons for this movement before
you inform the insurance company.

Because once you start a claims procedure your house will allways have
a susidence tag attatched, and you will only be able to insure youir
house with the same insurance company you are with now.
So if you try to sell or change insurance company you have problems.
In may case a tree was causing the problems and removing the tree was
all that was needed but as I involved the insurance company my house is
now down as shifting caused by susidence,

Dave