Free guide to surveying property. This does not replace the services of a professional and is only to be used as a guide
In hot, dry weather, subsidence is more popular than ice cream. But what exactly is it and how can you spot the vital signs in a property you want to buy?
Subsidence is a natural consequence of the soil under a building getting drier and shrinking - this can happen because trees suck moisture out of the soil. Leaking drains, tunnelling, mining or nearby building work can also dry out the soil. Houses built on clay soils and gravel are particularly at risk.
Monitor
When the soil shrinks, buildings can move. Small movements of a few millimetres are not a problem - it’s the larger cracks in the walls that indicate a possible subsidence problem. Cracks caused by subsidence are usually narrower at the bottom and diagonal. You may need to monitor your crack for a while, as some are connected with air temperature and will open and close as the ground expands and shrinks.
It’s also possible to live perfectly happily with a crack - in some older houses, cracks have been there for years with no problem at all. Ask the neighbours, if you’re considering buying.
Settling
Similarly, new houses can develop cracks while they’re settling. If the cracks are linear and under a few millimetres, you probably have nothing to worry about.
Cracks in many houses appear where an extension meets the main building or around bay windows.
Other features of subsidence include crinkled wallpaper and cracks in plaster and bricks. Doors and windows that jam or don’t close can also indicate subsidence.
Subsidence crack’s usually run diagonally and are wider at the top than the bottom and are easiest to spot in walls at the corners.
So, armed with this simple, sleuth’s guide to subsidence, you can now make an informed decision about your next property.
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