Victorian semi - wall cracks serious?

[philv]

Viewed a victorian semi today.

Some external wall cracks.

Seem to have been re pointed in areas.
But still some gaps between new mortar and bricks.
No idea when crappy repointing was done.

Dining room has a concrete floor
Living room has cellar undernrath.
Serious or typical?
likely to be structural and a problem for mortgage, etc?

thanks

Edited by philv on Sunday 28th February 16:16

[anonymous-user]

Personally that wouldn't worry me at all. Yes it has shifted slightly as you can see from the crack and brick above the window. If that's all that has happened since the 1880's (?) since it was built then I wouldn't worry about it. However check searches don't show old mines underneath as it may be a problem about to get a lot worse.

I had a similar red brick house as my first house (albeit 2 up 2 down type) and that had a cellar, they key for those is airflow. Mine had the ventilation front and back bricked up/paved over so was very damp.

Good luck, I'm a big fan of these Victorian built houses. Shame so many were bulldozed using the excuse they were slums, those that remain in places like London are much sort after due to their character features etc now.

[philv]

MikeStroud said:

Personally that wouldn't worry me at all. Yes it has shifted slightly as you can see from the crack and brick above the window. If that's all that has happened since the 1880's (?) since it was built then I wouldn't worry about it. However check searches don't show old mines underneath as it may be a problem about to get a lot worse.

I had a similar red brick house as my first house (albeit 2 up 2 down type) and that had a cellar, they key for those is airflow. Mine had the ventilation front and back bricked up/paved over so was very damp.

Good luck, I'm a big fan of these Victorian built houses. Shame so many were bulldozed using the excuse they were slums, those that remain in places like London are much sort after due to their character features etc now.

Thanks.
I loved the house.
Needed refreshing...but a lovely feel to it.

Is a part concrete floor normal?

[Macneil]

Is that a new lintel over the upper window? I would hazard a guess that someone has replaced some brickwork after long term damage from a leak, either gutter or bathroom and just bodged it, look at the crappy brick they've used.

[philv]

Macneil said:

Is that a new lintel over the upper window? I would hazard a guess that someone has replaced some brickwork after long term damage from a leak, either gutter or bathroom and just bodged it, look at the crappy brick they've used.

It has been a rental.
No doubt selling up before cat changes.

Seen 4 properties in same area.
2 Were rentals and in worse condition.

I would love to buy.
But don't want to have mortgage oroblems, and waste time because of cracks.

All lender refuse going by this?

[anonymous-user]

philv said:

Is a part concrete floor normal?

You said the dining room had a concrete floor, was that the kitchen originally? I can only speak from my own experience but I've had Victorian and Edwardian houses where the kitchen had a concrete floor and other rooms a normal wooden floor. It may be original, alternatively if the floor had rotted/wood worm etc then they may have taken the wood floor out and replaced with concrete.

I'd have a surveyor check the place for damp downstairs unless it's had a DPC installed and you have the warranty etc.... or trust you can see it for your self or not. Note the only damp I have ever had in an old house is where soil has been piled up against external walls, ventilation blocked or cold water pipes run behind cupboards etc with no insulation etc.

[Busa mav]

Is that in Reading?

Look at the dropped arch to the ground floor left window head.

I suspect there’s an inadequate lintel ,if any, and then the disturbance whilst creating the new first floor window has increased the loading and created the cracking.

Surveyed a similar house with the very same problem a few months ago.

Structural engineer confirmed my “ bloke down the pub tosh “ diagnosis .

[anonymous-user]

There are two areas of cracking shown by the OP.

From what I can identify - using the final picture with the 4er - the first set of cracking is out of sight but directly left of the drainpipe shown at the back, above the sharkfin. The second set of photos shows the cracking to the left of the 4er - below the birdies.

I think this points to some movement along the line of where the 4ers front seats are- which seems to be marked by a hydrant. This may suggest some leaking on the mains water.

Don't know where in the country this is, but I wouldn't say its a blocker for mortgage, nor terminal for the house. It depends on the price, and a full inspection by a surveyor you pay to look at the specific issues - don't just get a homebuyers.

[wolfracesonic]

In the first pic, the l/h brick arch has dropped which will have caused the cracking to the brickwork above. As to what caused the arch to drop is anyone’s guess, though punching a hole through it with a core cutter for the waste pipe won’t have helped.

[Evoluzione]

It's borderline, but I wouldn't buy it. It's moved and hasn't stopped moving for some reason.
It's a shame you didn't get a shot of the whole wall where the two arched lower windows are. That area has had a fair bit of work done to it in the past, you can see new bricks, lots of pointing and the left hand brick arch has slipped and dropped.
The bricks the arches are built of look new too.
The far right of that wall has moved away, dropped or both.

Edited by Evoluzione on Sunday 28th February 17:48

[wolfracesonic]

Another possibility, quite topical, is that it could be due to bomb damage, not sure where you’re located.

[CambsBill]

I'm no expert but I thought the rule of thumb was that cracks in the mortar are usually indicative of minor settlement whereas cracks running through the bricks themselves is much more worrisome.

Also, that repointing looks like it's been done with cement rather than lime mortar (which was probably used in the original build). Cement can cause spalling of the bricks when it's wet & frosty as it's not sacrificial like lime is. If I was buying I'd look to repoint again with lime - actually easier to work with than cement as it doesn't go off anything like as quickly.

[philv]

wolfracesonic said:

Another possibility, quite topical, is that it could be due to bomb damage, not sure where you’re located.

Nottingham west bridgford.
Some houses not to far away were bombed in the 2nd world war.

[philv]

CambsBill said:

I'm no expert but I thought the rule of thumb was that cracks in the mortar are usually indicative of minor settlement whereas cracks running through the bricks themselves is much more worrisome.

Also, that repointing looks like it's been done with cement rather than lime mortar (which was probably used in the original build). Cement can cause spalling of the bricks when it's wet & frosty as it's not sacrificial like lime is. If I was buying I'd look to repoint again with lime - actually easier to work with than cement as it doesn't go off anything like as quickly.

Apparently the bricks have lots of tiny cracks.
Is that what you are referring to?
Yes, it is cement i think.

Edited by philv on Sunday 28th February 19:55

[philv]

So.
A lot of repointing.
Some possible brick replacement.
And no certainty it Is not ongoing.

And at least 2 walls.

How much does it cost to repoint corectly?

A 25% bigger by m2 house on same road is 400.
High standard of finish.
New bathroom kitchen loft conversion etc in last 5 years.
skimmed etc. Luvly.
Absolutely nothing to do.
Basically 4 bed, with 1 large bedroom converted to bathroom,
So now 3 bed.
Too expensive for me.

This one is 350 offers over.
3 bed.
x rental, so a little tired.
Old textured wall paper.
Old double glazng.
Would benefit from new double glazing, bathroom, kitchen, floors, etc.

[philv]

It"s a lovely house, with post office, nice pub and fields near by.
It starts to seem overpriced?

[mcg_]

It's been there over 100 years, its not going anywhere

(my first house was a 1900 end terrace)

[philv]

Am i right in thinking that the use of cement which is a different color makes it look much worse?

The parts that have mortar missing making cracks, or where cement has been used aren't appreciably thicker than the original mortar joints
So it hasn't moved much?

[anonymous-user]

All that you list doing will be 30k at a reasonable standard.

Then you have a house that cost 380 but is 25% smaller than the 400. Depends how long you plan on being there and how much you want to do yourself.

[philv]

Agreed.
If going by m2 alone it should be 300k, in comparison to the refurbished one.
Though no doubt, it is more complicated than that.

I would be surprised it sells at the asking range.

My problem is that we are against it time wise.

I am worried about having an offer offer accepted and then the bank refusing the mortgage because of the wall issues a month or so down the line.