I'm looking to buy a 1920s house, on a third viewing we noticed that the stone lintel above the window is cracked and has been filled, the sill above on the bedroom sill is also cracked.
The wall isn't bulging etc and the pointing looks ok but this is still worrying to an untrained eye.
Also the chimney looks as if it is unpointed in places and slightly out of shape near the rim.
The surveyor goes in tomorrow, any ideas?
K
You're paying a surveyor to check out the property for you. Make sure he takes a close look at these items, and reports in writing on them. They're unlikely to be show-stoppers - but you may need to negotiate a price reduction if remedial work is required.
Thanks Set square,
do you know anything of the cost of such things?
I have a link to the property details and some pics of the crack itself if that will help.
K
I'm no surveyor, but it sounds like your lintel has cracked and some of the load may now be taken by the window frame. The bricks above may have shifted down a little, which may have caused the sill above to crack. I would ask your surveyor to look at this specifically when he/she visits. Don't chance that he'll spot it. I would be concerned of evidence of a structural fault of some kind that has transferred down a wall. Also - think about this. The lintel is designed to take the load of the structure above it. If it has cracked then it cannot do this. The only exception to this would be of there is other hidden support - such as a steel support. Tell your surveyor before he goes!!!
Matt
I have dropped a letter in for him and presume he will call into the office before going to the address. I have also emailed him, since it seems essential that he sees it I will also try to phone him.
A pic of it @
:(
Thanks for your help.
K
I could only guess, which wouldn't be very helpful.
Get the surveyor to tell you what, if anything, needs doing - and then get quotes from a couple of builders for doing it.
I'm open to all opinions however well informed. :)
I appreciate that the surveyor should know his business but I'm sure there are also some very experienced people here.
The more informed I am about this problem the better when I discuss it with the vendor and my surveyor.
:)
K
top window is close to the wall plate (yhe perimeter of wood around the top of the wall holding the rafters) there is litle more damage to be done. Obviously the lintles and cills need replacing. Either that or reinforcing. The repair looks good so perhaps it has alread been done.
What started the failure though? That is the biggest problem in my limited experience.
The present owners dad is a builder and her brother a plumber, her partner is very obviously unskilled in DIY. The previous owner did most of the work in the house, the owner mentioned that the previous owners dad was a plumber though I'm unsure of his proffession
The mortar looks new to the right of the lintle yet if the damage to the sill above occurred at the same time I would have expected more signs of re-pointing. Unless the repointing/bodge crack fill occurred after the repair settled.
There is no bulging or signs for concern to an untrained mind and the crack wouldn't have been noticed except for the poor choice of filler. I'll wait to see what the surveyor says after I mention it/he inspects the property.
If this problem and the misshapen chimney are not show stoppers I'll be looking for advice on unblocking a chimney eventually!
:)
K
That's bizarre - the lintel above the kitchen window is massive! Strange that it's cracked. no obvious sign of brick movement above. I guess that your surveyor will tell you if there's anything to be worried about - let the forum know - I'm interested! Thanks, Matt
My guess would be a little differential settlement either side of the window causing a crack at the weak spot. Or it could have been shaken by a WW2 bomb.
assuming theyre telling the truth - youre kidding us surely!
The damaged lintel is holding part of the weight of 7 brick courses up, it would have been far worse if there had been no window above. The first concern in my mind relates to the freshness of mortar: this suggests the possibility that it might be continuting to move. If that is the case youve got problems.
Regarding the cill, someone said it would need replacing, but its not carrying any weight, and I think should still be safe even if it were in 4 pieces. But that does raise the question of why it broke. My first vague thought is whether the 2 halves of the front wall are heading away from each other, one going left the other going right. If so, uhoh.
Regards, NT
Possible I supose. I think a bomb if did anything would do a bit more than that.
I was thinking more along the lines of heavy traffic. In the 1920's heavy traffic was many horses and fast traffic was the occasional local celebrity driving 20 mph or even more on a Sunday afternoon.
Well there is movement thoughout the house including a repaired crack on the chimney in the roofspace. We have decided to withdraw our offer.
In the past the house had a larger garden, part of it was sold to a garage behind. They excavated to their level and put a steel fence up.
I suppose that is where the movement came from.
Back to the drawing board!
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