The owner-occupiers contacted SERL because the lessees had purchased the freehold, and one of the flats had been sold. A pre-purchase surveyor advised that a professional surveyor looked at some cracks in the front elevation of the property.
Our expertise and independence were well-regarded, leading to their referral to us. The client required our knowledge in structural engineering reports, particularly in the South-West London region.
SERL offers two types of structural reports:
1) A localised, specific, and limited Specific Structural Inspection (SSI) report or a Structural Engineers Defect Report.
2) A broader General Structural Inspection Report (GSI) or Structural Engineers General Movement Report which focuses only on matters of cracking and movement.
In response to the client’s requirements our qualified Chartered Structural Engineer recommended a Specific Structural Inspection (SSI) report.
This mid-terraced property, originally a house, was converted into three flats several decades ago. Situated near the River Thames, the property rests on Kempton Park gravel soils overlaying London clay, suggesting that the foundations are probably very shallow. It was observed that a coal cellar beneath the hallway provides deeper and thus stronger foundations on the left side compared to the right.
The front elevation showed significant historical settlement, indicated by a slope descending from left to right. This was evident from across the street and confirmed by visual inspection and spirit level measurements on floors and windowsills.
Following our comprehensive inspection of the property we found several cracks on the front elevation which indicated significant long-term settlement, with a difference of several inches from left to right.
The property typically aligns with its age, yet it exhibited more significant long-term settlement than similar properties we assess. The right side of the property showed a high level of settlement near the shared party wall. This ranks as one of the most distorted properties we have seen in London in quite some time.
On the left side, the bay had separated from the main front wall of the building.
Although there were several cracks on the front elevation, we determined that these cracks were minor, historic, and could be easily repaired. We assured the freeholders that this issue could be addressed as part of their upcoming maintenance plans following their recent purchase of the freehold.
Where the bay on the left side had separated from the front wall we recommended that this issue would benefit from a resin repair, accompanied by the installation of stainless steel HeliBar rod reinforcements to better secure the bay to the main frontage.