An owner contacted SERL after removing some furniture and finding extensive cracking inside the bay window of their post-war terrace property. They wanted reassurance from a qualified Structural Engineer’s inspection and report that their property was not suffering from subsidence.
SERL was contacted by the owner who was seeking a reputable, independent, and highly experienced structural engineering firm specialising in Structural Engineers Reports for residential properties in Southfields and the South West London area.
In response to the client’s requirements our qualified Chartered Structural Engineer recommended a Structural Engineers General Inspection Report or a General Movement Report but the client opted for the Specific Structural Inspection Report (SSI) to save on costs as they were confident the rest of the property was in order.
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.
The property was a post-war terrace house on a street with older homes that were rebuilt after bomb damage.
We observed significant cracking both inside and outside the bay window on the ground floor. The cracks measured approximately 5mm in width, indicating serious structural issues rather than mere cosmetic flaws.
A large street tree was noted at the front of the house. Based on our local knowledge of the London Clay, we consider the tree to be the most likely cause of the subsidence. Following a particularly dry summer and with little to no tree pruning for many years, the tree has probably extracted moisture from the clay soil, causing it to shrink and the ground to settle.
The pattern of cracking observed displayed characteristics of subsidence, evident from its location and diagonal orientation.
The internal and external consistency of the cracks indicated a structural issue. With a significant width of 5mm, thorough investigations and repairs would, in all probability, be necessary following tree work assessments.
We advised the owner to contact their insurance company to file a formal claim, as the repair costs were expected to exceed the policy excess. Insurer involvement is crucial to liaise with the local authority regarding the tree issue.
Insurance companies commonly handle such investigations through their in-house advisors. SERL no longer offers this post-survey service.
The client appreciated the guidance from an experienced chartered structural engineer, despite the unfavourable news. However, they felt reassured about the safety of the house, and we advised them on how the insurers would manage the situation.