Harringay, Haringey - So Good they Spelt it Twice!
Cracked Lintels/structural engineer needed?
Hello,
Apologies if I've missed a thread on this, but I'm not seeing anything recent in the searches.
We have a 1900s semi-detached and we've noticed a growing crack in an external lintel, near a vital corner and between stories.
Can anyone recommend an (ideally local) independent structural engineer (not just someone who does free estimates as a sales tool) to assess what the damage really is and what kind of builders we need to engage for this?
Thank you!
Tags for Forum Posts: cracked, exterior, lintels, structural engineer
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Michael Anderson on
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Nicole, before you go to the expense of employing a structural engineer, check to see what your building insurance covers. We had an almost identical problem to yours we spotted two years ago. I contacted my building insurers and they arranged for the survey and ongoing monitoring of movement of the property. We have just finished having remedial works done, again arranged and paid for by the insurer (we did have to pay a small part of this as an excess but this is fairly standard). Message me if you want to know anymore.
Michael
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Permalink Reply by Alix on
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Hi Nicole, not a structural engineer, but a good surveyor will be able to help. I have used Colin Rickard in Enfield for stuff before and he is good. Very thorough, sends out a full report and explains what remedial work you need. Great to go armed to builders with all that info.
Hope that's helpful
Alix
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Permalink Reply by Bob Lindsay-Smith on
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I do find it strange that the insurance company can say, presumably without even looking at it, that this is not covered by the insurance. Is there a tree near the house that they are blaming?
Our experience with cracks in a Victorian house, mostly in the front bay but also in the main wall, was that they were covered, under the cause of subsidence. We had to pay the first £1000 but the total cost for 'stitching' must have been many times that figure. The only downside is that if you ever want to change insurers you will have to declare that there has been a claim for subsidence, which may affect premiums. Mind you, most of London is built on clay, which shrinks in the summer and expands in the winter, so it's not that unusual for any house to have movement!
If you do have to get a survey done yourselves, I can recommend a firm that we used for a damp survey - it employs independent structural surveyors too. They are 1stassociated.co.uk - the standard charge last year was £500+VAT. That was on a flat, so I suppose it might be a bit more on a house.
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