Your Quick Guide to Subsidence
If you suspect a property you’re thinking of buying might have subsidence, we recommend getting a building survey by a qualified professional straight away. While it’s important to get a professional opinion, it can be helpful for you to know a little bit about what you might be dealing with. This quick guide from Simon Levy Associates tells you what you need to know about subsidence.
What is subsidence?
Subsidence occurs when the ground beneath or around a property sinks, causing its foundations to collapse and sink too. Unsurprisingly, this can cause the building’s structure and stability to weaken significantly.
What causes subsidence?
The causes of subsidence can vary, depending on the property and the land it’s on. Subsidence can also be caused by a combination of factors. Here are some of the most common reasons for it to occur.
Clay soil
Clay soil is usually around 30-35% water and so it expands or contracts very easily during dry or wet weather, or when plants in the area use up the moisture in the soil. Homes built on clay soil can, therefore, be more prone to subsidence.
Drainage system leaks
Burst pipes or leaking drains can cause the soil around or under your home to wash away or shift, reducing the support around your foundations and causing them to subside.
Alternatively, the ground can become so saturated that it becomes too soft to support the weight of the building, which can also cause subsidence.
Plant roots
Tree and shrub roots can cause subsidence by growing under your home in search of moisture and nutrients. These roots can directly cause foundation damage and they can also change the soil as they expand and contract due to moisture absorption.
Poor ground
It’s normal for the ground beneath the foundations to compact a little due to the weight of the building, but excessive soil compaction can lead to considerable downward movement of a property, which then causes subsidence. This often occurs where inappropriate materials were used during the laying of the foundations and the construction stage, or the ground material wasn’t sufficiently compacted before construction.
Signs of subsidence
Cracks are the most obvious and most common sign of subsidence. You don’t need to worry about every single crack you see, though - in most cases, they are completely harmless.
Some signs of subsidence include:
● Cracks wider than 3mm on interior and exterior brick walls
● Cracks that are wider at the top
● Diagonal cracks spreading across the wall
● Cracks around windows or doors
● Cracks that appear after prolonged dry weather
● Cracks that grow quickly
● Sinking floors (gaps and cracks in skirting)
● Noticeable leaning of the building
Buying a new property is one of the biggest investments you’ll make in your lifetime, so it’s important you know exactly what you’re dealing with. The expert team at Simon Levy Associates can carry out a full building survey on your prospective property and highlight any issues before it’s too late to change your mind. With over 30 years of experience, you can rest assured that you’re in safe hands. Contact us today to find out more.
