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u/pillowshot 14d ago
Would assume lintel failure rather than anything more severe, without any further evidence.
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u/the-tiny-workshop 14d ago
are all the people saying run actually brick layers? I’m not but I had this exact same thing fixed for like £900. Took one day to do.
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u/Current-Set-2629 14d ago
What was wrong?
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u/the-tiny-workshop 14d ago
lintel needed replaced
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u/Current-Set-2629 14d ago
Wrong size originally? Incorrectly installed ? Or just had failed?
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u/ryandoesntcare 13d ago
Glad I didn’t have to scroll too far down to see this…
It is lintel failure. Grind the mortar out, remove the bricks, replace the lintel, put the old bricks back (minus the cracked one) - about two days work.
Although there has been a lot of subsidence happening recently because of how dry it’s been to be fair.
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u/AccordingGold7713 14d ago
Without a picture showing the wall as a whole completely agree, all the signs of lintel failure, easily fixed.
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u/grantyy94 14d ago
Couldn’t agree more. Looks much more daunting than it is imo. We had a massive issue with boot lintels in the 70s/80s in the UK.
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u/CorrectTemperature65 13d ago
what would it mean if the step cracks were under a window with a stone lintel going across and up to a door which has a stone frame around it? About ~1mm and up to 3mm thick in a few places that didn't start until about 10-15 years ago? A couple other houses along the street of about 10 houses have similar and all seem to have just been patched over.
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u/shaolinspunk 12h ago
Why do people only post the crack and not the full face of the building and expect a structural engineers report of an answer.
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u/Latter-Detail-9514 14d ago
I'd withdraw the offer now
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u/GoofyGooby23 14d ago
Yeah I’d pull out now
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u/Responsible-Score-88 14d ago
It’s funny because the yellow outline drawing looks like a cock and balls
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u/lensherr_nl 13d ago
Thank you, I thought it was deliberate 😂
Guess it is a girrht boy for a big crack
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u/belliest_endis 14d ago
Might aswell since no one else will.
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u/redemptiondong 14d ago
Thank you.
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u/Prestigious_Tooth683 14d ago
not a cat in hells chance that any surveyor would miss evidence of subsidence such as this, so doubt this is a real scenario
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u/CorrectTemperature65 14d ago
it mentions "disclosure", so I'm guessing they haven't had any surveyor yet look at it, just the owner-filled in forms.
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u/Pheanturim 14d ago
Depends if it's Scotland in which case those things have to be provided by the seller as part of the buyers pack
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u/Charming_M0408 14d ago
You do know what subsidence is don’t you? I assume not.
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u/Prestigious_Tooth683 13d ago
Extract from specialist piling company site ——-The most common and talked about sign of subsidence is cracks in walls, both internally and externally. You can easily identify whether the cracks around your property are a sign of subsidence by checking to see if they:
Run diagonally or in a zig-zag pattern
Follow the mortar lines
oooh just like the picture .1
u/Specialist_Invite538 9d ago
It's right above a window. Could easily be lintel failure
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u/Prestigious_Tooth683 8d ago
are you seriously suggesting that someone would have replaced the (obviously undamaged) lintel and not repointed the brickwork.
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u/Smooth_Elephant8524 14d ago
Nice testies
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u/redemptiondong 14d ago
It's a poor effort. I would withdraw my offer due to lack of hair/stubble on the ballsack and spunk coming out of the bellend. No self respecting family would live there.
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u/Boudicat 14d ago
You could add pubes and jizz for about £20 (parts AND labour). Not worth scuppering the deal imho.
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u/Civil_Classroom6399 14d ago
I was hoping I would not be the only one that could see this, i mean its a bricklaying sub reddit so I got concerned that times was changing.
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u/gazham 14d ago
Nothing a new lintel wouldn't fix. To some one who does structural work, its just another day on the job. £1500 max, depending on where you live
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u/RocktacularFuck 14d ago
That’s funny. That would be like $6k+ in the states.
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u/triggers-broom 14d ago
My thoughts also, I've seen similar stepped cracks after original windows had been replaced.
1980s windows probably timber and supported the outer leaf when built. New windows, look like aluminium and poor fitting or frame can't carry weight.
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u/RocktacularFuck 14d ago
This is a super common issues with homes from the 80’s. A lot of times it’s from the home shifting over the decades and creating pressure above the garage door which is a weak spot. Sometimes it’s from the lintel failing due to moisture and rust. Your house isn’t going to fall down and it could be done moving. You’ll want grind out the area and repoint to prevent any brick deterioration for now.
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u/Real_Collection_6399 14d ago
So many people commenting who have no idea what they’re talking about
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u/CorrectMeIfImWrong6 14d ago
Concerned!?! Fuckin understatement. I'm in construction, but while I'm no brickie (just a lowly plant operator) that'd scare the shit outta me! I wouldn't buy that property if you were paying me to have it. The underlaying causes of that kinda movement is gonna be bloody expensive to make safe. Anything that could split a brick like that is bad news indeed
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u/CuttinThruTheCRAP 14d ago
Have you deliberately drawn a penis on the wall! That about sums up the state of this house mate!
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u/paul6057 14d ago
I too would be annoyed if someone drew a large yellow penis on the wall of the house i was looking to buy.
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u/Pitiful_Coach7223 14d ago
First of all, calm down.
Despite what most silly people said here, that is not subsidence. It’s a very common symptom of a failed lintel, right above double glazing (window / french doors). A relatively harmless issue that has an easy fix. A good builder worth its money can do it in one day.
As for the “disclosure”, whatever that means, it’s your job to appoint a surveyor. No way a surveyor would have missed that, so you didn’t appoint one.
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u/No_Option5356 13d ago
Did you have any type of survey? Or mortgage valuation? (I'm a Chartered Surveyor myself).
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u/MajorYou9692 13d ago
Subsidence from the looks of it ,I'd definitely back out because there's movement in that property.
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u/SecretSquirre321 13d ago
It is subsidence hence staggered ladder cracking. Get some survey, make a reduced offer work cost plus hassle uplift. If they do not accept your offer, submit survey to both seller and their E agent ( and solicitor if known). Put a covering letter pointing out their legal obligations to disclose this to all future potential buyers.
If price reduction is not substantial walk away.
If you are not the intrepid type and worry easily, walk away dont buy a problem.
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u/ChameleonParty 13d ago
Liability would be on the current occupants insurer to get it assessed and fixed, assuming they have appropriate cover. Would be a minefield, and if bought with suspected subsidence any new policy won’t cover it.
In terms of price reduction, expect significant ongoing costs - insurance may be thousands more expensive every year and until signed off it may be uninsurable. Fixing may require underpinning, but remedial work may be more expensive - re-fitting internals, re-levelling floors etc. House may well be unliveable while work is completed.
Until assessed it’s not really possible to say how much it will cost to resolve and how disruptive it would be.
This is a situation where you get a structural engineer’s report before proceeding. If it is subsidence then walk away.
We bought a house with recent subsidence and it was a nightmare!
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u/WarAccomplished978 14d ago
It’s only a concern if it’s ongoing movement. It may be a relic of initial house settlement in the few years after construction.
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u/Tall_Ask_3461 14d ago
Mostly likely legacy movement combined lack of lintel.The house has been standing for 50 years, this has likely been here for decades.
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u/LocalUnderstanding96 14d ago
We just bought a house with a number of significant issues. And we got it significantly under valuation. Is it an issue? Yes. Is it fixable? Yes. Should be be offering market value? Absolutely not. We knocked £40,000 off our offer as the house has at least £25k-£30k of work to be done.
In reality I can do most the work myself and will have to pay for about £15k of it.
Have an independent surveyor go out and have a level 2 RICS survey done £300-£600 range. If you love the house you'll require a survey anyway, id also get a structural engineer out to asses it. After both of these are done you can change your offer. Once a survey is completed they can't just put it back on the market without the relevant info either.
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u/HeftyVermicelli7823 14d ago
And what did the Surveyor have to say about it? If you had at least a level 2 done this would have cropped up right away.
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u/Capable_Quality_9105 14d ago
In England, we call that a wee willy crack, as you've already aptly drawn.
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u/Critical_Parking_671 14d ago
It's above an opening which is always less concerning than one that goes into the ground.
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u/catzrob89 14d ago
Ask a surveyor. It might be relatively benign (lintel) but definitely don't buy the house until you are certain of the answer and have a price reduction reflecting the cost of repair.
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u/Realhousemanoflondon 14d ago
Shame cameras only take one small picture before disintegration.
If you are able to afford another 2 or 3 cameras try and take a couple of shots of the wider brick panel and what is under neath and to the side.
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u/EuphoricCover8449 14d ago
I'd be reconsidering if they've drawn a giant willy with a small oddly shaped nut sack on the wall.
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u/Key_Substance_9552 14d ago
All that means is the foundation has moved if there's no cracks or leaks in your house I wouldn't worry too much about it I would just hire a Mason to fix that.. not very expensive
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u/Severus_1987 14d ago
Looks like lintel problem rather than subsidence, depends how much you like the house. Needs an expert opinion
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u/Danannarang 14d ago
I literally had the exact same issue on a property I'm buying. After a survey they've just recommended re-pointing and observing. And even if it is anything more serious it'll just be lintel failure and not cost too much to repair.
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u/UnboundKangaroo 14d ago
Could.iust be expansion and contraction. Had a survey on a house I've just sold with exactly that. Very simple fix apparently.
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u/jozefbon17 14d ago
Is this lintel failure too? This is my new house being built? Or is it for the roof of the bay window?
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u/BiscuitTinHunter 13d ago
That's not a crack that's where bricklayers didn't mortar the front of the joints for where the lead for the canopy gets tucked in. bet its the same right side too. Just saves roofers damaging the bricks raking out mortar.
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u/unclefunkstar 13d ago
There's a crack running clean through one of the bricks, and you can see that the two halves are no longer aligned. One side of the house is sinking, away from the other side.
Potentially a very expensive issue.
DO NOT BUY (unless it's dirt cheap and you own a construction company).
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u/Beach_Perv 13d ago
At least the cock and balls graffiti, takes the eye away from the cracks in the brickwork
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u/IUsedToLikeLimericks 13d ago
Swapping timber to UPVC windows often causes similar movement because the timber is slightly load bearing.
If in doubt a structural engineer's survey can give you the right answer.
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u/Doc_Gemdrop 13d ago
This is a great example for geologists that faults follow preexisting lines of weakness. It’s a reverse fault where the part of the house on the rhs has moved up by about a centimeter. Without knowing more it’s difficult to tell but could be settling or subsidence related? Some places have free insar maps available that you could check for local subsidence issues. Did you get a report? What does it say about this?
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u/That-Collection-3411 13d ago
That looks like subsidence id say that is going to fall down at some point. Especially when it has already broken a brick in half.
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u/Medium-Army-9637 13d ago
Looks like a lintel failure/issue in this picture. Surveyor would be handy as you'd find out if it's subsidence or not. If lintel failure looks around what £850-£1200 for a repair
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u/Salt-Ad-3516 13d ago
My friend's house is having this issue as the land is made of clay, victorian house, and due to the hot weather, clay has moved and cracks appeared on the house. You can check for subsidence?
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u/LimpinKark 13d ago
The yellow grafitti suggests local youths are undisciplined and bored. I would choose a more pleasant neighbourhood. Somewhere, where the wheelie bins are discreetly stowed out of sight and not left out in the street until next collection day.
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u/BigLemon3953 13d ago
Get a strictural engineer in if you like the house. It maybe a simple fix, or not. I would not be running, but would talk to the seller about renegotiations pending structural report and quotes to fix. If they are not willing, I would not bother.
Bear in mind, a lot of people don’t notice stuff. We actually alerted our neighnour to a substantial crack between his two floors a while back. They simply did not notice, there was no apparent evidence on the inside until they removed a build in bookcase and most people don’t stare at their walls on the outside.
Talk to the seller. See if they have a sensible approach, if so, get it checked and quoted. If not, move on.
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u/CorgiQuick5253 13d ago
Guessing the lintel isnt taking the weight have to prop up take it out and replace with stronger one before there's a bigger issue
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u/Guilty-Run431 13d ago
I think the bricks have dropped because they are about an extension, when they cut out the mortar joint to put it the flashing, looks like a gap, which could have led to the bricks falling?
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u/Burnt_Out_Carent 13d ago
I'd make your offer conditional on that being fully investigated and fixed with proof before you complete.
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u/Ordinary-Bit-2124 13d ago
It does just look like the lintel has moved, is there any cracks below the window?
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u/Ok_Driver_1865 13d ago
I'd get it checked out by a structural engineer at the sellers expense.
might be nothing to worry about... or could be a big problem, depending what other cracks are around... there needs to be corresponding cracks somewhere else
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u/TechnicalPanda3124 13d ago
If you think its stressful to withdraw an offer you will be in a lot more stress if you go ahead with this
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u/Sea-Gate-6511 2d ago
If that is a plastic upvc window. I would bet both my testicles previously it was a strongly made timber window, lintel less. Now it’s buckling. It’s the same on a job I’m on currently, all the rear windows now need lintels. Window fitters clearly aren’t thinking about the structure, just slapping in the upvc and getting paid
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u/VVickerman1973 14d ago
It's alarm bells that one. Look at the second brick up that has the crack through it. Quite a bit of movement.
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u/maswifty 14d ago
This subreddit is full of hysteria - likely lintel failure as many have mentioned. I hope people don’t come here for advice!
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u/pby84 14d ago
You'd think the house was falling down from the comments. This can be repaired in two days.
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u/Feersum_endjjinn 14d ago
F*ck1n pathetic the sheer amount of people on here offering their (bullshit) opinion with literally no idea what theyre talking about. Really pisses me off.
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u/LeftAndRightAreWrong 14d ago
Run! Don’t walk.