Tina Ruffle
Member
- Messages
- 14
- Location
- Norfolk, England
Hi
First time i've actually posted anything but i've been reading the site for a while now. Hence, i'm hoping that someone can help.
We are in the process of buying a 200 year old cottage and the evil word underpinning has crept up.
There is some evidence of structural movement - some cracks and past attempts to fill are obvious - as is the fact that its not finished moving as the cracks are larger than the filler. The problem has been caused by leaking drains. It is a localised problem on a single storey extension.
We've been told that as the drains are leaking severely just mending them will not be sufficient to stop the 2 cracks getting any bigger.
The largest crack is 7mm at its widest point.
Is it necessary to underpin?
Now like one of the agony uncles posts said - insure through the exisitng provider and get the existing owner to put a claim through if necessary and carry it on.
So what do you do when the vendor is an executor of a will, the previous owner was insured through Age Concern and you are just 23 ( and therefore not quite eligible for that insurance)?
I'm not ready to walk away from this one!
Thanks for any help you can give
First time i've actually posted anything but i've been reading the site for a while now. Hence, i'm hoping that someone can help.
We are in the process of buying a 200 year old cottage and the evil word underpinning has crept up.
There is some evidence of structural movement - some cracks and past attempts to fill are obvious - as is the fact that its not finished moving as the cracks are larger than the filler. The problem has been caused by leaking drains. It is a localised problem on a single storey extension.
We've been told that as the drains are leaking severely just mending them will not be sufficient to stop the 2 cracks getting any bigger.
The largest crack is 7mm at its widest point.
Is it necessary to underpin?
Now like one of the agony uncles posts said - insure through the exisitng provider and get the existing owner to put a claim through if necessary and carry it on.
So what do you do when the vendor is an executor of a will, the previous owner was insured through Age Concern and you are just 23 ( and therefore not quite eligible for that insurance)?
I'm not ready to walk away from this one!
Thanks for any help you can give