Large crack in the house - urgent advice please?

i have all ready answered this elsewhere ..answer no 1 is not a builder ..he is talking rubbish ...no surveyor would ever tell you to leave a tree too close to building ...you will not sell till its sorted .every survey will condemn it ..and just because a house is 1840 does not mean settlement are normal ..i have worked in over 5.000 properties in my time ..been paid on every contract ..but trust me ..if the tree is less than 10 ft from a house .its a problem and must be removed

Hello, first I would ask the definition of a huge crack - is it a long crack along the mortar line that may be long but narrow say 5mm or there abouts? Or is it a wide crack that goes through the stone that is over 5mm and does it extend through the window sill?

If it's the first of the two get a tree surgeon's report first they will tell you if the tree has the kind of root system that would cause the damage - if not re-point and sell.

If it's the second of the two a structural survey will be needed along with that of the tree surgeon. The tree can, if required, be removed and the wall may need underpinning but I doubt very much that as other have said that it would close up on it's own in a couple of weeks.

There can be lost of causes of cracking as other have mentioned, trees are just one, other things can be mining, alteration in water courses, drains, age, being re-pointed with a cementicious mortar rather than a lime one, alterations to windows, heavy traffic on near by roads. They key is not to panic and adress the problem in a systematic way. The tree surgeon is the most inexpensive place to start so try that first just as a matter of narrowing your options. Good luck.

I would suggest contacting a structural engineer for his advice - it shouldn't cost too much. However, in order of highest probability these are my thoughts;

1. The conifer is taking away all of the moisture and is causing the subsoil to contract thus leaving voids into which the foundations are moving. I would remove the conifer and then the subsoil should return to its normal condition and further movement will cease. The cracking may even contract. After a few weeks re point the brickwork in matching mortar and fill plaster cracks. - problem solved

2. If there is no mining in the area the tree will be the source of the problem. If mining subsidence is the cause, this movement will have ceased years ago when the mines closed. Carry out repairs as above.

3. If the movement is caused by subsidence and is worsening you may well have to carry out underpinning - don't worry it is not as bad as people make out. A small local builder under the supervision of a structural engineer will be able to carry out the work. £500 - £1000 / m should cover the cost for traditional shallow strip foundations.

Good luck.

My house had the same problem. The roots of trees in the field beside it were causing the house to subside, and we wanted to buy our house, so we had to find out what needed to be done. The only solution we got told would most likely help was to have the two trees removed. It wasn't what we wanted, but we had to try it. Two years after the trees being removed, our house has not moved an inch. We've had the cracks filled in, as well. So far, so good.

Of course, it may not be the same for your house, since it's older.

Hope this helps, though.

Sigh. New houses are built much better now than ever before, when experienced, professional contractors are used. At least here in America. Most houses are overbuilt when it comes to the amount of and type of lumber used. The house is just settling. It happens as the lumber used drys out and everything settles under its own weight. I would wait about a year until everything finally settles and then fix the cracks. Unless of course certain cracks become very large, that would signal a larger problem.

It could be the tree, but could also be drains or possibly subsidence..

It may well be better having a survey done on the basis of better safe than sorry

Boy boy is right, have it surveyed because maybe it is the roots of the tree that is causing all the cracks.

It is more than likely the tree's root system causing your trouble but, you would be best advised to have it surveyed, just to make sure. The surveyor will be able to tell you what needs doing and how much it is likely to cost. Underpinning will need to be carried out if it is the tree roots and that can be expensive.

For peace of mind get a full structural survey done. This is the only way your going to get a proper answer. Even if you remove the tree the damage is not going away it will get worse until it's rectified

removing the tree will make it worse, usual for a house of that age but there are all sorts such as weather, water egress, bad workmanship etc, would need to see it to say more.