Crack Investigation for a Detached House in Nottingham — SSI Report
Service: Structural Report for One Concern · Location: Nottingham · Cost: £480
The problem
The buyers of a detached house in Nottingham received their RICS Level 2 HomeBuyer survey and found that the surveyor had flagged diagonal cracking above a ground-floor window on the front elevation. The cracks followed a stepped pattern through the mortar joints of the brick outer leaf. The mortgage lender required a structural engineer's report before they would proceed with the mortgage offer.
What we did
We carried out a Specific Structural Inspection (SSI) focused on the cracking concern. During the site visit we examined the crack pattern closely — measuring crack widths, noting the direction and whether they tapered or were consistent, and checking for any associated movement in the window frame or internal plasterwork.
The pattern was consistent with minor differential settlement in the shallow strip foundations below the window bay — a common finding in properties of this age where the ground beneath bay windows is often less well-consolidated than under the main wall. Crucially, there was no evidence of progressive movement: the cracks had stabilised, the mortar was old and weathered in the cracks (not fresh), and there was no corroborating movement elsewhere in the property.
We issued a written SSI report within five working days of the site visit, setting out our findings, the likely cause, a classification of the cracking (BRE category 2 — slight), and our professional opinion that no structural intervention was required.
The cost
The SSI was priced at £480 — our fixed price for a single-issue structural inspection covering one specific concern. The price included the site visit and the full written report with annotated photographs.
The outcome
The mortgage lender accepted the report and the condition cleared. The solicitors exchanged contracts and the sale completed within three weeks of the SSI report being issued. The buyers were able to proceed with confidence knowing the cracking had a clear, benign explanation and required no remedial work.