External wall cracking
Stepped cracking through mortar joints, its width, taper and direction — the single most informative evidence on most properties.
RICS survey
Subsidence & Structural Movement Inspections
Cracking is alarming, but it is not always serious. An independent inspection by a chartered surveyor establishes what the evidence actually suggests, and what — if anything — should be done next.
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Drone Roof Inspection Included
With RICS Level 3 Building Surveys
Subsidence & Movement is usually suitable for
- Homeowners who have noticed new or widening cracks
- Buyers whose survey has recommended further investigation
- Properties with doors or windows that have started to stick
- Properties close to large trees or recent excavation
- Anyone who needs an independent view before involving an insurer
Consider another service if
- Situations requiring structural design or remedial engineering drawings
- Cases where intrusive site investigation has already been recommended
- Emergency structural danger, which requires immediate specialist attention
WHEN TO GET AN INSPECTION
Signs that warrant an independent opinion.
Not every one of these means subsidence. All of them are worth understanding properly rather than worrying about indefinitely.
- New cracks that have appeared recently
- Existing cracks that appear to be widening
- Diagonal cracking around windows and doors
- Doors or windows that have started to stick or bind
- Sloping or uneven floors
- Cracking to internal plaster that keeps returning after redecoration
- Large or fast-growing trees close to the building
- Concerns raised in a mortgage valuation or a previous survey
WHAT WE ASSESS
Reading the building, not just the crack.
Movement is diagnosed from the pattern of evidence across the whole property. A single crack in isolation rarely tells the full story.
Crack Patterns
Width, direction, taper, distribution and whether cracking passes through units or joints
Walls & Openings
External and internal walls, arches, lintels and distortion around openings
Internal Finishes
Plaster, ceilings, floors, staircases and evidence of previous repair
Trees & Ground
Proximity of trees and vegetation, ground levels, slopes and made ground
Alterations & Extensions
Junctions between original and later construction, and how the parts are moving relative to each other
Drainage & External Factors
Leaking drains, defective rainwater goods, excavation and nearby works
Your inspection report includes
- Description of the movement observed
- Likely cause on the available evidence
- Whether it appears historic or progressive
- Photographic evidence
- Advice on monitoring
- Recommended next steps
UNDERSTANDING CRACKING
Not every crack means subsidence.
Buildings move for many reasons. Thermal movement, shrinkage, settlement of new construction, differential movement between old and new structures, heave and subsidence all produce cracking, and they do not all mean the same thing.
Cracking around openings
Diagonal cracking radiating from window and door corners, distorted openings and evidence of lintel or arch failure.
Internal cracking
Cracking through plaster, ceilings and reveals, and finishes that crack repeatedly after being made good.
Trees and ground conditions
Species, size and proximity of trees, soil type, slopes and made ground — major influences on clay-related movement.
Extensions and alterations
Junctions between original and later construction, where differential movement is common and often misdiagnosed.
Drainage and water
Leaking drains, defective gullies and persistent water discharge that can soften or wash out supporting ground.
HOW THE SURVEYOR REACHES A VIEW
What the evidence has to show before anyone says “subsidence”.
Crack width and pattern
Tapering diagonal cracking behaves very differently from uniform straight-line cracking.
Location and distribution
Where the cracking appears, and whether it is isolated or repeated around the building.
Age and progression
Whether the evidence suggests long-standing historic movement or something currently active.
Influencing factors
Trees, drainage, ground conditions, slopes, excavation and nearby construction work.
Construction and alterations
Original construction, foundations where visible, and later extensions or structural alterations.
Evidence of previous repair
Filled cracks, replaced lintels, tie bars, helical reinforcement and past underpinning.
What this inspection is not
This is an independent visual inspection and professional opinion. It is important to be clear about what it does not include.
Where any of the above is required, the report will say so and explain who should be instructed and why.
- Intrusive or destructive investigation
- Excavation of trial holes
- Foundation exposure or soil testing
- CCTV drainage survey
- Structural calculations or engineering design
- A specification for remedial works
- An insurance claim assessment or determination
AFTER THE INSPECTION
What happens next?
The purpose of the inspection is to replace uncertainty with a plan. Depending on what the evidence shows, that plan may be very simple.
No further action
Where the evidence indicates historic, non-progressive movement that requires nothing beyond normal maintenance.
Monitoring
Recording crack widths over a period so that any progression can be measured rather than guessed at.
Further investigation
Drainage testing, trial holes or arboricultural advice where a specific cause needs to be confirmed.
Specialist referral
Structural engineering input where design or remedial works are likely to be required.
How it works
Your structural movement investigation in four steps
A focused investigation of cracking and movement to establish cause, whether it is progressive and what should happen next.
1
Tell us what you've seen
Share photographs of the cracking, when it appeared and any insurance or vendor history, and we'll quote for the right level of investigation.
2
Site investigation
The surveyor inspects internal and external cracking, drainage, trees, ground conditions and the building's structural form.
3
Diagnosis and report
You receive a reasoned opinion on the likely cause, whether movement is historic or progressive, and any monitoring or further testing advised.
4
Next steps discussed
Talk through remedial options, insurance implications and how to use the findings in a purchase or claim.
Ready to get started?
Get a quote →FAQs
Subsidence & Movement questions
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RICS Level 2 Home Survey
Suitable for conventional properties in reasonable condition.
Coverage
Subsidence & Movement across the UK
Choose your region to see local property notes and the surveyors covering your area.
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