Advice needed for tree close to house.

[Siobhan O'Donnell]

Help! 

I have a tree (not sure which poss hawthorn) which is planted very close to the house (approx 3 to 4m). We believe that this may be the cause of cracking to one corner of the house and lifted paving stones on the patio.

We need advice/action as to whether this is indeed the cause of the problems and how this can be can be remedied. I don't want to get a tree surgeon just to chop it down but have had no reply from numbers/emails contacted through the Arboricultural Association.

Any advice on who would be best to contact? We are based in Claygate , Surrey.

Many thanks in advance.

Siobhan

[Stubby]

1 hour ago, Siobhan O'Donnell said:

Help! 

I have a tree (not sure which poss hawthorn) which is planted very close to the house (approx 3 to 4m). We believe that this may be the cause of cracking to one corner of the house and lifted paving stones on the patio.

We need advice/action as to whether this is indeed the cause of the problems and how this can be can be remedied. I don't want to get a tree surgeon just to chop it down but have had no reply from numbers/emails contacted through the Arboricultural Association.

Any advice on who would be best to contact? We are based in Claygate , Surrey.

Many thanks in advance.

Siobhan

Pictures ?

[Siobhan O'Donnell]

[Siobhan O'Donnell]

Any ideas?

[monkeybusiness]

Any pics/detail/history of the cracking?

[Siobhan O'Donnell]

I had hoped my pics showed up but not sure they have, sorry new to all of this! Moved into property 12 years ago, garden planted by a landscape gardener. Tree with pink blossom is close to corner edge of house but has grown over the years so that it is almost as tall as the house now. Trunk is about 3m from house. Patio slabs have become uneven over the past 18 months. Cracks have appeared on ground floor around ceiling/wall join and in upstairs bedrooms around windows, seems to have increased over past 4 months!

[monkeybusiness]

Are the cracks visible in the external brickwork, or just inside in the plaster? I’m struggling to see any in your pic. 

[Khriss]

Yes, re lay yr flags and enjoy that tree. K

 

( quite a new house so contact yr builder / insurer )

Edited June 5, 2020 by Khriss
Something frivilous

[Siobhan O'Donnell]

Cracking is mainly inside but a thin crack appearing along the level of the damp course.

[Dan Maynard]

As Khriss says the tree will most likely be lifting the patio slabs. If you want to stick with slabs and so decide to re-lay then ideally don't sever any roots but rather lift the height of the patio. Or gravel that area.

My impression is that It's not a big tree, unlikely to cause cracking and also unlikely that it can cause cracking on the inside without cracking on the outside.

[Khriss]

I have been involved with a couple of claims on two lovely houses,  big properties less than 20 yrs old. 15m pile n beam jobs, top quality builds  but still getting internal cracking on support wall joins, structural engineer just said " houses shift, lad, only needs a millimetre  - but wont fall down"  K

Edited June 6, 2020 by Khriss
( Not one of those Persimmon homes houses is it !!!