Would you be concerned about buying a house next to these trees?

[Stout]

Echoing another post I was reading through, thank you to all the advice that is given in here. 

 

We are looking to purchase a house which neighbours a property with 4 large trees in close proximity to the house. According to a soil map website the area is typically "Lime-rich loamy and clayey soils with impeded drainage", if that is useful.

(As far as I am aware - but correct me if I'm wrong) There are 2 Wellingtonias, which appear to have been reduced in height at some point but still remain ~30m, a Black Pine, and Cedar. We've been told they are at least 80 years old, possibly upwards of 100. Photo attached. The largest is within 6-7m of the edge of the single story (but sunken!) extention, and all within 10-15m of the original 70s build house. 

There are some visible cracks both internally and externally on the south-west side of the property (where the trees are south-east), and so we have booked a full Building Survey, but are trying to understand if that is worthwhile or if they will be unable to help us understand the risks, impact from trees, etc, and just a waste of money from that perspective! We had looked to do a separate tree survey, but have been denied permission to access the neighbours garden.

Given the above:

1. Would you have concerns about the trees impacting the foundations/subsidence etc? Ultimately would you not buy it based on them. 
2. Could they be mitigated through a Building Survey and/or Tree Survey without access to the tree base? Or would this remain an unknown and a liability. 

 

Many thanks! 

Edited June 5 by Stout
Added map view

[Mark J]

You should instruct an arboriculturalist who has experience in subsidence investigations.
 

[AHPP]

What the **************** did topping those achieve. Demand a rude but feasible amount of money off to punish someone’s crass specifying. 
 

Can’t confidently help you with the subsidence etc. Anecdotally, looks ok.

 

But more generally, what are they hiding turning down a free tree survey? What do they already know?

[NJA]

Presume a building survey a house buyers survey type thing?  If so its very unlikely to tell you anything, other than 'trees near the property we recommend getting a specialist tree survey done' You'll need to find a way of getting a tree survey done if you're worried. 

Regarding the cracks they'll note that there is cracks but I doubt they'll say what is causing them.

But I may well be wrong!

[Stout]

Ok thanks all, think I'll try speak to the tree surveyor/arboriculturalist (think that's a new word for me) and see if they think they can do anything meaningful without getting direct access. 

And yes - Building Survey = level 3 survey, so the top one. But you're probably right that they won't say what's causing it.. 

Edited June 5 by Stout
added more detail

[daveatdave]

they will just recommend getting a chartered surveyor, it might not be anything to do with the trees it might be substandard foundation's  

[Excels1or]

Its initially a job for a structural engineer, with a write up from an arborist at a later date

[Mark J]

17 minutes ago, Excels1or said:

Its initially a job for a structural engineer, with a write up from an arborist at a later date

Maybe,

Mortgage reports don't necessarily depend on structural engineers' opinion in the first instance; tree-related subsidence should.