Late Georgian Door Surround

[MatthewC]

Hi everyone. I've just joined as I am about to buy a very late (1834?) Georgian house in Oxfordshire (Grade II listed, in a conservation area). Without doubt I will have lots of questions to come as it is made habitable in the next nine months or so, starting with the roof, gutters and other damp problems.

The first question is this: the front door has a stone (well, it looks like stone under the paint) door surround which has a crack in the top, towards the left end.

Can anyone suggest whether this surround is actually structural, or is it just decorative? There are small signs of a corresponding crack in the stonework above, the door itself looks slightly slanted and there is just a plastered wall above inside. Obviously I can't do any more investigations until I've actually bought it.

 

[Penners]

It's hard to tell from a single small photo, but I have to say that it does look as though it's a lintel supporting the masonry above.

Welcome to the forum, Matthew. We shall want to see lots more photos of the house, and reports on your progress, in due course!

 

[robgil]

has the lintel part on the right of the crack dropped any lower than the other part left of the crack? does the crack continue into the wall above?

 

[FamilyWiggs]

Welcome Mathew.

I'd rip it out and replace with a nice uPVC door instead. :wink:

Lots of pics please!

Robin

 

[Flyfisher]

Welcome to the forum Matthew, I trust you'll understand FW's attempt at humour and not rush out to order new windows based on a PPUK recomendation. :lol:

As for the door frame, as others have pointed out, it's difficult to tell from the photo if the stonework is structural. Things I'd be looking for would include matching cracks on the inner and outer walls and whether the door is sticking, which could be indicative of the doorframe carrying a load it wasn't intended to carry.

Good luck with the purchase though. It sounds as if you've already decided on the right priorities once it's yours and I'm sure the house will thank you for it.

 

[ChrisD]

There is one obvious thing you can do before purchasing.
Get yourself a full structural survey by a qualified surveyor specializing in period properties.
The cost of this may be high but you will have worthwhile answers to your questions. You should get a costed summary of works with associated priorities as part of this.
Be prepared for it to read like a horror story but you will be going into your purchase with all the facts.
Good luck!

 

[Jill]

Without doubt I will have lots of questions to come as it is made habitable in the next nine months or so,

Hi Matt and welcome, if I were you i would drop the 9 months and stick with the or so, or did you mean 9 years?

 

[stephenh]

Hello Mathew - it looks like the whole lintel has cracked and sunk.

Not a big problem, but still a problem.

Under the guidance of a structural engineer I would Acrow the stonework back into place and by judicious use of these products :

http://www.twistfix.co.uk/masonry_repairs/

or google 'Helix' for a similar type of solution

your problem will be solved.....

good luck

stephenh

 

[MatthewC]

Thanks for the helpful advice so far, especially the uPVC one which made me choke on my coffee.

As we shall be doing an extension, I have engaged an architect and he will be getting a structural engineer in at some point who will look at this crack and also advise on a 20ft pear tree within three inches of the rear corner of the house... The tree will be coming down regardless but obviously I'm worried about the roots.

Following encouragement from my daughter, I am writing a blog which I shall publicize when we actually have exchanged contracts, but it seems premature right now. In the meantime, I shall take a close-up photo when I next pass the house and put it here.

Matthew

 

[MdB]

As we shall be doing an extension,

Have you had a quick chat with the CO about this? Extensions and listed building are sometimes allowed but sometimes not due to the change in character of the building. Worth checking informally anyway before you exchange.

 

[FamilyWiggs]

Welcome to the forum Matthew, I trust you'll understand FW's attempt at humour

Attempt? Attempt?

<huff> 8)

Regarding the pear tree - it would also be worth checking there isn't a tree preservation order locally. I'm sure you'd be able to get it lifted in this case - but best to go about it in the right order.

 

[MatthewC]

Thanks people. Yes, I work on the basis of avoiding conflict, so I have already spoken to a Conservation Officer who was most helpful - "we recognise that houses have to earn their keep". I said that I intended to demolish the brick extension and do a new extension in stone and she was very happy! When I mentioned my other plans which included fitting new cast iron gutters and drain pipes she was even happier. Also, there are no tree preservation orders and even in this conservation area you are allowed to cut down fruit trees so the pear tree should not be a problem.

However, there is still a long way to go... Here's another picture to whet your appetites:

The vendor has chopped off a foot of growth at the base of the ivy, so it's dying quite quickly.

 

[Flyfisher]

Glad to hear that contact has been made with the CO, plans discussed and everyone is happy in principle. Things bode well methinks.

<huff> 8)

:wink:

 

[jocelyn plummer]

What a lovely house, I'm green with envy, hope it works out for you

 

[Penners]

Just one more thought about the pear tree, Matthew: I'd be inclined to take advice about cutting it down (although something clearly has to be done about it).

As I'm sure you know, trees take up large quantities of subsoil moisture. Sometimes, and this applies particularly in clay areas, if the supply of moisture and the tree have arrived at some sort of equilibrium, sudden removal of the tree can cause heave - i.e. swelling of the clay. This in turn can cause problems with buildings.

I don't want to sound alarmist, but I do think a few words with your architect/structural engineer might be advisable, before you start wielding the axe.

 

[MatthewC]

As regards the pear tree, nothing is happening yet and I am definitely taking the structural engineer's advice first, as if there are any roots under the house, they are right under the quoin.

I promised a better picture of the door frame crack:

 

[FamilyWiggs]

Yep - that's definitely a crack!

It seems to extend above the lintel (and may be discguised by some repointing a bit higher up too?).

I'd be concerned at what is holding up the wall above the lintel. It's certainly not a new crack though, so I doubt it's going anywhere tonight.

 

[Flyfisher]

I can't really tell if the pointing above the lintel is hiding an underlying crack or if it's only the pointing itself that is cracked.

But I'd suggest it's a bit academic really because there is certainly something going on there that really needs to be looked at, on site, by a professional. The OP has already mentioned having a structural survey, so a thorough investigation of this crack must surely be included.