When a Building Is Telling You Something…

… Listen.

Every so often a photograph appears that perfectly illustrates serious structural movement in a property. The image above is a dramatic reminder of why a professional building survey is so important when a home or building begins to show early signs of distress.

At first glance the damage looks chaotic, but it actually tells a very clear story — one familiar to anyone dealing with foundation problems, subsidence, or structural defects.

1. Diagonal Cracks = Significant Structural Movement

Deep, wide cracks running from ground level through the first floor are a classic sign of subsidence, failed foundations, or differential settlement. This isn’t decorative cracking; it’s the building physically pulling apart.

2. Masonry Displacement

Bricks shifting out of alignment indicate a major structural failure. When the wall loses its bond, the property’s stability is compromised, and urgent assessment by a chartered building surveyor or structural engineer is essential.

3. Distorted Openings

The racked door frame and fractured arch are common symptoms seen in homes affected by serious movement. Openings are weak points in any façade, and distortion here shows the load paths are no longer behaving as they should.

4. Failed Lintels and Shear Cracking

Cracks travelling through lintels and supporting piers suggest the structural integrity of the building has been undermined. This is the sort of issue often highlighted in a Level 3 Building Survey.

5. Evidence of Previous Repairs

Patch repairs that fail repeatedly usually mean the underlying cause was never addressed. This is typical in older properties across the UK and France where cement-based repairs have been applied to traditional lime-built structures.

Why This Matters

Movement like this goes far beyond the minor settlement cracks most homeowners notice. In professional terms, this is structural failure and would be treated as an immediate safety concern.

It reinforces why homeowners purchasing property in the UK or France should invest in a proper RICS building survey, especially for period homes, stone cottages, or French rural properties where foundations can be shallow and vulnerable to movement.

Early Warning Signs to Watch For

Whether you own a modern house in Yorkshire or a traditional property in rural France, the early indicators of structural movement are often subtle:

• diagonal cracks near windows or doors
• sticking or misaligned doors
• sloping floors
• gaps between skirting boards and walls
• cracks that reappear after repair

If you spot these issues, seeking advice from a RICS Chartered Building Surveyor can prevent small problems from escalating into expensive structural repairs.



Need Help Assessing a Property?

At MKN Surveyors we specialise in building surveys in the UK and France, including heritage buildings, stone farmhouses, cottages, chalets and traditional village homes.
If you’re concerned about cracks, movement, damp, or any form of building defect, we can help you understand the cause — and the best route to fix it.