Tell us what you have seen
Chatham, Kent
Cracks and sloping floors in homes above the Medway
Houses built across a steep fall on chalk or old dockyard ground often develop cracks that follow the slope. A specialist will look at the retaining walls, terraces and foundations to find out what is moving. Describe what you have noticed to get started.
- No cost to ask
- Specialists who know Kent ground
- No obligation to proceed
What movement looks like on a steep site
When a home sits partly on solid chalk and partly on made ground, the two halves settle differently over time. Retaining walls and terraced gardens add their own pressures. The signs usually appear slowly and worsen with wet weather.
- 1
Diagonal cracks near doors
A crack running from a door frame toward the ceiling often follows the direction the wall is tilting. It may widen after heavy rain.
- 2
Floors that roll a marble
A floor sloping noticeably toward the lower side of the street suggests the downhill foundation has settled further than the uphill one.
- 3
Garden wall leaning outward
A brick wall at the bottom of a terrace bowing away from the soil behind it can indicate pressure building up against it.
- 4
Sticking window frames
Windows that jam in summer but free up in winter point to seasonal movement in the ground beneath the sill.
Reading the signs around your home
The same crack means different things depending on whether the house sits on chalk, clay or filled dockyard land. A specialist checks the ground before assuming anything about the structure itself.
- Crack wider at the top than the bottom
- This shape often points to the lower part of the wall sinking. A trial pit would show whether the footing has dropped into soft fill.
- Steps cracking along mortar joints
- Stepped cracking follows the weakest line in brickwork. It suggests lateral movement, which a borehole and level survey would help explain.
- Patio slabs tilting toward the house
- Slabs sloping inward can mean the ground beside the wall is washing away. Checking drainage runs usually settles whether water is the cause.
- Retaining wall bulging in the middle
- A bowed section indicates earth pressure exceeding what the wall was built for. A structural assessment determines if ties or rebuilding are needed.
- Gaps opening under skirting boards
- A gap between the floor and the skirting suggests the joists have dropped. Measuring floor levels across the room shows how far the movement extends.
Ways specialists stabilise ground and walls
- Subsidence Help For the first steps when you notice movement anywhere in your home.
- Underpinning When foundations need extending down to firmer ground below.
- Resin Injection To fill voids or strengthen loose soil without major excavation.
- Concrete Cracking For damaged slabs, drives or garage floors that have split.
- Screw Piling For new bays, porches or extensions on sloping or soft sites.
Towns covered across Kent
Specialist firms take on ground movement cases throughout the county. Whether the house sits on Weald Clay, chalk or coastal sand, there are engineers familiar with the local geology and its particular problems.
- Canterbury
- Chatham
If your town is not listed here, send an enquiry anyway. Coverage extends across all of Kent.
Describe what you have noticed
Your description goes to a specialist firm working in Kent. They read the details and decide if a site visit is warranted. Sending this form does not commit you to any work or payment.
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