Not every crack means something serious, but it's rarely obvious which is which from looking at it yourself. This section covers how to read cracks and movement in a property: what different crack patterns usually mean, when it's cosmetic and when it needs looking at, and what a Chartered Structural Engineer checks for that a general inspection might miss.

If your surveyor has flagged a structural concern, or your mortgage lender wants further investigation, it can feel like it's put your purchase on hold. This section explains what happens next: what a structural engineer's report involves, how it fits with your surveyor's findings, and what lenders and solicitors typically need from it.