Category: Property movement in Spain

Property foundation problems and house movement in Spain

Few things are more disturbing for an owner of Spanish property than to have a house suffering from movement.  This is enough to send most people into a panic – and understandably so. That said, I have also come across property owners who have house movement in Spain who have clearly been in denial for years.  This is, invariably, not sensible.  Like most things in life, the sooner a problem is faced up to and dealt with the better and, in the case of property movement, this is essential, for three reasons. Firstly, although rare, property movement can lead to the collapse of a part or all of a house.  So, ignoring movement or signs of movement can end up endangering lives. Secondly, swift remedial action can save time and money, as the damage to a building can be restricted by immediate action. Thirdly, if a Spanish property is less…

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Property movement in Spain, resolving subsidence and heave

Unfortunately, property movement in Spain is not uncommon.  There are many reasons for this, including defective geotechnical surveys and inadequate foundations – either of which can lead to a Spanish property suffering from serious subsidence or heave. Since 2000 all new build properties (with a few exceptions) must have a Decenal 10 year, insurance backed guarantee to protect property owners against structural instability.  As a part of the Decenal (sometimes known as the Builder’s Guarantee), a geotechnical study of the ground must be commissioned  by the builder, developer or architect to ensure that a plot is capable of providing a stable area for an intended property and ascertain the correct foundation system. Pre-build bore testing (in two or more places on the plot) using a core drill, is undertaken by geotechnical experts to investigate the make-up of the ground substrates, level of firm ground, moisture content, propensity to shrink or heave etc….

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Property movement and cracking in Spain, decaying reinforced concrete

There are many reasons why property movement and cracking in Spain can cause a property to become unstable.  Sometimes this is due to subsidence but this is not always the case.  Indeed, a relatively common problem in Spanish properties can be due to the decay of the steel reinforcement used in the construction of the property itself. Many properties in Spain (whether houses or flats) have a ferro-concrete construction.  This means that steel is used to reinforce the concrete used in building the property.  So, for example, steel rods are surrounded by concrete to give the concrete strength for walls, foundations, ceiling and roof slabs as well as beams.  Meanwhile, some properties have a steel beam construction.  This is then enclosed with blocks or brickwork. Obviously, it is important that the steel within a property is correctly connected and protected from damp so as not to lose its integrity.  This is…

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