Ellfield (Structural) Ltd Consulting Structural & Civil Engineers

STRUCTURAL APPRAISAL REPORT

FOR THE PROPERTY

AT

125 HIGH STREET BOSTON

LINCOLNSHIRE

Our Ref: ES7258/21/JCE/pae JUNE 2021

Ellfield House Hanthorpe Road Stainfield Bourne Lincolnshire PE10 0RR Tel: 01778 571483 Fax: 01778 571626 email: john@ellfield.com

Structural Appraisal Report,

125 High Street Boston Lincolnshire

Ref:- ES7258/21

C O N T E N T S

SECTION 1.0 - BRIEF SECTION 2.0 - INTRODUCTION AND SCOPE SECTION 3.0 - GENERAL DESCRIPTION SECTION 4.0 - OBSERVATIONS AND DEFECTS/CONDITION LOG SECTION 5.0 - CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS APPENDIX A - PHOTOGRAPHS

1.0 BRIEF

1.1 Ellfield (Structural) Limited were requested by Fenland Architectural design

on behalf of Mr S Shaker of Silk Road Assets Ltd to inspect and report on the

structural condition of the property at 125 High Street Boston Lincolnshire.

1.2 The report is required by Mr Shaker to support a Planning Application to

repair and renovate the property.

2.0 INTRODUCTION AND SCOPE

2.1 The property is located towards the southern outskirts of Boston town centre

and is predominantly a level site.

2.2 Ellfield (Structural) Limited visited the property on 9th June 2021, to carry out

a visual structural condition survey of the building.

2.3 Weather conditions during the site visit were sunny and warm.

2.4 The report is defined as a Structural Appraisal Report and is based on visual

observations and notes taken on site and verified by photographs and should

be construed as a comment upon the overall structural condition of the

building, the quality of its structure and not an inventory of every single

defect.

2.5 It was not possible to inspect parts of the structure which were covered,

unexposed, or otherwise inaccessible, but the report does relate to all parts of

the structure which were reasonably accessible. There has been no opening up

works involved in the investigation and finishes have not been removed. We

therefore cannot guarantee that any such parts are free from defect.

2.6 The purpose of this report is limited to an opinion of the structural condition of

the building. We have only reported upon those structural defects that

materially affect the stability of the building and provided that the defects are

reasonably detectable at the time of our inspection. Whilst we have used all

reasonable skill and care in preparing this report it should be appreciated that

we cannot offer any guarantee that the building will be free from future defects

or that existing ones will not suffer from further deterioration.

2.7 The external and internal fabric where accessible were examined for signs of

distress, usually indicated by cracking due to either differential movement of

the fabric, weathering effects due to temperature or moisture changes, timber

decay due to water ingress or a combination of them all.

2.8 The report does not contain observations, comments or recommendations to

any non-structural items including, but not limited to drainage, electrical,

heating and plumbing services, timber work and decorative plasters.

2.9 Decay associated to damp, fungal attack, insect infestation or contamination is

outside the scope of our appointment or reports. Any reference to decay

associated to damp, fungal attack, insect infestation or contamination to either

structural or non-structural items are observations only. As such we

recommend that further advice is sought from specialists in the fields of damp,

fungal attack, insect infestation or contamination in order to guarantee peace

of mind from these potential defects.

2.10 The performance of foundations may be referred to within this report, however

the existing foundation system has not been inspected during this

investigation, and as such we cannot guarantee that it is free from defects.

2.11 The performance of the existing below ground soil strata and general ground

conditions may be referred to within this report; however the existing ground

conditions have not been inspected therefore comments made will be based on

analysis sought from indicative desktop sources including but not limited to

sound interpretation, however local anomalies can occur, and as such we

cannot guarantee their accuracy.

2.12 This report is to be regarded as confidential to the party to whom it is

addressed and it is intended for the use of that party only. No responsibility

will be accepted to any other party in respect of its contents in whole or in

part. Prior to the report or any part of it being reproduced or referred to in any

documents, our written approval as to the form and content must first be

obtained.

3.0 GENERAL DESCRIPTION

3.1 The building is essentially a three storey terraced dwelling, with single storey

additions to the rear, situated on a level site on land just south of Boston town

centre.

3.2 The property is in a conservation area and is Grade II Listed thought to have

been constructed circa mid-18th Century with a later additions to the rear.

The current listing comprises of the following:-

BOSTON

TF3243SE HIGH STREET 716-1/14/64 (West Side) 14/02/75 Nos 119-125

(Odd)

GVII

Terrace of 4 houses. Late C18 with minor C19 and C20 alterations.

Red/Brown brick in Flemish bond, pantile roofs, brick coped, 2 gable and 2

ridge brick stacks. EXTERIOR: 3-storey, 4-bay front with moulded fascia,

each property has single door and window to ground floor. No.119 has 6-

panel door, plain overlight, pilastered doorcase, to right a plain tripartite

sash. No.121 has half-glazes door with 3-pane overlight and fluted pilastered

doorcase, to right a C19 3-light shop window. No.123 has 6-panel door, 3-

pane overlight, to right a C20 2-light bow window adapted from an early C19

one. No.125 has half-glazed C20 door, narrow surround. To left a slightly

canted C19 bow window. To 1st floor are 4 tripartite sashes, and to 2nd floor 4

smaller similar windows. No.123 has glazing bars. All window openings have

rubbed brick segmental arches. INTERIOR: not inspected.

3.3 The general construction of the buildings consists of:-

(a) Dual Pitched Roof - Clay pan tiles over a traditional cut timber

structure with a series of principal collared

trusses supporting purlins and common rafters.

Mono-Pitched Roof - Clay pan tiles over timber rafters.

(b) External Walls - Solid load bearing fully bonded walls.

(c) Internal Walls - Solid load bearing partition walls supporting first

and second floor joists. Some upper floor walls

were of timber panelling

(d) 1st and 2nd floors - Suspended timber joists spanning between

external walls and internal partition walls

(e) Ground Floors - A combination of mass concrete ground bearing

construction with some quarry tiled areas where

the sub-structure is unknown.

(f) Foundations - Foundations were not exposed but are likely to

be constructed of corbelled brickwork strip

footings founded on the Silty Clay Barroway

Drove Beds.

3.4 Published geological records show the building to be within an area where the

soil sequence outcrops with drift deposits of the Barroway Drove Beds

consisting of older Marine Deposits and Salt Marsh Deposits of Silty Clays

overlying the solid Amg Formation Group consisting of the Kimmeridge Clay

Formation, Ampthill Clay Formation, West Walton Formation and Oxford Clay

Formation of the Jurrasic period.

3.5 There are no mature trees within the site.

4.0 STRUCTURAL DEFECTS AND COMMENTS

4.1 The following schedule identifies and highlights any structural defects

observed during the survey. (Refer to Appendices A - Photographs)

4.2 Externally the front elevation is free from any major cracking but there are

signs of previous movement above the main large ground floor window with

slight sagging to the upper floor windows are

all intact with no signs of cracking or slippage.

The front and rear elevations show that the masonry has been previously re-

pointed with more recent harder cement based mortars with a sand cement

rendered finish to the gable end wall. There is a vertical crack on the gable

wall projecting up the render and terminating on the gable verge masonry.

There are two masonry restraint

rear corner, which are likely to have been installed to restrain the front and rear

walls from moving outwards further so that the gable crack does not become

significantly wider.

The rear single storey extension shows signs of foundation movement with a

vertical crack below the window, previously re-pointed with a mastic sealant.

The main roof could only be observed from ground level but showed that the

roof covering a pan tiled finish some of which have been lost at the front

corner. The raised verges to the gable and party walls show signs of distortion

and curvature together with the chimney stack. This is not an unusual

phenomena when chimneys are exposed to constant wetting on one side and

dry on the other side and there is a chemical interaction of the flue gases

forming sulphur compounds and then attack the masonry where mortars

expand and hence create the curvature.

4.3 Internally there are numerous diagonal cracks above and below the main

windows and there is evidence of vertical cracking at the junctions of the cross

walls that abutt the gable wall with associated gaps between the floor joists

and the wall.. Ceilings also show cracking with significant sagging in the front

second floor bedroom. Ceilings were found to be lathe and plaster

construction. There was no access hatch through to the roof void but limited

photographs were taken through a hole in the ceiling but a close inspection

could not be made of the roof timbers. Further inspections will be necessary

when renovation works commence.

First and second floor joists appeared to sag and vibrated when subjected to a

sudden impact load from heavy pedestrian traffic.

Ground floors consisted of a combination of concrete and quarry tiled

construction with the tiled fishes showing signs of unevenness and damp

penetration. It is likely that the tiled floors were not constructed on a sound

sub-base with no damp proof membrane. Surrounding walls also show signs of

rising damp with salts on the surface of the brickwork.

5.0 OBSERVATIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

5.1 The property consists of traditional solid loadbearing brick wall construction

supporting an cut timber roof configuration with

supporting purlins, common rafters and ceiling ties. The roof finishes are clay

pan tiles with lead flashings along the verges and around the chimney.

The first and second floors consist of joists spanning on to internal load

bearing walls and the outer main walls.

Ground floors are of part mass concrete ground bearing slab and part solid

quarry tiles. Foundations are likely to be fairly shallow corbelled brickwork

from the period of the property.

5.2 The geological map shows the sequence of stratum in this area to be

essentially outcrops of drift deposits of silty clays overlying solid formations

of Jurassic clay formations. Historically the silty clays are known to be very

variable in consistency especially close to rivers which this site is.

5.3 Externally there is evidence of some differential movement of the building but

not considered significant in structural terms. The cracking to the rendered

gable wall is considered to be slight to moderate in structural terms and can be

easily repaired with low key sympathetic crack stitching methods as with the

e bars. Generally

the building is sound and robust with very few structural defects and no signs

of any ongoing progressive movement.

5.4 Internally the vertical cracking adjacent to the gable wall shows there has been

some outward movement. The provision of the cross tie rods has almost

consider that it would be sensible to incorporate a series of strapping ties at

each floor level and along the gable verge to provide a robust structure.

Any other minor internal cracking identified is not considered significant and

can be dealt with when renovating and decorating the property.

Generally the first and second floors were reasonably sound with some

vibration when subjected to sudden impact loads and there was some slight

unevenness of the floors, so some degree of lifting and re-levelling will be

required.

Generally the solid concrete ground floors appeared to be even but the quarry

tiled floors were very uneven and damp was evident. It is likely that the floors

will need replacing with a upgraded specification to provide damp proof

membranes and insulation to comply with current thermal requirements

5.6 The roof structures were inaccessible and further inspections will be necessary

to determine their condition especially where the second floor ceilings are

sagging.

Ellfield (Structural) Limited

JohnE

Mr J Ellington B Sc., C.Eng., M.I.Struct.E., FRSA.

APPENDIX A PHOTOGRAPHS

PHOTO No. 1 FRONT ELEVATION TERRACE BLOCK

PHOTO No. 2 FRONT ELEVATION OF No.125

PHOTO No. 3 SOUTH-EAST GABLE ELEVATION

PHOTO No. 4 REAR WEST ELEVATION

PHOTO No. 5 SOUTH ELEVATION OF OUTBUILDINGS WITH

RENDERED GABLE IN FOREGROUND

PHOTO No. 6 SOUTH ELEVATION OF OUTBUILDINGS WITH

ABUTTING PARTY WALL OF No 123

PHOTO No. 7 VERTICAL CRACK IN UTILITY OUT-

BUILDING-REOPENED REPAIRED CRACK

PHOTO No. 8 DIAGONAL CRACK ON REAR ELEVATION

PHOTO No. 9 VERTICAL CRACK IN RENDERED GABLE WALL

PHOTO No. 10 TERMINATION OF VERTICAL CRACK AT

VERGE OF GABLE

PHOTO No. 11 VIEW OF ROOF

FRONT AND DISTORTION OF CHIMNEY AND VERGE PARAPETS

PHOTO No. 12 TYPICAL DIAGONAL CRACK BELOW FRONT

WINDOWS

PHOTO No. 13 VERTICAL CRACK AT JUNCTION OF INTERNAL

WALL WITH GABLE WALL

PHOTO No. 14 SAGGING CEILING AT SECOND FLOOR LEVEL

PHOTO No. 15 TYPICAL CRACKING IN CEILINGS

PROPERTY SHOWING HIP SUPPORT TRUSS

PHOTO No. 16 TYPICAL TIE ROD ADJACENT TO GABLE WALL

PHOTO No. 17 TYPICAL TIE ROD COUPLING CONNECTION

PHOTO No. 18 TYPICAL CRACKING AT JUNCTION OF

CROSS WALLS WITH GABLE WALL

PHOTO No. 19 EVIDENCE OF DAMP PENETRATION

PHOTO No. 20 UNEVEN QUARRY TILED FLOOR FINISHES

PHOTO No. 21 GABLE CHIMNEY BREAST IN ROOF VOID

PHOTO No. 22 TYPICAL COLLARED ROOF STRUCTURE WITH

PURLINS