Subsidence, settlement and heave
Fresh fill sits in a stump grind against the kitchen wall. What root and what soil movement has that fill not explained?
The fresh fill has not explained which root was taken out, or what soil movement followed, against the kitchen wall. A stump grind is a hole where a stump was ground down. New fill in that hole hides the remaining root, the depth of the grind, and whether the ground beside the wall has shrunk, heaved or simply been made up. The survey has seen fresh fill against the kitchen wall. It has not identified the root, has not diagnosed movement, and has not opened the fill to see the soil under it.
Last reviewed 24 October 2026. Written for buyers in England and Wales unless this answer says otherwise. No named surveyor has signed this page. It is general guidance, not a report on your house, and not legal advice.
What is the fuller explanation?
Trees and stumps matter near walls because roots and the soil they sit in can be tied to subsidence or to heave after a tree is removed. Fill that still looks fresh is a recent cover, not a history. It does not name the species, show whether a large root ran under the footing, or show a crack pattern inside. The Association of British Insurers talks about subsidence as an insured peril with its own claim process. This inspection has not made a claim and has not explained the ground.
Tell the solicitor a stump was ground out against the kitchen wall and the hole is freshly filled. Ask what the seller knows about the tree, and ask your insurer only with facts, not with a movement storey the survey did not write. If the kitchen wall needs a movement opinion, that is a separate look at cracks, levels and the soil, not a reading of the fill. The report has not said the wall is moving.
What should you ask your surveyor?
- What did you actually see of the grind, other than fresh fill?
- Are you linking any crack in the kitchen wall to this hole?
- Has the root, and any soil movement, been left unexplained?
What are the typical next steps?
- Treat the root and any soil movement as unexplained by the fill.
- Ask the seller what tree was removed beside the kitchen wall.
- Get a separate movement opinion if the wall itself needs one.
Costs vary with the building and with who you instruct. Where this page does not cite a published figure, ask the surveyor, a relevant specialist, or your solicitor for a written quote. Do not treat a forum average as the price.
Also asked about this
If the kitchen wall is crack-free, has the fill explained the ground?
No. A wall without an obvious crack is a wall note. The fill still hides the root and the soil in the grind. The survey has not explained what was removed or whether the ground moved. Absence of a crack is not that explanation.
Does fresh fill mean heave has already been ruled out?
No. Fresh fill is new material in a hole. Heave after a tree comes out is a soil question the fill conceals rather than answers. The survey has not tested the soil and has not ruled heave in or out.