Old Foursquare - sinking or "normal" settling?

[Midge]

Hi. I'm new to the forum and would love some advice.
I have a small 1910 foursquare-style house (1450 sf) that had settled quite a bit prior to my ownership (six years). The left rear corner at the back of my kitchen is a few inches lower than the front end of the kitchen. Suffice it to say that if you drop a grape, it will roll out the back door. The settling is evident upstairs too. At the time that we bought the house, the home inspector said he thought that since the windows and doors all closed properly (despite a somewhat prominent rise from one side of a window to the other) and there was no evidence of cracking, etc, the house had probably settled decades ago to its "happy place." He did not seem concerned.

Now I see what appears to be new evidence of "settling" (one new diagonal crack and one window that now requires great effort to close, plus a new- or at least significantly more evident- hump on the floor between the left and right side of the house)and I'd like to determine what, if anything, I can do to keep it from progressing.

So here are my questions:
1) Do I need a structural engineer? Does anyone know someone reputable and experienced with old houses in or near Western Mass?
2) Or is there someone else I should consult with?
3) The house has a rubblestone foundation. Is this issue a potential disaster?

HEre's what I do know:
1) There were a couple of lally columns removed in the basement years ago - I know because i happen to know the owners from 20 years ago. There was some sistering of joists done to try to compensate, but it appears insufficient because they don't run the full span. There's also some egregious cutting of joists by plumbers etc.

2) A neighbor told me that he was told that long ago there used to be a little stream between his house and mine. He thinks that is why my house pitches a bit toward the left, not just toward the back. If that's true, is it possible that the soil or the footings under the house are undermined? How would I find out?

many thanks for any thoughts or advice.

[Gothichome]

Midge, welcome to the district. I think the first place to look would be in the corner foundation, is it rubble, blocks or a combination. Second is the floor joists in that corner, have they rotted out on the sill? Your guys are correct, your home probably settled to its stable spot many decades ago. Any thing now would most defiantly be a change. As far as the posts being removed I think that would cause more of a sag in the general area of the posts. If there is nothing obvious you could dig a hole down the side by the sagging corner and see if the foundation has collapsed.

[Powermuffin]

Time to call a structural engineer. He/she will be the best source of info on the current problems and can tell you what needs to be done.

[Don M]

Time to call a structural engineer. He/she will be the best source of info on the current problems and can tell you what needs to be done.

I agree, it probably would be better to have it checked sooner than later. The fact that things have changed since you bought the house seems to indicate it's no longer a static situation. Keep us posted.

[Duffy666]

Time to call a structural engineer. He/she will be the best source of info on the current problems and can tell you what needs to be done.

I agree, it probably would be better to have it checked sooner than later. The fact that things have changed since you bought the house seems to indicate it's no longer a static situation. Keep us posted.

Agreed, I am a home inspector and I would contact a structural engineer if I was seeing new signs of settlement.