Opinions on these wall cracks

Mr.Stu

Mr.Stu

Mr.Stu

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18 Oct 2002
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Hi - I'm hoping someone with more knowledge than myself can comment on these pics.

Context

- looking to purchase next home, ticks all boxes, about to submit offer and noticed this crack in one of the bedroom walls (during 2nd viewing)
- 1985ish house, detached 4-bed, bryant built
- This wall is above a double garage, and is supported by a breeze block wall running down the middle of the garages

The crack

- as per pic it runs down from the window sill to just above the radiator, I could just about squeeze a thin coin inside. It's more than a hairline surface plaster crack (my current house is full of those after a re-skim some year ago), but I cannot tell if its just the plaster, of if the inner skin brick work has moved underneath
- The skirting on the room also shows some cracking along the upper joint with the wall, highlighted in pic
- Inspecting the wall underneath shows some work has been done on the two red bricks highlighted, which is directly below the radiator

Before I lump up the pennies for a pre-offer surveyor, does anyone want to take a shot at this one? Possible root cause, or how best to find someone qualified to comment for 30 minutes! Appreciate the pics and info is not a huge amount to go on, just trying to find a sounding board!

Thanks

 
Is the last picture above the lintel? Looks like the breezeblock has cracked and caused some minor settlement in the plaster thus the crack. I believe nowadays you're meant to put a particularly strong type of breezeblock below a linter/steel to stop this "crushing" effect then

If you were going to plaster anyways id knock that bit out and replaster.

If it's not fallen over in 30years id imagine it will be fine, and to be fair ive had similar cracks skimmed over and they've not open up (need to put mesh in it and bond adhesive).

Im by no means a surveyor tho!
 
Last picture looks like its had some recent pointing done and the crack from the corner of the lintel through the block is also through this newer pointing, picture 3 shows newer pointing as well across the length, has this wall recently been opened up or is it original?
 
The last picture looks like the block supporting the lintel has cracked under the shear force its trying to hold up. I would potentially be a little concerned with that but that crack could have been there for years as well. The minimum pad for the lintel should be 150mm and it looks like a bit of a bodge job with the bit of block stuck on the end of the lintel perhaps it wasn't long enough? The industry way of investigating would be to setup some telltales and see if the crack grows over time but i would check the condition of that block work at least. I mean it looks like if that piece falls out you might have some issues.
 
I only really worry about small cracks that are larger at one end than the other - or cracks through bricks that indicate the morter was made up wrong.

Nothing in the pics looks horrifying to me - but I'm not a surveyor
 
Thanks for the comments everyone. A mixed bag! Probably worth erring on the side of caution with uncertainty. I will pursue some sort of professional inspection as part of the process moving forward.
 
JRJ said:
Last picture looks like its had some recent pointing done and the crack from the corner of the lintel through the block is also through this newer pointing, picture 3 shows newer pointing as well across the length, has this wall recently been opened up or is it original?
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It’s the original as far as I know. Other plots have the same style dividing wall down the middle of the double garage. Supporting the outside wall of the first floor above. This lintel is over a doorway giving access from garage one to garage two.
 
Slade2 said:
The last picture looks like the block supporting the lintel has cracked under the shear force its trying to hold up. I would potentially be a little concerned with that but that crack could have been there for years as well. The minimum pad for the lintel should be 150mm and it looks like a bit of a bodge job with the bit of block stuck on the end of the lintel perhaps it wasn't long enough? The industry way of investigating would be to setup some telltales and see if the crack grows over time but i would check the condition of that block work at least. I mean it looks like if that piece falls out you might have some issues.
Click to expand...
Yes I see what you mean. If that left side of the cracked breeze block gave way it would leave the lintel free to drop. I suppose the fix here, If deemed required, is some sort of block replacement and potential longer lintel. And the expensive prep works with props etc !
 
A survey won't help, it'll be a cop out. If it's just a door in the middle then it'll be fine. Probably has moved a little.
 
Slam62 said:
A survey won't help, it'll be a cop out. If it's just a door in the middle then it'll be fine. Probably has moved a little.
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I would echo this - most surveys are so cautious in the wording they are next to bloody useless. Getting a building surveyor informally with no obligation for them to produce a report that you might come back at them on would give you better info - but it's hard to find chartered surveyors who do this unless you know someone.
 
Yep had a full survey done and what a waste of time. Anything he wasn't sure about was 'recommend an expert in that field to do further investigation' or words to that effect. Pointless.
 
where is the property, as in part of the country?

You won't be able to tell if a crack in something is in the plaster finishes only or extends behind it without removing some of the plaster to find out.
A sensible survey will seek to log all the cracks visible in the property, plot them onto elevations and plans of the building, and then deduce the movements that could be causing that pattern of cracking, and then possibles sources and other contributory/governing factors. Even then this is just forming the first assumption. To prove this you then have to monitor the building periodically for a longer period to confirm the assumptions are correct. A bit hard to do in a prepurchase situation.

The key thing is are the cracks small enough and the pattern such that it is not suggestive of an ongoing and costly-to-remedy problem. (Like a house I once looked at that was literally sliding down the slope into its own back garden*). What you're looking for is a structural engineer who can do a proper structural report / crack assessment, as opposed to a building surveyor, who will just give you a building report saying "I saw cracks" and "get an engineer".

* needless to say we didn't buy it.
 
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Don't see anything to be too concerned about - the skirting in the first picture possibly tells a bit of a tale (I guess they are all connected in a way) but probably not something that will need major work. The crack on the wall as long as it isn't showing on both sides is not an issue at all other than looking bad. The last one is the only one that I'd probably get a professional to look at just in case but it wouldn't put me off buying.
 
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