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Cracks... When do they become something to worry about?

9 replies

Pigleychez · 09/02/2018 09:36

Hi, we had a extension built last summer and since then have been noticing more and more cracks appearing. Mainly round door frames, where walls meet ceilings, skirtings. Etc
I expected abit as things settle but it seems to be getting more and more.

When does it become a worry and something I should get checked?
Is it because the temp differences over winter inside and out?

Any advice/ thoughts would be great as I'm starting to get concerned the house is subsiding!

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Smeaton · 09/02/2018 09:39

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Smeaton · 09/02/2018 09:44

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Polyanthus · 09/02/2018 09:45

A structural engineer I knew said that the time to worry about a crack is if you can fit a pound coin in it. That's not to say you shouldn't investigate/sort earlier stuff, but that's the width when something is clearly a problem.

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Roomba · 09/02/2018 09:49

Well that's made me panic as there's a crack in my chimney breast upstairs that is now at the pound coin width! I know what the cause is, just can't afford to fix right now and my insurers won't cover it. Keep worrying about it in the middle of the night.

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Polyanthus · 09/02/2018 09:54

Sorry!! That was just a conversation I had with a friend who happened to be a structural engineer when I was buying a old flat, so it was v much a rule of thumb opinion, not set in stone for every specific circumstance.

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whatsthecomingoverthehill · 09/02/2018 10:22

Here is some good background information. Generally speaking cracks have to be pretty major before there is a concern about structural failure.

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ronniebarkersauntie · 09/02/2018 22:00

It sounds to me that your extension is merely settling into its foundations. Subsidence cracks tend to appear (and worsen) very quickly and be thicker at the top than the bottom.

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Toothfairee · 10/02/2018 08:50

We had an extension at the end of the summer and our builder said he'd be back in a year to snag and skim . I think its stuff settling. Hope your builder comes back to sort it.

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Pigleychez · 10/02/2018 09:56

Thanks everyone. They are only hairline cracks thankfully but will keep an eye on them.
Frustrating as cosmetically it looks awful and I thought all the decorating was finished.