Cracks in wall - Are they serious?

[Highvibe]

CRACKS - we are buying a house which was self build from 80s. We went back for a 2nd viewing and there were lots of cracks - mostly upstairs but some downstairs as well. Some photos attached, although there are more than this.
When I asked the owners they said the ceiling was effectively hung from a piece of steel so it does move and will move, but it isn't subsidence, so they say.
Obviously we plan to get a survey, but we got another survey done on another property which we had to pull out of as they lost the deeds and we weren't getting any further forward after months of waiting. So, we don't want to proceed with a survey if this issue is obviously a big issue that affects the integrity of the house.
Thank you!

They don't look like subsidence cracks but certainly look like movement, are the owners the builders?

Cracks like that are more often in the plaster either by boards moving or the skim (top) coat just cracking but one picture almost looks like a brick/breeze block shape and the other look like the corners of the room - what is the top layer, just paint or wallpaper?

Our house has a history of movement, the front corner pulled out so badly back in the 90s that the whole side of the house had to be replaced. Our attic bedroom has cracks in exactly like that second picture, from where the roof re-settled onto the new wall. I’d definitely not be buying the vendors reasoning there tbh and I’d be paying for a full structural survey.

Past, remedied, movement needn’t be a deal breaker but anything unresolved may well be.

Get a full survey, the best available, most cracks are just plaster but the survey will determine.

but it isn't subsidence, so they say.

I'm sure that all owners tell the absolute truth to potential buyers...

but I would get a full survey and see if that suggests that you need to investigate it further.

The first pic looks suspicious to me, the second one is where 2 walls meet but may be only thermal cracking if the walls are made of different materials

Not all cracks are signs of a no go, but I would want to know more

We have cracks all over our house following renovation work which is pretty standard as everything settles and moves slightly.

None of them look major in the pictures you've attached and the house is 40 years old. However, I'm not a surveyor either so can't possibly say for sure!

They certainly look like surface cracks but no one can know for sure without a proper look. The one in the corner I wouldn't be worried about. The one by the window is more concerning. The bit right by the window looks fine but then it shoots across then down, that could be a sign of movement.

But it's impossible to say without someone having a proper look to see how deep they go. I usually give things that like a poke and a tap and see if the plaster crumbles away as it gives you a bit more of an idea. Take what the seller said with a pinch of salt as what he said doesn't really make sense. Even if the ceiling was hung, it shouldn't really be causing cracks in the wall. Not in any way that immediately spring to mind anyway.

Also on the first picture, that looks like mould at the top. Make sure you check if it is.

As a rule, diagonal cracks are subsidence, straight vertical cracks def. aren't. I wouldn't be at all worried by these ...

That is significant movement op

What's happening on the outside of the building?

The key is what the wall is made of

It just looks like standard cracks following refurbishment / replastering. You obvs can’t always tell by the pics but they seem to run along the seam in plasterboard.

Depends what the wall behind is built with, I’ve seen cracks like that in newly built houses that have used thermolite blocks. They are great for insulating the house but if they get very wet when being built they crack from top to bottom when the house drys out .

We had cracks in very room of the house - just like those - from the floor to the window sills in a 2012 extended bit - think it was a question of settling and some thermal stress as south-facing. We revealed a more spectacular crack behind a built-in cupboard which gave us palpitations but have since filled with a strong resin filler and all seems fine - where the extension meets the main house.

We had cracks where plaster had become live in a 1950’s part of the house - again south facing and thermal change is significant. We just re-plastered.

We are on clay. Interesting cracks appearing in the blockwork of the detached garage, but will fill with a strong resin and not terribly worried by it.

I think, if you can get no more than a finger nail into the crack it’s not really significant, and a fill and decoration is all that’s needed.

Would definitely get a full structural survey though, if your serious about proceeding, and ask specific questions regarding structure and foundations/environs of the house - whether any causes for concern.

We have got big worrying cracks in some of our walls. I have had three different surveyors out and they've all said it's fine and nothing to worry about. I'd get them looked at by a proper surveyor before proceeding.