Ceiling issue, what is it?

[Petuniaspetal]

I live alone and in a chalet bungalow. I primarily live and sleep on the ground floor, although I have occasional visitors to stay who sleep in my upstairs bedrooms of which there are 2.

My problem is that I have developed a lengthening 'crack' along my kitchen ceiling. This is underneath the bedroom I use least upstairs. Both bedrooms have small ensuites.

I will include a picture of the crack. It doesn't appear to have any water staining, and is in a straight line but since I moved in about 3 to 4 years ago it is getting longer. It is as if the plaster is coming off and in a straight line.

Any insights or help appreciated from those in the know . I don't want to pick at it just yet to see what's underneath until I can get someone, but would like some insight before I get whomever to fix it so I don't get sucked into a £1k bill when £100 would do, iyswim. Or to be told thw ceiling is collapsing when it's maybe something less dramatic.

@Petuniaspetal could it be something in the attic ? Heavy items on the floor/ceiling for example.

My house was converted within the last 10 years. Initially it was a bungalow but the upstairs (roof space) was made into 2 bedrooms. This is why I'm a bit concerned that whatever work that was carried out has impacted the supporting beams above my kitchen. My house was surveyed during covid so I'm hoping that nothing was missed as such, because it likely didn't have as fulsome a survey.

I have exactly the same line appeared in my bedroom. It's a Victorian house with another bedroom above. The line has appeared within the last couple of months and goes from one side of the ceiling to the other. I've no idea what's caused it (bedroom above is not used), there are no damp marks and nothing up there to cause damp either. I thought this was a pic of my bedroom ceiling when I first saw it. I can't help with the cause, but wanted to post so you know it's not just you. Following with interest.

Did you get any building regs documentation on the conversion when you moved in ? When was the conversion performed ?

Looks like water leak? Could check with a humidity sensor or you could monitor it by drawing the outside boundary.

Is it just where 2 plaster boards have separated slightly?

It doesn't show any water marks/damp, it just appears to be the plaster coming away from the ceiling but in a straight line and getting longer over time. The room above is a room that isn't used that often.

Not that I'm aware of, unless they went to my solicitor or through the mortgage company survey.

I'm hoping it's just something as straightforward as that but want others I put so that I'm fully armed with all the potentials before I get someone in to 'fix' it....someone who might patch it up but not necessarily have the skills and knowledge to consider other bigger issues.

Thank you for this. Hopefully in both our cases it isn't a major issue.

Probably settlement/shrinkage as things have dried out, and plasterboard sheets don't have any give in them so the cracks always show at the joints. So it's just cosmetic.
Solution would be to dig out any loose material, tape and joint the crack, and then repaint. Ideally repaint the whole ceiling, or if you want a perfect finish reskim the whole ceiling.
I've no idea about prices in your area but it wouldn't be 1000 pounds, I'd have thought a handyman/woman could do it in a day.