A question about cracks!!!

patzer

Hi All,

I hope someone can help with a problem that I have.

At the back of my house (2 storey, detached), there is a horizontal crack running the entire width of the house about 300-400 mm from the ceiling. I filled it about a year and a half ago and put it down to drying/settling. However it has returned and is worse than ever. It also appears as if the same thing is starting at the front of the house but is no way as bad (yet).

We bought the house 3 1/2 years ago and the house itself is about 4 1/2 years old.

Does anyone have any ideas as to what might be causing this?

I am looking at hiring an architect/engineer to have a look at it. If anyone knows of a good one around wexford/ennicorthy could you let me know?

If it proves to be a serious structural issue, can anyone advise how we might approach the builder and/or homebond?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Pat

sydthebeat

patzer wrote: »

Hi All,

I hope someone can help with a problem that I have.

At the back of my house (2 storey, detached), there is a horizontal crack running the entire width of the house about 300-400 mm from the ceiling. I filled it about a year and a half ago and put it down to drying/settling. However it has returned and is worse than ever. It also appears as if the same thing is starting at the front of the house but is no way as bad (yet).

We bought the house 3 1/2 years ago and the house itself is about 4 1/2 years old.

Does anyone have any ideas as to what might be causing this?

I am looking at hiring an architect/engineer to have a look at it. If anyone knows of a good one around wexford/ennicorthy could you let me know?

If it proves to be a serious structural issue, can anyone advise how we might approach the builder and/or homebond?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Pat

dont jump the gun... hire an engineer to survey the problme, he will advice you of the best next course of action.

It sounds to me, only on what info i have, that the wallplate is pushing/pulling the last course of blockwork. this may be due to inadequate supports (struts) on the purlin, this would cause a pushing out/twisting effect on the wall plate.

muffler

From what you have described and as syd mentioned it would appear that the roof is moving downwards and exerting excessive pressure on the wallplate which is either strapped or bolted to the blockwork below it and thus prevents it from moving without taking the top row of blocks with it.

I've seen it happen quite a few times and if left unchecked it will become a very serious problem. Get yourself an engineer sooner rather than later and he/she will advise you accordingly.

RKQ

I agree with Sydthebeat & Muffler.

However, if this house has a hipped roof, I would guess that the hipps has inadequate straps and supports. This problem can be easily repaired by reto-fit by a qualified experienced Carpenter.

This problem is all too common in hipped roof construction.

If is is a simple pitched roof, get in contact with a reputable local Structural Engineer.

patzer

All, thanks a million for your replies.

I'll do a search of local engineers today and wil try to get this sorted asap.


Hopefully it will be a relatively simple retro-fit and that will be that.

I'll post any info I get from the engineer to keep you in the loop,


Again, thanks.

Pat

RKQ

No problem, good luck.

What type of roof do you have?

Is it a hipped roof?

patzer

Yep its a cut hipped roof, not a prefabricated one.

muffler

patzer wrote: »

Yep its a cut hipped roof, not a prefabricated one.

Any that I've seen in the past have all been hipped roofs so its nothing new. Do tend to it sooner rather than later though. Its not a major job if sorted out now.

RKQ

Glad to hear that.... good guess!:D

This is definately caused by inadequate bracing of the hip at wallplate level.
It can easily be repaired by an experienced roofer.
There are 2 no. standard details in the Homebond Manual.

Basically the forces on the hip are pushing on the wallplate at the corner, causing it to move, pulling the blocks with it.
Brace wallplates at corner junctions to prevent this.

Get a roofer, fix as outlined above, if the problem isn't solved, get a Structural Engineer.:) (IMO you won't need one!)