Settlement cracks - what is the norm?

everlast1

Hi all,

Wondering if someone can possibly help me?

I'm in a new apartment, less than a year old... I understand that settlement cracks are fairly normal in a newly built home.

I am just wondering however, should this include skirting boards coming away from walls and also the window sills coming away from the windows? The latter is causing noise and draughts!

I am just wondering if this is normal or is it something that may be a construction issue and so the builders would have to rectify?

Appreciate any insight into this!

gsxr1

its normal.

As skirting drys out, it cups . And flooring joists shrink .

It can be carefully screwed back (if painted) or carefully nailed (if varnised).

Then chalk and redecorate.

I would leave painting a new house the second time for 2 years. After that, all the shrinkage will be finished.

If your window board or window is loose then you have an issue with the builder.
If not rub down ,chalk and redecorate to seal it .

everlast1

Thanks for that! Will give it another while before I do anything so...

Dr. Greenthumb

If it is only the timber that is moving / shrinking then it is not settlement cracks. Settlement cracks would appear in walls etc. Is it the window cill (on the outside) or the window board (on the inside) that has come loose?

There is always some shrinkage in timber when you first move into a house however it should be minimal and not result in large gaps behind the skirting / window boards.

If the skirting has now a considerable gap behind it's probable the builder didn't leave the timber enough time to aclimatize before installing. He possibly didn't store it properly, it got wet / absorbed dampness and then he fixed it and when you heated the place it began to shrink. A definite sign of this is if the timber is actually warped. Good builders would keep the timber stored in the building after the heating is firstly operational during the construction process for a number of weeks to minimize the chance of this.

Same goes for the window board moving however if there is a draught coming in the it is due to the perimeter of the window not being sealed right. Regardless whether the window board is fixed or not there should be no draught coming in around the windows.

If it is less than a year old then there is a good possibility that the building is still within the defects liability period. Basically you have the right to complain to the developer and he has the right to make the builder go back and remedy the problems.

everlast1

It is the window board on the inside that has come loose, it has moved back from the window frame by a good half and inch, which is fairly significant as there is definetely a draught, also the noise from the outside road has increased as a direct result.

I was prepaired for settlement cracks, to which there are very few, but when the skirting boards etc started moving off the walls, I assumed this was a result of something being a miss...

Not all skirting boards are coming off, the ones in the main bedroom, for example, are still fully attached! However, the hallways has at least a 3/4 inch gap off the wall due to warping. I don't see these skirting boards as being an easy thing to put back on with out them breaking.

I will get in touch with the developers and see what they say...

Thank you

gsxr1

everlast1 wrote: »

It is the window board on the inside that has come loose, it has moved back from the window frame by a good half and inch, which is fairly significant as there is definetely a draught, also the noise from the outside road has increased as a direct result.

I was prepaired for settlement cracks, to which there are very few, but when the skirting boards etc started moving off the walls, I assumed this was a result of something being a miss...

Not all skirting boards are coming off, the ones in the main bedroom, for example, are still fully attached! However, the hallways has at least a 3/4 inch gap off the wall due to warping. I don't see these skirting boards as being an easy thing to put back on with out them breaking.

I will get in touch with the developers and see what they say...

Thank you

you may have an issue with the builder if the skirtings are as bad as you say.
I aways found good grounds and nailed top middle and bottom of a stud location. This prevented the cupping from happening in most cases.
It sounds like yours was installed in a hurry. If it has come back as much as you say, it will probably split before pulling back.
Skirting on every build I was on was installed on the week of delivery . The longer it is left to dry, the harder it is to install .
Wet joists 9x2 can shrink 9mm leaving a big gap under skirtings up stairs. And long settlement cracks below.

You need to have that window board looked at also. 1/2 is massive

brendankelly

Well said Dr Greenthumb.

You should act on Dr Greenthumbs advice

Dr. Greenthumb

gsxr1 wrote: »

you may have an issue with the builder if the skirtings are as bad as you say.
I aways found good grounds and nailed top middle and bottom of a stud location. This prevented the cupping from happening in most cases.
It sounds like yours was installed in a hurry. If it has come back as much as you say, it will probably split before pulling back.
Skirting on every build I was on was installed on the week of delivery . The longer it is left to dry, the harder it is to install .
Wet joists 9x2 can shrink 9mm leaving a big gap under skirtings up stairs. And long settlement cracks below.

Exactly my point, any build I've been involved in the timber is keep delivered and store in a dry place subject to reasonable temperatures for 3 - 4 weeks before hand as is recommended by any chippy worth his salt. You bring it in and throw it up then you have shrinkage problems. As for it being harder to install the drier it gets I think someone is pulling your leg. If the skirting isn't dried properly no amount of fixings will keep it on the wall.

All joists are tanalized and treated. If there is any movement in them then it's either not treated or it's not the proper timber. OP said she was in an apartment so floors would be concrete.

OP the window is definitely not sealed around if there is both noise and air coming through. In fact if I were you I would be insisting all the windows are checked and rectified and that any warped skirting be replaced not just fixed again.

It'll be a bit of hassle but your better off getting this rectified now rather than waiting and having further issues with windows etc. in a few years when it may not be as easy to get it done.

gsxr1

Dr. Greenthumb wrote: »

Exactly my point, any build I've been involved in the timber is keep delivered and store in a dry place subject to reasonable temperatures for 3 - 4 weeks before hand as is recommended by any chippy worth his salt. You bring it in and throw it up then you have shrinkage problems. As for it being harder to install the drier it gets I think someone is pulling your leg. If the skirting isn't dried properly no amount of fixings will keep it on the wall.

All joists are tanalized and treated. If there is any movement in them then it's either not treated or it's not the proper timber. OP said she was in an apartment so floors would be concrete.

OP the window is definitely not sealed around if there is both noise and air coming through. In fact if I were you I would be insisting all the windows are checked and rectified and that any warped skirting be replaced not just fixed again.

It'll be a bit of hassle but your better off getting this rectified now rather than waiting and having further issues with windows etc. in a few years when it may not be as easy to get it done.

I have been building houses for a long time friend. Im afraid you are confusing
skirting for flooring. Glued and properly fixed skirting will be less likely to move. Fresh out of the pack.
As it drys out it cups. Scribing completely dried out deal skirting while cupped is not really possible as one can not get a straight scribe. Even while packed it does this. This I know through lots of experience in the matter. . It pulls along the grain cupping into the center of the heart wood. Some providers like chadwicks seem to have a better quality milled timber which is less prone to this problem.
Slotting the back helps.
As a chippy worth his salt I have learned this on the job, where as you seem to be misguided. Your first hit on google will explain this
http://www.diynot.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=137945 read

Common joisting timber is NOT talanized. It is coded for strength. And they DO shrink when wet .
And by the way talanized. timber is is more prone to warping than regular untreated as it is even wetter .

Dr. Greenthumb

gsxr1 wrote: »

I have been building houses for a long time friend. Im afraid you are confusing
skirting for flooring. Glued and properly fixed skirting will be less likely to move. Fresh out of the pack.
As it drys out it cups. Scribing completely dried out deal skirting while cupped is not really possible as one can not get a straight scribe. Even while packed it does this. This I know through lots of experience in the matter. . It pulls along the grain cupping into the center of the heart wood. Some providers like chadwicks seem to have a better quality milled timber which is less prone to this problem.
Slotting the back helps.
As a chippy worth his salt I have learned this on the job, where as you seem to be misguided. Your first hit on google will explain this
http://www.diynot.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=137945 read

Common joisting timber is NOT talanized. It is coded for strength. And they DO shrink when wet .
And by the way talanized. timber is is more prone to warping than regular untreated as it is even wetter .

We'll have to agree to disagree.

Confirmation via another forum and other random peoples opinions isn't really confirmation. Skirting used on our jobs would have been ordered straight from maufacturers not builder providers as they can lack consistancy on large orders and the quality generally isn't great.

The quality of the timber is decided upon by the buyer, we'd alway use tanalized timber (stored correctly of course).

Regardless the OP's issue is more serious than a small bit of cupping and is clearly an issue with timber that wasn't properly aclimatized prior to fixing.