Settlement crack?

cojomo2

Hi All
Viewed a house recently.built in the 70s and subsequently extended (garage conversion and built over ).
There is a fairly noticeable vertical crack in the upper part of tge house, near where the extension wad added. Inside, around the same area , there is some hairline cracking in the corner of the bedroom.

Is this a red flag? I've been told it's been there for many years and hasn't changed. If it's possibly harmless I could get a survey done but dont want to waste money if it's something to be definitely avoided? Any experts here have an opinion!? Thanks.

Rows Grower

Run away.

Rows Grower

Rows Grower wrote: »

Run away.

What?

You’ve never seen a settlement crack?

Op, if you like the building, get a professional in to survey the house. If you look closely enough you will find small things that concern you about every property you look at, but the reason you get a survey is to see if they are minor or major.

Rows Grower

Dav010 wrote: »

What?

You’ve never seen a settlement crack?

Op, if you like the building, get a professional in to survey the house. If you look closely enough you will find small things that concern you about every property you look at, but the reason you get a survey is to see if they are minor or major.

How did you come to that conclusion?

Rows Grower

Rows Grower wrote: »

How did you come to that conclusion?

It’s a question, not a conclusion.

I’m wondering why you advise the op to run when he/she sees what might be just a simple, and common settlement crack. Surely the op should leave that to a professional surveyor. There is a huge difference between a settlement crack at the joint of an extension, and subsidence.

Rows Grower

Dav010 wrote: »

It’s a question, not a conclusion.

I’m wondering why you advise the op to run when he/she sees what might be just a simple, and common settlement crack. Surely the op should leave that to a professional surveyor. There is a huge difference between a settlement crack at the joint of an extension, and subsidence.

A simple common settlement crack is not visible on both the exterior and interior of the building.

My guess would be the foundation of the extension has moved.

Rows Grower

Rows Grower wrote: »

A simple common settlement crack is not visible on both the exterior and interior of the building.

My guess would be the foundation of the extension has moved.

Yip, can be at the joint. I repaired external and internal plaster at the joint recently of an extension I put on my garage about 10 years ago. I’ve been looking at it for years, finally got round to it during the lockdown.

Op, get a surveyor to check it, if you take the “run away” advice every time you find an issue with a property you want to buy, you are looking for the perfect house, it doesn’t exist.

Rows Grower

Dav010 wrote: »

Yip, can be at the joint. I repaired external and internal plaster at the joint recently of an extension I put on my garage about 10 years ago. I’ve been looking at it for years, finally got round to it during the lockdown.

Op, get a surveyor to check it, if you take the “run away” advice every time you find an issue with a property you want to buy, you are looking for the perfect house, it doesn’t exist.

Would you reckon there was any water found it's way into that external crack over the course of the 10 years?

Rows Grower

Rows Grower wrote: »

Would you reckon there was any water found it's way into that external crack over the course of the 10 years?

Of course that is possible, the same way it can find its way in through small gaps around windows, loose roof slates or cappings etc, but that does not mean the house is going to fall down. Has the op mentioned damp patches at cracks?

Seriously, you are making a mountain out of a molehill, op if you like the house, get a survey, only a professional can advise you on this.

GreeBo

Dav010 wrote: »

Yip, can be at the joint. I repaired external and internal plaster at the joint recently of an extension I put on my garage about 10 years ago. I’ve been looking at it for years, finally got round to it during the lockdown.

Op, get a surveyor to check it, if you take the “run away” advice every time you find an issue with a property you want to buy, you are looking for the perfect house, it doesn’t exist.

I crack between a garage and its extension would bother me significantly less than a crack on the main wall of the house that is both exterior and interior.

OP I'd certainly be getting a structural survey, but be forewarned that since its not your house they will really only be able to do a visual survey, which wouldn't do much for me in this scenario.

sydthebeat

it would be very unusual for there NOT to be a settlement crack between an extension and an original build.

its the nature and size of that crack that will determine where its an issue or not

Gambas

cojomo2 wrote: »

Hi All
Viewed a house recently.built in the 70s and subsequently extended (garage conversion and built over ).
There is a fairly noticeable vertical crack in the upper part of tge house, near where the extension wad added. Inside, around the same area , there is some hairline cracking in the corner of the bedroom.

Is this a red flag? I've been told it's been there for many years and hasn't changed. If it's possibly harmless I could get a survey done but dont want to waste money if it's something to be definitely avoided? Any experts here have an opinion!? Thanks.

Getting a pre-purchase survey is never a waste of money, so long as you get someone reputable. It's not all one page CYA reports and 30min walkthru's by old style 'professionals' anymore. The cost benefits go beyond the structural issues and subsidence that are commonly thought of as the reason for getting a survey. More frequently they will identify lower grade issues that will cause costly issues in the longer term or small changes that can make big differences in relation to dampness or general comfort etc...

Rows Grower

Gambas wrote: »

Getting a pre-purchase survey is never a waste of money, so long as you get someone reputable. It's not all one page CYA reports and 30min walkthru's by old style 'professionals' anymore. The cost benefits go beyond the structural issues and subsidence that are commonly thought of as the reason for getting a survey. More frequently they will identify lower grade issues that will cause costly issues in the longer term or small changes that can make big differences in relation to dampness or general comfort etc...

What would be more assuring would be a survey provided by the seller to any prospective buyers. If there is nothing to hide then they can add the cost of the survey and more on to the asking price.

Anyone selling a house with very noticeable cracks on the outside and interior of where an extension joins an original building would want to be providing more assurance than their word that "Oh that's just a settlement crack" to prospective buyers.

Rows Grower

Rows Grower wrote: »

What would be more assuring would be a survey provided by the seller to any prospective buyers. If there is nothing to hide then they can add the cost of the survey and more on to the asking price.

Anyone selling a house with very noticeable cracks on the outside and interior of where an extension joins an original building would want to be providing more assurance than their word that "Oh that's just a settlement crack" to prospective buyers.

You want a buyer to rely on a survey provided by the seller? What could go wrong with that.

Rows Grower

Dav010 wrote: »

You want a buyer to rely on a survey provided by the seller? What could go wrong with that.

You do realise that the person providing the report has a professional reputation to maintain or lose, yeah?

JimmyVik

cojomo2 wrote: »

Hi All
Viewed a house recently.built in the 70s and subsequently extended (garage conversion and built over ).
There is a fairly noticeable vertical crack in the upper part of tge house, near where the extension wad added. Inside, around the same area , there is some hairline cracking in the corner of the bedroom.

Is this a red flag? I've been told it's been there for many years and hasn't changed. If it's possibly harmless I could get a survey done but dont want to waste money if it's something to be definitely avoided? Any experts here have an opinion!? Thanks.

Classic settlement cracks.
But id get a survey anyway.

GreeBo

OP when was the extension added and when was the area last refurbished?

Cracks shouldnt keep reappearing after being addressed if they are only settlement cracks