Crack in plaster in internal walls

M

Murphi

Guest
We recently viewed a second hand house (about 8yrs old) and noticed a crack running from top of wall near ceiling in masterbedroom right though ensuite and into the back bedroom. It doesnt run right though to the external walls but it looks a bit worrying? has anyone encountered anything like this before. The house is on the market about 5months now and not sure if this is the reason why? Just on another note - if we were to get a surveyor out to check this - any idea of costs involved??? Would appreciate any replies, Thanks
 
I moved into a rented apartment a year and a half ago. The building is only two years old but there is a massive crack running across the whole apartment on the ceilings. There are also cracks in the lobby where you can see the outline of the bricks (ie it looks like steps). The door to our apartment also has a huge crack around the frame. And the place is only two years old, had one tennant before us and is in top shape otherwise. Thankfully I'm renting but it does make me worry about when I buy a place how long it will be before it starts going like that.
 
Murphi said:
if we were to get a surveyor out to check this - any idea of costs involved??? Would appreciate any replies, Thanks
Click to expand...
There should be no "if" about this. Always get a detailed structural survey done on a house that you are buying - especially a second hand one!

If the crack is not just on the internal plasterwork but is visible externally then it sounds to me like it could be serious.
 
Probably normal settlement cracks, to be honest, and not too much to worry about. Still, I agree with Clubman.
 
Thanks guys, i know a survey is the only way to go. House is in Laois (Portarlington) does anyone recommend a surveyor in this area??
 
Sorry - I misread the original post and thought that the crack WAS visible externally! If not then it is quite likely to be a simple settlement crack (tell me about them! ). But best to get it and everything else checked out if you are seeiously thinking of buying.
 
if the crack is wider on the bottom than it is on the top...you have a problem. If the crack is consistent then you dont have anything to worry about. It is probebly only a setelment crack. Before you buy make sure you get a building report for a peace of mind
 
Patgar,
would you mind explaining this in more detail?
 
if the crack is wider at the bottom it means that the crack started at the foundations. This may be due to bad foundations.there may not be enough steel in the concrete or water may be lodged under the slab. this could be due to a burst pipe which is very common.
Many cracks come in walls. If they are hairline cracks, they do not need to be worried about. They could be caused by walls drying and may occur when you light the fire
 
Fergus Fenlon,Architect,Main Street,Portarlington ph 057-8623735 or try '05..'yellow pages under Architect and Surveyors.Ask for a price estimate for survey and a copy of indemnity insurance before hiring,then if you are borrowing you can provide the lender with survey report if that should become a requirement. I have no connection with the afore mentioned.
 
With respect to Architects, you should not get a survey of a house done by an architect. Use a chartered structural engineer or chartered surveyor who will have more knowledge about how a building works and if cracks are settlement or something more serious.

A standard 3-bed semi structural survey would cost around 450-500 plus VAT in the dublin area so maybe a little less outside the cities. In the grand scheme of things it costs 0.15% on a house worth 300k!!! I biased because i'm an engineer but I think you'd be mad not to spend 0.15% on something so important.

Regards,
Dave.
[broken link removed]
 
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