Extension Wall Crack

[Endon]

Hi All,

In the process of buying a property which requires full internal refurb. Having a Home Buyers Survey completed on the 15^th Dec and as the place is empty went and had a further look without the agent hanging over my shoulder!

There is a single storey kitchen extension to the rear, approx. 8x8 with a pitched roof. On this further inspection I saw that on one of the walls where the extension meets the main wall there is a fairly large crack (photo attached).  Its been ‘masticed’ at some stage and looks fairly old. Thinking maybe movement or not tied in correctly but I am certainly no builder so wouldn’t really know! The crack appears to be just on the one side of the extension.

Anyone any thoughts? Obviously will get the surveyor to have a good luck at it but would welcome any thoughts from anyone who has dealt with a similar problem. Thanks all, P.

[Dave Jones]

certainly isnt brick bonded into the wall, something like the fix below should have been used.

 

https://www.screwfix.com/p/sabrefix-wall-starter-kit-stainless-steel/56037

 

There also isn't evidence of a DPC so likely to be a DIY job, the footings were crap and its dropped. Worst case you pull it down, would it effect the value ?

[Mr Punter]

It looks quite bodged but it could outlast the rest of the house.  It may have replaced a previous lean-to or conservatory.  Does it have building regs?

[epsilonGreedy]

What worries me is that there has been further movement since the mastic was used to seal the initial crack, this suggests the problem is ongoing and developing further. In general surveyors and builders are not too troubled by cracks providing they understand why the crack originally developed and are satisfied the motive force behind the problem has ceased.

[ToughButterCup]

37 minutes ago, Endon said:

Hi All,

In the process of buying a property which requires full internal refurb. ....

 

Clear evidence for a substantial price reduction. 

[Declan52]

You will have to wait on the report to find out if the cracks extend to the inside. It might be a case of I want ££££ of the asking price to fix this Bodge job or you simply walk away.

[dangti6]

Looks like they started lining up the courses nicely but totally lost it half way up.

 

White paint line up the wall does suggest something like a lean to was there before in the same place. Potentially reusing those footings. 

 

 

[Endon]

Thanks for the comments.

 

I suspected that it may have replaced an old conservatory but no one has any of the build details.  Sadly the owners have both died and its a probate sale so will have to see what the surveyors come up with. Have no idea what the cost would be to take down and re-build if required but it would certainly blow the budget! Shame is that its sits on such a good plot I still kinda want it ?

[ProDave]

If you can get it at a decent price I would be inclined to do nothing straight away, re seal it, an monitor for more movement.  Is it really worth completely demolishing and re building just for a small crack in a single storey annex that is not likely to make it collapse?

 

You might dream up plans in the future for a better, more ambitions extension and then it would be worth demolishing to start again with something bigger and better.

 

My BIL lives in a 300 year old farm house. Every summer a small crack opens between the original house and the 200 year old extension and closes again in the winter.

[MAB]

2 hours ago, Endon said:

Thanks for the comments.

 

I suspected that it may have replaced an old conservatory but no one has any of the build details.  Sadly the owners have both died and its a probate sale so will have to see what the surveyors come up with. Have no idea what the cost would be to take down and re-build if required but it would certainly blow the budget! Shame is that its sits on such a good plot I still kinda want it ?

 

Local council planning and building control will normally give you copies of any existing plan drawings on file for a fee, more recent plans are usually available online and your house purchase solictor will also normally search for signed off plans for any extensions.

Even with a worst case that small extension is unlikely to fall down in the next few years, if you like the house and plot and can maybe get a suitable price reduction it would not be a deal breaker for me but like many members on here I am ok with 'hands on' building work. How much do neighbouring houses go for without the extension? As others have said if you get it for a good price, monitor the crack over time (is the house on clay ground?) and decide in years to come whether to repair/underpin or demolish and start again probably with a bigger extension footprint anyway. If you have plans for a brand new expensive new kitchen refit in the near future then that may also affect your plans.....

 

(Note: It is standard practice not to tooth in new to old brickwork on extensions these days as the stainless steel starter wall fixers are used to allow old house to new extension foundations and walls to move up and down slightly without causing a vertical crack. Suitable flexible material and mastic is used to weatherseal the joint).

Edited December 7, 2020 by MAB

[PeterW]

Wonder if that is cheap brown mastic that has shrunk away as the gap looks fairly equal. If it was moving I would expect it to pivot away from the wall more at the top. Can always rake it out and repoint it. If you want belt and braces then use helical pins from the inside drilled through into the brickwork of the extension. 

[tonyshouse]

I would always prefer to see a movement joint in such circumstances (unless built as original building on same foundations at the same time). Not a big surprise, I would add an acme measuring gauge and report to your insurer that you are monitoring a crack, photo it every month and save in a spreadsheet - we are looking for ongoing or cyclical movements 

 

if not big problems simply Re mastic it