Noticed this today, what to do

[Marty76]

Noticed this down the side of my house.im worrying is this urgent?

 

[pilsbury]

When you say you noticed this today, are you suggesting this has happened recently or just that you’ve never looked up there before?

Can you see the way the bricks have stepped? In or out? Is main wall plumb? Is it bulging out? Is there crack on internal walls? Can you see anything from the loft?

Looks like that top part has been repointed or rebuilt at some point

 

[Marty76]

I think it’s recent, steps in, wall looks plumb, when you look at it to much you always start to see a slight bulge. Loft has boards on the wall so can’t see anything, no cracks in the house. House has had rear extension before I brought it.

 

[Doggit]

Odd that the loft has boards on that wall; I suspect you'll need to remove them to have a more details look. And the obvious question, is did you get a structural survey done when you bought it, and how long have you had it, and how old is the property. Is it a cavity wall there.

Back to the main question; it's a cause for concern, but it's not going to fall down in the next few weeks. We'll need a few wider pictures, and you'll need to get up there with a long spirit level and see which part of the wall is bulging/dipping.

 

[Marty76]

Had a homebuyers survey, been here for 3 yrs extension is 15 yrs old. Had a issue in my daughters room so removed the plasterboard. They had kept the original window ledge and used as a shelf which I hate, so have removed, I understand this is load bearing as the roof stirs sit across them. But don’t understand why there is no beam in there just what you see. Doesn’t seem sufficient, may I have unearthed a issue?

 

[Doggit]

Sorry, not sure what those pictures are in relation to the first one, but it's pretty crap bricklaying. Where is the extension in relation to the 1st picture.

Unfortunately, a homebuyer survey is only designed to make sure the mortgage company can get their money back if you default on the mortgage.

 

[Marty76]

The extension is on the back of the original building, so this pictures I just sent is the back of the original house and the extension is behind. You can see the extension from the exterior photo I first posted as the extension comes out to the side and goes back.

 

[Marty76]

The window you can see in that photo is my daughters bedroom window which must have gone in when the extension was build behind.

 

[Doggit]

The windows too far away to have caused that sort of problem; the cracks would radiate out from the top corners of the window itself. You need to look elsewhere for the problem.

 

[Marty76]

I’m hoping i haven’t caused it’s by losing the original rear window ledge in my daughters room. I have removed a horizontal beam that the ledge sat on and put it back on at the base of two vertical beam it cane out of. Would me banging a bolster hammer cause vibration or movement?

 

[Doggit]

Removing the window board won't have caused any issues, and the backing wouldn't have, unless there are other issues. You need to get a ladder up there, and see what the wall is doing, and you may need to take off the cladding on the inside of the wall.

You also haven't confirmed if it' a cavity wall, or a is it a timber framed building.

 

[Marty76]

Sorry it’s timber frame.

 

[wessex101]

Hang on a minute, I was just off to bed so can't really get my head around this.

Its a timber frame house and from the internal photos it looks like someone has been knocking the hell out of the internal timber framing. If it is timber frame you do realise that timber framing and plywood sheeting is the main structural support for the house?

 

[Doggit]

Ahah; now we know what the panels are in the loft. Thanks Wessex. But if it's timber framed, then where's the insulation and VCL.

So we need some pictures in the loft, and see if the wall ties are there, and that could explain why the walls puling out.

 

[^woody^]

There is what looks like a stain running down the gable in line with those misaligned bricks. If the gable is plumb, then it may be that there is a hole in the felt or cracked tile allowing water to run down the wall. This water could have soaked the barge board at that location causing it to expand and push the bricks back.

If there are other vertical or diagonal cracks in the gable, then it could be a tie problem, or movement of the gable frame in the loft.