Cracked Bricks

foamy · 7 Oct 2021

Hello Builders

I would greatly appreciate your help. I have to make a quick decision on buying a bungalow in Underwood Grove North burn Cramlington. The problem is there are cracks in the BRICKS on the corner of one wall (see attach pictures). The cracks stop at second course of bricks from the bottom of the wall. The adjacent wall has some very small local cracks in the mortar but not in the bricks.

Thank you for any advise given

^woody^ · 7 Oct 2021

Thermal contraction. Will require some work but should not in itself put you off buying.

foamy · 7 Oct 2021

Hi Woody
Thank you for your reply. Can I please ask what is thermal contraction and what remedial work would you suggest.

^woody^ · 7 Oct 2021

Rapid shrinking from being wet and then heating up and drying. The mortar is flexible but the bricks not so, so they crack like that. The repair, may require an expansion joint being formed to prevent the same thing happening again.

Actual remedial work should be specified by a structural engineer, not a builder.

foamy · 8 Oct 2021

Hi Woody
I take your point about getting advise from a structural engineer. I know I should do this, but I have already paid out £450 for a level 2 survey and another £400 a structural engineer, £850, big out lay! The wall is short a wall only 10 Ft long could this be a factor causing the bricks to crack. Is an expansion joint made by cutting a slot in the wall and filling it with mortar?
Thank you for taken the time to give me your advice.

^woody^ · 8 Oct 2021

Your engineer should be specifying a repair, and if you're lucky the building surveyor will tell you the likely cause.

The location of the wall in terms of weathering it receives has the largest influence in thermal cracking.

foamy · 8 Oct 2021

Hi Woody

As you said in you first reply it would not put you off buying this property, this seems to be the general consensus of opinion. That been the case I'm going ahead with the purchase. I will monitor the crack if it gets worse or other cracks appear I will get a structural engineer to advise on the problem. Hopefully the house won't fall down by then.

Thank you very much for all your help

Bouy · 8 Oct 2021

A photo about 10ft further back would have been more beneficial, fortunately Woody can see the wider picture

tony1851 · 8 Oct 2021

As above, the context is important.
Is the corner in question one where the 10ft wall meets a longer wall?

foamy · 8 Oct 2021

Thank you for your help. I have attached a picture of the wall, the crack is very close to the down pipe on the right hand side of it.

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Cracked Bricks

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