Conservatory Movement

[NoodleDude83]

We recently bought a house and noticed some small cracks, maybe 2mm, in the brickwork in the conservatory. A couple of weeks ago I thought they were getting bigger, so took a photo and measured them at around 4mm. Today they are around 6mm wide and obviously that's got me panicking.

The conservatory has stood for over 20 years and I can't access the outside wall as it is less than a foot away from our boundary fence.

I've attached photographs to show the issue and the increasing movement.

Could this be related to the recent very warm weather, or am I screwed? I work from home in the conservatory so really don't want to be sitting somewhere for 8 hours a day that could fall down.

 

[NoodleDude83]

 

[Scally-Ho]

There is a very real possibility that those cracks could be settlement due to the lack of rainfall this year and cause by ground shrinkage. IME a few settlements cracks rarely cause a building to collapse. Being that the cracks in the photo are where the conservatory meets the existing house, I would be more interested in how the opposite end is behaving. If you have a spirit level, place it on a window board and that should indicate in which direction the building is moving. Are you screwed? I very much doubt it.

 

[NoodleDude83]

There is a very real possibility that those cracks could be settlement due to the lack of rainfall this year and cause by ground shrinkage. IME a few settlements cracks rarely cause a building to collapse. Being that the cracks in the photo are where the conservatory meets the existing house, I would be more interested in how the opposite end is behaving. If you have a spirit level, place it on a window board and that should indicate in which direction the building is moving. Are you screwed? I very much doubt it.

Thank you. I'll get the spirit level out. I suppose my worry was mainly the 2mm increase in just 2 weeks. It doesn't appear to have moved this much before as the plaster is damaged quite badly now and we'd have noticed that before we bought it even with shrinkage.

 

[Scally-Ho]

Yes, ground shrinkage could be your likely cause, depending on your location. I'm right on the south coast and the ground shrinkage in my neck of the woods this year is definitely worse that it has been for at least the past 10 yrs. I live opposite The Green and the grass is already brown chaff

 

[NoodleDude83]

which direction the building is moving

The spirit level tells me it's the conservatory moving away from the house rather than the other way round, which is somewhat of a relief. It's happening in the other corner adjoining the house too, just not as badly...

 

[NoodleDude83]

Yes, ground shrinkage could be your likely cause, depending on your location.

I'm in the East Midlands but not sure what the soil is like to be honest.

 

[Scally-Ho]

Friends in Loughborough and Shepshed both report that the ground is exceptionally dry this year.

 

[NoodleDude83]

Friends in Loughborough and Shepshed both report that the ground is exceptionally dry this year.

I'm close to those two areas - about 30 minutes away in fact - so I shall await rain and hope it starts to close back up!

Thanks for your help.

 

[Scally-Ho]

I'm not suggesting anything here, but are you on a water meter and do you possess a hosepipe?

 

[NoodleDude83]

I'm not suggesting anything here, but are you on a water meter and do you possess a hosepipe?

Haha - not on a meter and I do possess a hosepipe. I can't possibly think of what you're not suggesting