Hi,
Our builder has just open-planned a kitchen/diner for us by removing an internal load-bearing wall. Almost immediately afterwards a sizeable crack appeared in the wall in the room above (about 1.5m long amd 5mm wide in the mortar between bricks).
We are confident he has followed building regulations.
It would seem to us that if he had 'correctly' supported the wall above before removing the brickwork downstairs then this shouldn't have happened. That said, if its just due to the upstairs wall settling onto the new steel lintel then it probably shouldn't be anything to worry about? Just a one-off movement perhaps.
Is this fairly common behaviour? Would appreciate any advice.
Our builder has just open-planned a kitchen/diner for us by removing an internal load-bearing wall. Almost immediately afterwards a sizeable crack appeared in the wall in the room above (about 1.5m long amd 5mm wide in the mortar between bricks).
We are confident he has followed building regulations.
It would seem to us that if he had 'correctly' supported the wall above before removing the brickwork downstairs then this shouldn't have happened. That said, if its just due to the upstairs wall settling onto the new steel lintel then it probably shouldn't be anything to worry about? Just a one-off movement perhaps.
Is this fairly common behaviour? Would appreciate any advice.