Crack in brickwork .....

[andyaveyard]

Hi all,
Any chance of a bit of advice please?

I was in the process of getting a home insurance quote on-line, when I stopped at the question "has the property ever had any cracks on it's external walls?". Well we do have a crack between the bottom of the upstairs bedroom window and the front door/bay window porch.

The cracked was filled several years ago, but there is another fine crack in the same place.

I've attached a couple of photos in that hope that someone would be kind enough to offer advice. Is this something to be concerned about?

My wife recalls that we had a building survey done prior to buying the house, this was around 28 years ago. The surveyor suggested that it was likely just a settling crack? We also had a tree survey done, as there were 2 Silver Birch on the far edge of the front garden, but they're long since gone. There wasn't a problem with the trees.


Link to photo of the crack http://i.imgur.com/T9PXRf3.jpg

Link to house photo http://imgur.com/nZINPgl

 

[conny]

I'm just a normal householder, not a builder, but I wouldn't think you have anything to worry about.
It is a hairline crack but in the mortar, not the brick itself. Possibly due to the mortar drying out or maybe a tiny bit of settlement but nothing else.
Are there any cracks on the internal plaster work? If not then the answer to your insurance question is a definite no in my opinion.
You could always repoint and keep an eye on it but if the house fell down you would never be able to find those cracks anyway.

PS If this is the crack the building surveyor picked up 28 years ago then it hasn't opened up at all.

 

[andyaveyard]

Hi Conny,

There aren't any internal cracks visible on that wall in the bedroom, but the whole of the inside was plaster-boarded (over-boarded in most cases) several years ago, at the same time as having the house extended.

We do have some fine cracks in the plasterboard in the living room, but I think (hope) that's just caused by the plasterboard drying out and possibly the new stairs on the opposite side of the wall?

Thanks for replying, it's appreciated.

 

[conny]

You will always find cracks and things in houses Andy.
I wouldn't worry mate.

 

[andyaveyard]

Thanks Conny!

 

[Whitling2k]

what they all said!

We have cracks wider than that that are on the outside wall and follow through to the plaster!

Whilst we had a structural engineer around (for something else) - I took time to ask him. He told me it was nothing to worry about. If he can't fit a pencil in it - it's most likely nothing.

Just keep an eye on it was the advice I got - if it changes/gets bigger then start thinking about it.

Whitling2k

 

[andyaveyard]

Many thanks Whitling2k

 

[Guitar_man]

Im surprised insurance companies are now asking 'Is there a crack on your outside walls'.
I suspect they wont like the answers and they will be forced to increase premiums massively