Cracks in brickwork of house

[Hellyb]

I'm hoping someone may be able to provide a little advice. I purchased my current house just a little over one year ago, I had a survey carried out before purchase which noted 'no evidence of ongoing structural movement in the property' and 'no evidence of defects to the main walls within the scope of my inspection and report'.

Over the weekend I have noticed several cracks seem to have developed (please see pics in my album named 'Gable end'). These cracks appear on the upper portion of the gable end. The property is 15 years old.

I have been advised by a family member to just keep an eye on them to see if they develop further but I'm not sure if I should be contacting my insurance company now? What do you think? Am I making a fuss about nothing?

Any advice you give would be greatly appreciated, I'm pretty clueless as you can probably tell!

 

[Millwright]

Cracks in the brickwork rather than the mortar? Big trouble!

Either way, yes contact your insurance company and possibly your mortgage lender. If it's still within warranty, which it possibly isn't, contact them too.

 

[tony1851]

Even though some bricks are cracked through, that doesn't look like subsidence or some other serious issue - it's too localized.

My money's on shrinkage of too-strong mortar - probably of no consequence.

 

[joe-90]

+1

 

[ree]

Dont get anxious, its pretty common for cracking to appear in quite new houses.

1. does any sign of cracking appear anywhere inside the house, esp on the gable wall?

2. are there any trees near to the house?

3. do any neighbours report cracking?

4. have you been in the loft and examined the gable wall?

5. what drew your attention to the cracks, and when?

6. when was the extension built?

 

[Millwright]

Cracking in mortar is usual, but through the bricks?

 

[ree]

Just noticed:

ignore foolish posts claiming "big trouble" and dont be contacting anyone until you have at least a rough idea of whats going on.

If its necessary to contact any institution then take a little expert advice before doing so - leave sleeping dogs alone until its absolutely necessary.

 

[Millwright]

Just noticed:

ignore foolish posts claiming "big trouble" and dont be contacting anyone until you have at least a rough idea of whats going on

'Foolish', ooOOoooh, someone isn't a happy bunny tonight!

 

[tony1851]

Cracking in mortar is usual, but through the bricks?

Yes, most times the crack would go round the bricks, but if the mortar's strong enough, it will crack the brick.

The clue that it is shrinkage is that the pic where the crack is through the bricks appears to be in the middle of the wall. This is where you would expect shrinkage cracking to occur.

The crack is also even in width top to bottom, which again suggests shrinkage rather than subsidence.

The cracks at the verge are probably due to some flexing of the roof - possibly due to wind? Again nothing too serious, IMO.

 

[Hellyb]

Thanks for the replies!

Thankfully there are no signs of cracks inside the house and there are no trees near the house.

I can't comment on whether neighbours have had the same problem but I will endeavour to do some research!

The gable wall has not been examined from the inside, I'll get onto it!

A family member noticed the cracks when they visited a few days ago.

The extension was built in 2007

 

[Hellyb]

Cracking in mortar is usual, but through the bricks?

Yes, most times the crack would go round the bricks, but if the mortar's strong enough, it will crack the brick.

The clue that it is shrinkage is that the pic where the crack is through the bricks appears to be in the middle of the wall. This is where you would expect shrinkage cracking to occur.

The crack is also even in width top to bottom, which again suggests shrinkage rather than subsidence.

The cracks at the verge are probably due to some flexing of the roof - possibly due to wind? Again nothing too serious, IMO.

The house is on a corner and considering the bad winds we had at the back end of last year / early this year, that would definitely make sense!

 

[ban-all-sheds]

(please see pics in my album named 'Gable end').

Step 1
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Step 3
Step 4
Step 5
Step 6
Step 7
Step 8
Step 9
Step 10
Step 11

 

[Hellyb]

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[KenGMac]

Hellyb, hi.

The cracks are so random and appear in differing locations, albeit on the one gable, I have the impression of your problem being thermal and moisture related, insurance speek for an expansion problem.

In general terms brickwork should have expansion joints, vertical at about 6.0.Meter centres, it all depends on the coefficient of thermal expansion of the brick type, the strength of the mortar used, Bla, De, Bla, De, Bla, then it goes into Structural Engineering stuff.

Suggest you have a look on Google at brick work expansion joints?

From the photos posted it appears that there is no expansion joint on this Gable? and at a very rough guess the gable is more than 6.0. Meters wide?

If I was to be looking at your gable as an Insurance Subsidence Specialist I would decline the claim, sorry to be so blunt. But as far as insurers are concerned, Subsidence is defined, In all policies as the vertical downward movement of the foundations, as your post and pictures do not indicate that there are any cracks near the base of the wall then ? the problem lies in another direction?

As previous, the lack of an expansion joint is a clue?

There is another possibility? that being, that the gable end within the loft space is moving, by this I mean that there may be an in adequate tie in between the rafters, and ceiling ties and the gable end, there should be metal ties that are attached to the rafters and ceiling ties that go into the gable wall, Google roof ties to get an idea, these things are a simple right angled galvanized strap.

A couple of photos of any such devices within the roof space would be of interest.

Hope the above is of assistance?

Ken

 

[ree]

Hellyb,

You have a Snubbed Gable Roof which means that you have two short hip rafters that may be pushing down and out at either end of the gutter - roughly speaking.

Depending on how the roof ridge, rafters/trusses were constructed and tied-in at the hip end, then the above pressure points might possibly be contributing to the upper cracking?

You also have ladder raftering for the verge soffit - another possible contributor to the upper cracks?

Does the lower centre crack correspond with any internal joisting?

University West of England at Bristol is a great resource for structural faults - they have a massive archive of annotated pics. Perhaps they will risk a view on inquiries?