cracks in plaster.

[jacobblack]

Hi, Our neighbours have been doing work on their side of our party wall.This sounded like heavy drilling , hammering and hitting the wall with something like a sledgehammer.The vibrations were enough to make the ornaments on the shelving next to the wall,but not touching, it vibrate.We could feel the vibrations throughout the whole house on some occasions and the floor would vibrate.They have also attached a television to the chimney breast.This occured for about 10 days.The floors are floorboards with a gap underneath.
Now we have noticed lots of long hairline cracks midway up the wall and near the ceiling .Although they are not deep they are long and obvious.
My question is would all the vibrations have caused these cracks as it seems too much of a coincidence and makes me wonder what is going on under the plaster .We have no diy experience except for decorating and putting up shelves so I apologise if this is a stupid question.Thank you.

 

[Whitling2k]

could it be that the vibrations have caused you to inspect and therefore notice the cracks?

I've been in a similar situation - luckily I checked some photographs (that just happened to have the wall in focus) and noticed they were there all along.

I would say that a crack indicates movement - so just because the walls have been vibrating, doesn't *always* give way to cracking, unless one piece vibrates differently to another,

Just a thought, and I'm not meaning to suggest there isn't an issue.

whitling2k

 

[jacobblack]

Hi .Thanks for your reply and help There are so many cracks and some in places I would have noticed if they had been there before.Today a very long one has appeared in the next room, but on the same party wall, that I would have noticed yesterday.The plaster in the room where the work was being done next door is 8 years old and the next door room it is about 50 years old .Would any other factors cause this? I cant find any new ones on the other walls in the same rooms .It just seems such a coincidence.Thanks.