Long crack down stair and upstairs ceiling

[ymin]

Hi Everyone
Please someone advise that these cracks are dangerous and related to foundation or subsidence. Downstairs and upstairs ceilings have significant cracking. I do not see any cracking outside and inside wall.
Thanks in advance.

 

[Wayners]

Lath and plaster?
Bungalow?

 

[ymin]

I am not sure. It’s semi detached house. Cracking everywhere on the ceiling upstairs and downstairs but no cracks on exterior wall.

 

[JohnD]

Has it got a through lounge, or an open plan or kitchen diner, where a previous wall was removed?

What is in the loft, and heavy?

 

[ymin]

No walls have been removed. Crack doesn’t go through other room.

It is probable house that i went for viewing. House has been empty for 3-4 months now. Not much information from seller.

 

[ymin]

No walls have been removed. Crack doesn’t go through other room. It is probable house that i went for viewing. House has been empty for 3-4 months now. Not much information from seller.

 

[Notch7]

Cracks on ceilings don’t indicate anything really, if the floors are a bit bouncy, that can cause cracks, floor joists can shrink and move.

If the walls have dropped and the floors are out of level that would cause the problem, but you would have external wall cracks.




The crack that goes up the wall and across the floor might indicate something, it’s an internal wall so the founds might have settled a bit.


Personally I would prefer an old solid house to one built in last 40 years

 

[ymin]

Thank you so much for your informative comment. It’s a bit odd that area ceiling crack down across the wall. I am going for second viewing again. Is there any particular area to look at it to avoid headaches before going further?

 

[JohnD]

Look in the loft, and look at the adjacent semi. If the cracks are close to the party wall, they might have made alterations. If not, look at the outside walls again.

Compare it to similar houses in the road. Has a chimney been removed?

 

[Scally-Ho]

Age of property, type of construction, any mining in the area, and have the neighbours either side noticed any movement in their properties? Also check all around outside for any signs of drain collapse and look at the roadway to your frontage for signs of movement, also what is the regular traffic like such as heavy lorries using the road. The clues are out there if you know what to look for.

 

[ymin]

@JohnD
Thanks for the advice. I will check in the loft. Chimney has not been removed but next door seem to be doing house renovation. I will check it again to make sure that.

 

[ymin]

@Scally-Ho
The house is not too old. I think the construction might be around 1960. Please see the attached photo below. The property located on the main road. I will check all the walls again and look for the crack. Thank you so much for your kind help.

 

[Scally-Ho]

I wonder how far the roots of that big tree extend.

 

[ymin]

@Scally-Ho
That tree might be the cause as well. Bay ceiling is cracking but no crack on the brick wall exterior.

 

[Scally-Ho]

A test spit in the front garden might reveal something.