Step Crack In Brickwork

[sandman1600]

Hi. We moved into a property at the start of the year and we’re renovating. We cut down some tall bushes from the back of the property at the weekend and noticed a crack in the brickwork.

The property is a 1970s split level bungalow. It’s been empty for a couple of years.

I’ve attached some photos to show what it’s like. I can’t see any evidence of cracking to the plaster inside but the outside wall does have quite a defined crack. There’s a grey look around the crack which appears like it’s been filled by spiders webs over time.

There’s also a bit of a crack on the same wall under the soffit that I’ve included a photo of too.

Is this something we need to worry about?

Thanks in advance!

 

[^woody^]

The stepped crack at low level and the horizontal crack on the adjacent elevation are connected, and if there is internal cracking too would be indicative of some foundation movement, likely caused by that tree or the drain. Get the drains surveyed, and then monitor it for a year or so to see if its moving or closing up.

The crack at the roof level is nothing.

 

[sandman1600]

Thanks for the reply.

There’s no signs of cracking on the inside walls. They’ve not been replastered recently so I’m hoping that the lack of cracking inside is a good sign?

When you say the drain, is it the guttering you’re referring to? I’m only double checking as there is a waste drain not too far away too but that seems okay as we’ve had a survey done.

The guttering is quite possibly blocked as they all seem to be. Another job.

The crack is one continuous crack that runs right around the corner of the building.

There are a lot of trees around the property and the garden slopes away from the house so I guess movement is very possible.

Is it something we’d be advised to get a structural survey of?

 

[^woody^]

Foundation movement that cracks the walls above is typically via either a leaking drain causing excess ground water and soft ground, or a nearby tree soaking up the ground water and causing the ground to dry and shrink. Or a leaking drain causing more root action.

So you either have a CCTV of the nearby drains and check the tree species to determine how they will affect the local ground.

Normally, any foundation movement would crack the inner and outer walls. So there may be other less dramatic causes if its just the external bricks which have cracked.

You can make a judgement on whether it worth monitoring or getting a professional opinion. If you want it looked at then yes its a structural engineer's job, and the first thing he will do is want a drain survey, and he may also want a trial hole to check the foundations.