What has caused this?

[davecooper]

We moved into our house nearly 40 years ago and shortly before that, the previous owners had added a kitchen extension to help sell the house. Perhaps a year after we had moved in, I noticed a small vertical crack in the render above and between the new back door and window. I spoke to a local builder who said it was likely to be due to settling of the structure. He told me to monitor it for widening which would indicate a more serious problem. However, since then, the crack had not widened at all so I left it as I intended to get the outside of the house re rendered eventually.
A couple of years ago we had a new bathroom fitted and the fitters had to run a new drain outside across this area. I was told that when they drilled into the render for fitting pipe clips, the drill went straight through with seemingly no brick behind.
Now we are hoping to sell the house so I needed to get this investigated. I had a builder remove the render and the pictures show what was underneath!
He said he saw no major issues apart from the old loose mortar having to be raked out and new mortar put in. He then re rendered over the area.
I am now becoming a bit more uncomfortable with this as a Surveyer is going to see the patched area and want to know what this is. I can show him these pictures but have an awful feeling he may say that further investigation is required. Any advice very welcome.
I should add that I put some clear silicone over the crack shortly after discovering it.

 

[jj4091]

Take a picture from further away showing the repair and the rest of the area

 

[noseall]

We moved into our house nearly 40 years ago and shortly before that, the previous owners had added a kitchen extension to help sell the house. Perhaps a year after we had moved in, I noticed a small vertical crack in the render above and between the new back door and window. I spoke to a local builder who said it was likely to be due to settling of the structure. He told me to monitor it for widening which would indicate a more serious problem. However, since then, the crack had not widened at all so I left it as I intended to get the outside of the house re rendered eventually.
A couple of years ago we had a new bathroom fitted and the fitters had to run a new drain outside across this area. I was told that when they drilled into the render for fitting pipe clips, the drill went straight through with seemingly no brick behind.
Now we are hoping to sell the house so I needed to get this investigated. I had a builder remove the render and the pictures show what was underneath!
He said he saw no major issues apart from the old loose mortar having to be raked out and new mortar put in. He then re rendered over the area.
I am now becoming a bit more uncomfortable with this as a Surveyer is going to see the patched area and want to know what this is. I can show him these pictures but have an awful feeling he may say that further investigation is required. Any advice very welcome.
I should add that I put some clear silicone over the crack shortly after discovering it.

View attachment 423193View attachment 423194

Busy pier that.

I see two concrete lintel end bearings onto a slender pier, with what looks like a holding down strap down the centre.

Is that column of masonry (pier) a stand alone structure, i.e. there is no masonry going perpendicular, into the room?

 

[davecooper]

See attached pictures inside and outside of the area concerned.

 

[noseall]

See attached pictures inside and outside of the area concerned.

The slender pier is not ideal, but seems to be holding up. Looks like a bit of movement on an already busy junction has caused the render to crack. Needs meshing over before the scratch coat is laid on.