A nasty crack

[flowkingrich]

My PPOR is now about to become my second investment property and I have a little problem that someone out there might be able to help me with. The home (about 4 years old) is located in the hills of WA where there is clay and potential for movement. One night we actually heard the wall crack. This crack now opens and closes as the seasons pass with the maximum gap being about 3mm during summer. Whilst it is unsightly it seems ok and doesnt look like it will get worse, however. Is there any claim for this situation that I may have with the builder. Do they have insurance for this type of issue?


In addition does anyone know the best way to disguise this problem or fix it ?
Someone suggested a dry wall over the top whilst others recommend expandable fillers?
Thanks people

 

[GreatPig]

When I had an engineer look at some cracking in our house some years ago and asked him the same question, his reply was to just hide them with pictures and wall-hangings, etc. He said that if you fill them with anything, it may just move the stress to somewhere else and create another crack elsewhere.

I don't like filling with fillers like silicone, as the crack closing up can cause it to bulge out. Your house may not be old enough to be a problem, but with an old house I used to rent where I did this, the render wasn't very strong and the bulging silicone broke pieces of render off the wall. Now if I do fill the cracks, I prefer to use a basic plaster filler that will (hopefully) crumble if the crack closes up (although I've never seen one do it yet to know if this theory will work). It does mean however that the crack widening will leave another visible line. Generally though I just leave them, unsightly though they can be.

GP

 

[TheBacon]

No idea about claiming damage from your builder.

On the point of your cracking though, the expansion and contraction of your clays is due to increase and decrease in their moisture content. Dryer in summer (contraction), wetter in winter (expansion).

I have heard of some properties in Guildford (WA) where water is applied to the subsurface during the warm months to the keep the clays expanded, thereby stopping contraction and house walls moving/cracking.

Not sure of the set up or costs of something like this, but perhaps this is something that could be useful in your situation?

Good luck

TB

 

[JIT]

Refer to this :

http://www.woodworkforums.ubeaut.com.au/showthread.php?t=35613