Building Structural Integrity - Urgent

I purchased a property three months ago and moved in about 3 weeks ago. I didn't use a building inspector. Today, I noticed that there are quite a few sections of the walls of the building has been filled in using plaster or polyfilla or a similar product. This is mainly near the windows and doors. I havent noticed these previously because the colour of the wall is constant. No cracks have appeared.

I am very worried at the moment. I am not sure whether there is something wrong with the building. I have used an aluminium level to check how straight the walls and floors are and they seem reasonably fine. Is there any cause for concern? What do you think I should do?

[I am not sure if this will help but I bought this property on a subdivided block which is made up of this building and some vacant land. Now there is a new building being built on the vacant land right next to the property I bought.]
 
Perhaps now is the second best time to get a building inspection done.

At best there may be nothing to worry about.

At worst you will know exactly where you stand.
 
If its an old house, plaster just falls off the walls over time if noone looks after the house (I say this because I have an old house ... two, actually ... and we've done a ridiculous amount of replastering). I'd be more concerned if they sold you the house with huge chunks of plaster missing and dodgy blue paint. Or dado panels. Great salt damp hiders, those.

Around windows and doors they might have had to replace architraves and messed up the plaster as they did it.

Depending on the age of the house, probably nothing to worry about.
 
Thanks for the replies. Please keep them coming.

It is an old house. Probably 30+ years old. I am still undecided as to what to do next.
 
What are your footings seated into? Is your sub-floor supported by stumps or slab? Many older homes have shifted around a lot lately with the drought stressing the foundations through unusually dry conditions, especially if you've had intermittent periods of very wet. Some soil types, such as clay and basalt I'm told are particularly susceptible. A patch job is very likely the best remedy. If problems continue to re-appear, restumping or at the least, chocking may be required (you can check yourself if you've got gaps developing above some stumps). If you're on a slab it's more difficult to diagnose, to fix, and to know what to do.
 
What are your footings seated into? Is your sub-floor supported by stumps or slab? Many older homes have shifted around a lot lately with the drought stressing the foundations through unusually dry conditions, especially if you've had intermittent periods of very wet. Some soil types, such as clay and basalt I'm told are particularly susceptible. A patch job is very likely the best remedy. If problems continue to re-appear, restumping or at the least, chocking may be required (you can check yourself if you've got gaps developing above some stumps). If you're on a slab it's more difficult to diagnose, to fix, and to know what to do.

Indeed. :D
 
I believe that the house is supported by slab since it is a brick house and I can't see underneath the brick.

I had a close look outside the house and saw some minor diagonal cracking along some parts of the brick, but nothing severe. There is also a 1m high stack of bricks lying next to the house, which I believe MAY have prevented rain water from seeping through into the soil. Also, my observations lead me to believe to believe that some cracking did exist because I can make out a crack line along parts of the patched areas. In case this may help, the largest of the patched areas are about 1m in length and 30cm in width.

Do you know where I can check what soil type it is? Or is there a website which lists soil type by suburb/locality? (I am located around the Regent/Reservoir area within the Darebin municipality of Victoria)

At the moment, I think I will leave it as it is and remove the stack of bricks outside the house. I am unsure about an inspection since I don't know how effective they are and whether they can suggest a remedy in case one is required.

Also, what do you mean by patch job? From what I can see the walls have already been patched.
 
For peace of mind, have a building inspection and some advice on how you can best maintain your particular building from further movement/damage.

We noticed similar things with our PPOR when we first moved in.

There was regular movement in certain areas of the house, but with the advise of an engineer, we put in some drainage, paved and put in a damp course on one side, replaced/repaired some of the driveway where water accumulated (ours is an old place with no stormwater) and we now do regular watering of the gardens (within the restricted times :)).

Now, years later, no more cracks apart from some very superficial ones that seem to disappear seasonally, so no more filling :D.
 
It's hard to imagine a 30 year old house that wouldn't have a few cracks here and there. Yours don't sound that bad if they weren't obvious when you bought the place and if you had to have a good look outside to spot them. They could have been repaired 20 years ago.
Scott
 
Chill out and get a building inspection for piece of mind.
Keep in mind most 30 year old houses have cracks.
There are 2 main kinds of cracks movement and seasonal. The drought also has alot to answer for.
My house has seasonal cornice cracks that open up in winter and close the rest of the year. I hear plaster cracks alot easier than gyprock.

Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you react to it.
 
Thank you to everyone who replied. Turns out that the patching problem is minor and caused by lack of moisture. Keep up the good discussions in the forum.
 
I would expect this to be verry normal and nothing to worry about , most cracks and movement will be on the right angle cuts around doors, windows etc. the home prob has not had a re-paint in some time hence the coloud differance, once apon a time, the greate old houses were built using hard wood real strong product, but the problem the timber was cut from old gums and never had time to dry out, the srinkage rate is 10% to be normal, dosent sound much but if you add, 100mm joist and beared,stud and to plate this could exceed 40 mm, this is why those people that live in the old double brick/cut floor type homes in syd and mlb have a 20mm gap under the skirting boards. cheers!
 
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