Cracked Walls!!!

[the_one]

Hello,
Today I came across a property in Campsie which is excellent floor and price wise however I noticed cracks behind Buit-Ins in two rooms. These cracks are little wider than the ones you would usually see.

What I would to know is how serious issue it is? Should I be really concerned? How hard or easy it is to fix these cracks? How much would it usually cost?

Please let me know if you have any suggestions. Any help is highly appreciated.


Regards,
The_One

 

[Belu]

just to confirm what kind of material was it? im guessing the plaster but just to clarify for people.

 

[the_one]

Hi Belu...thanks for pointing out...yes it was plaster..the one that usually see

 

[bailz66]

My suggestion would be to get a building inspection.

Larger cracks could mean the ground or structure is moving a little (or a lot depending on the size)

 

[the_one]

My suggestion would be to get a building inspection.

Larger cracks could mean the ground or structure is moving a little (or a lot depending on the size)

Hi..I can do that but I need to know if it even worth doing it. I need to know how much it would cost usually to fix few cracks? Is it in tens of thousands of dollars or just few hundred?

 

[Aimjoy]

I need to know how much it would cost usually to fix few cracks? Is it in tens of thousands of dollars or just few hundred?

Specific answer to specific question = just a few hundred or less. BUT you really need to find out the cause not just the cost to fix the symptom.
It may be entirely minor due to settlement or the drought etc. OR it might be something more serious - hence the need to have a building report done.

All the best with it,
Aimy

 

[Bargain Hunter]

If you're thinking of buying the property and this is the only hurdle, pay for a building inspection!

A few hundred bucks and you're now the wiser. If it's serious move one, or negotiate a better deal. If it's not serious, you can still negotiate.

Regards

Andrew

 

[Els]

Hi..I can do that but I need to know if it even worth doing it. I need to know how much it would cost usually to fix few cracks? Is it in tens of thousands of dollars or just few hundred?

Hi

Just to give an idea, I had a building inspection done on a place in QLD. And it turns out that the single garage had a crack in the walls as a result of some foundation movements.

The quote i got from a company who specialised in using chemicals to fix foundation movements. ( the cheaper alternative to underpinning ) The quote came in at $10,000 for fix it. His advice was to build a new garage because it would be alot cheaper.

As for the underpinning place. The prices were along the lines of $1000 to do a proper quote. The quote would include a soil sample and working out the amount of under pinning required before quoting an amount.

As a result of the quotes i got a discount off the place. So definitely get a building inspection. It can point out things which are easy for us mere morals to miss.

 

[Peter_Tersteeg]

Most houses shift as they get a bit older, so cracks are a fact of life. My own house has doors that won't shut properly one season, but do shut the next season. There's even sometimes a short period where all the doors can be closed properly!

Fixing a plaster crack can be done fairly easily. Bunnings reguarly do clinics on how to properly fix a plaster wall/crack. Don't go for spackle or polyfilla, these products are DIY rubbish. Proper plastering products are available for the same price and with a little instruction and practice, you'll be able to seal a crack so it's as strong as the original plaster.

If all else fails, a plasterer should be able to fix it for a few hundred (it's more time consuming than anything else).

 

[Raddles]

Hi there
we have been looking at a property today which has bad cracking - and we actually did the inspection at the same time as the building inspector who recommended that if the crack is any more than 5mm, it needs to be reviewed by a structural engineer.
thanks

 

[JIT]

There is one definitive thread on the web discussing cracked walls, and I started it here D shameless self promotion!):

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

Enjoy it!

That's a great forum by the way.

 

[Tania]

As has been mentioned already most houses move over time dependant on what they are constructed of.

Some of the properties I have inspected over the years you could almost put your arm through the cracks.

For a few hundred dollars invest in a Building Inspection.

Just think you probably wouldnt do your own legal work and would engage a Solicitor so a Building Inspector is almost a MUST these days for a prospective landlord.

Your State Building Services Authority should be able to provide you with a list of members in your area.

 

[kissfan]

My suggestion would be to get a building inspection.

pay for a building inspection!

For a few hundred dollars invest in a Building Inspection.

Just wondering if Archicentre might be good place to start. I haven't used them myself but they are 'supposed' to have a good name.

Maybe they could come out and inspect and advise you of your next possible move.

What do others think of Archicentre?

Regards
Marty

 

[tribe]

The_One

Hi..I can do that but I need to know if it even worth doing it. I need to know how much it would cost usually to fix few cracks? Is it in tens of thousands of dollars or just few hundred?

How old is the house?

I have a friend who bought a house near the river (Clay soils). A few months after they moved in a Crack opened up in the walls at both ends of the house (two story mind you). And it did go crack. The crack went through both layers of bricks (double brick is the way most houses are buit in Perth). It is now ging through the tribunal to have fixed. In the mean time the cracks have opened wider and most rooms are affected.

In short what I am trying to say is most houses settle with time and a little cracking will occur. However sometimes the evidence leads to something much more sinister.

Cost to rectify...

Who knows building may need to be demolished and rebuilt. ($500,000+)

Pay the extra to be sure.


all the best.

 

[skater]

On the plus side of all this is one property we bought that had nasty cracks in the corners of the lounge room. The gyprock didn't butt up to the other side & the filler had come loose. It looked really bad, but was quick, easy & very low cost to fix.

 

[Raddles]

HI there
ended up speaking to the structural engineer about the cracks we viewed. He actually knew the building we were talking about and advised us that damage had occurred during building when concrete trucks had damaged pipes which meant wastewater was not being distributed into the sewerage but dissipating under the slab.
The building had already been underpinned due to settling in one corner - there was obviously ongoing problems with foundations. Needless to say we are having nothing to do with the property.
thanks

 

[skater]

Needless to say we are having nothing to do with the property.
thanks

I don't blame you.

 

[Don and Liz]

He actually knew the building we were talking about

can be a red flag in itself. Well done for following the dd through to get the answer