Cracking up! Fixing brick walls

[Diamondo]

Hi Everyone,

Is your property cracking up?
I've long thought of brick and brick veneer as a superior (maintenance) material compared to timber, but recent cracking problems have me learning all about the expense of underpinning and repairs to brick walls.

I have quite a specific need: to find a structual engineer in the Ballarat area to diagnose the cracking problems in an existing home.

I've placed the query here in case someone has recently built/renovated and has sourced advice from a structural engineer...at present my general phone queries haven't yielded much response...

 

[ok180]

How old is the house?

 

[Pixie]

Hi Everyone,

Is your property cracking up?
I've long thought of brick and brick veneer as a superior (maintenance) material compared to timber, but recent cracking problems have me learning all about the expense of underpinning and repairs to brick walls.

I have quite a specific need: to find a structual engineer in the Ballarat area to diagnose the cracking problems in an existing home.

I've placed the query here in case someone has recently built/renovated and has sourced advice from a structural engineer...at present my general phone queries haven't yielded much response...

yes... experiencing this right now

 

[Diamondo]

How old is the house?

The house's original outer material is timber, but a veneer of bricks was placed around the house as an 'improvement' in the mid-80s...the issue I'm told is not age so much as the impact of drought over time...and probably rough workmanship.
In Ballarat movement in floors and brickwork are common problems...thought there might be someone out there who's had the same problem.