Looking to buy a house and wondering if this crack is really worrying / how much it would cost to fix?

[u/Low_Current9611]

[u/Major_Basil5117]

I wouldn't even look twice at a crack of that size after confirming there's no corresponding crack on the external brickwork.

[u/Major_Basil5117 → u/[deleted]]

No I wouldn't. Hairline cracks are just a fact of life especially in an older property which moves with the seasons and over time.

If there's subsidence there will be obvious diagonal or vertical cracking on the outside.

[u/cyan_pigeon → u/Major_Basil5117]

How can you tell if theres subsidence if the cracked wall is a party wall with another persons house on the other side?

[u/varinator → u/cyan_pigeon]

Aaah, a tricky question! I'd first knock to the neighbours and ask if I can stare at their wall. Then if I was feeling adventurous, I'd strip the plasterboard to make sure and to stop thinking about it.

[u/GuyOnTheInterweb → u/cyan_pigeon]

ah we never talk about the party walls, those never need any maintenance

[u/Vertigo_uk123 → u/Major_Basil5117]

Agreed. We have a stepped crack on a couple of internal walls and stairs. It’s just the plaster (direct to brick) the brick underneath is fine

[u/Covert-Agenda → u/Vertigo_uk123]

Exactly the same as mine.

Few cracks in the plaster but brickwork behind is solid.

[u/NortonBurns]

With no further evidence it's "a bit of polyfilla & a lick of paint".
You need to know how fast a crack is moving to make any better guess - unless it's in an old mining district & three other houses in the street have fallen down already ;)

[u/titlrequired → u/NortonBurns]

That would be a reasonable red flag wouldn’t it, as plates slowly begin to slide to one side of the cupboard..

[u/NortonBurns → u/titlrequired]

If the candlesticks repeatedly fall from the mantelpiece & the cat constantly slides to one corner of the room, I'd be suspicious.

I live in an old Victorian house - cracks in those are just considered 'characterful' at any size smaller than being able to put your fist in.

[u/CalligrapherLeft6038 → u/NortonBurns]

The old school method is to wedge a piece of glass in that hole and if it snaps or drops out you know which way the movement was.

[u/luser7467226 → u/CalligrapherLeft6038]

Learned something there, thanks!

[u/Aiken_Drumn]

Need photos from outside too. It's not good, but might not be terrible!?

[u/gtripwood → u/Aiken_Drumn]

3.6?

[u/Aiken_Drumn → u/gtripwood]

Actually 15,000

[u/youshallneverlearn → u/Aiken_Drumn]

They gave us the propaganda number.

[u/Lost_Raccoon5241]

It all depends really. Where is it? Top floor under the roof?

[u/Low_Current9611 → u/Lost_Raccoon5241]

yes it's an attic conversion, so under the roof. i think i'd need a drone to see what it looks like outside? sorry i am clueless, thank you for helping!

[u/Lost_Raccoon5241 → u/Low_Current9611]

I have the same in a house i bought, only it the corner of outside wall on one side. I have been thinking that house built in 50's so maybe short in roof straps if any and uplift on the roof caused it. Straps that tie roof into walls basically.

But never take a risk. If buying, always get a structural survey by a structural engineer before buying!!

[u/Lost_Raccoon5241 → u/Lost_Raccoon5241]

Zoom out, take more and give more info.

[u/Financial_Sector_259]

Any serious fracture will need monitoring to be sure it’s not live. Having said that the crack in the photo doesn’t look too bad at all.

[u/pictish76]

Would suspect it is due to the window, that framing does not look original. So unless you can see anything from outside around window caulk and filler.

[u/Particular_Advance84]

Take a spirit level & check all door & window frames, take interest in which direction doors tend to open or close then observe the outline straight edges of the house, roof line etc and ensure straight & true, no sagging.

Note in detail any other cracks.

Note in detail new mortar on brickwork, has a crack been repaired.

If it’s rendered you have an advantage because repaired cracks will be much more visible.

Check on gov website for flood risk which will show you which directions the water from the area drain then you can check soil type from a geological survey and finally foundation type of the construction, is it built on a raft or piles?

Then make your own decision about the crack 👍🏻

[u/SuspiciouslyMoist → u/Particular_Advance84]

Results with a spirit level may depend on the age of the house. In my Victorian terrace almost nothing is vertical or horizontal. The landing outside the bathroom in my house and all the neighbours' that I've seen slopes noticeably towards the middle of the house - which was explained when building work in one of them revealed that the central dividing brick wall rests on joists on the ground floor.

[u/Brocklette]

You need to put look for many clues to work out if this is a problem or not. One localised picture would tell you much. You need to assess .... Can the crack be seen outside Does the crack go all the way from the floor to the ceiling Is to crack wider at the top or wider at the bottom. How old is the been a crack. Does the plaster sound hollow Is there any drainage nearby or pipes in the vicinity. Where do the cracks run from and too Plus a few others. Then you can begin to workout what the problem is and how much to fix it.

The simple way is to get a builder in or a surveyor to look before you buy it.

[u/Classic-Document-200]

There is cracking around the vent also. It's likely movement when the uPVC was installed, however worth getting it surveyed as an inadequate lintel could run you a few grand to replace and make good.

The infill around the door has cracking too. Just looks like a poor install. It's what's underneath that you need to look at.

[u/OkMinute506]

If you want to buy this house I would pay extra for a full structural survey and they will put your mind at ease they will give you a full report of the problem and its cost to rectify if possible or it could be a bad report and walk away if I were you. I had the same problem many years ago we fell in love with a big house and it was being sold by a so-called builder and i found faults so i paid for a full structural survey and they found many serious faults with the gable wall and it would of cost many thousands to fix it, so be alert. good luck

[u/Best_Firefighter_202]

That crack appears to be above a door or window. It could mean there is an issue with the lintel that is in the wall. Definitely worth getting it checked but if there's even a small corresponding crack in the outside wall. Walk away

[u/cheesenight]

fill the hole with expanding foam - dry and remove excess foam, score the cracks with a Stanley knife, clean debris, tape and skim with plastering jointing compound - might need 2 coats - sand and it'll be good as new.

edit: materials around £20 including a taping knife - half an hour to do, 24 hours to dry per coat.

[u/Kroktakar]

That crack run on the lintel, the lintel and brick have different expansion, so it cracks from time to time.

[u/redditnumptea]

That’s a cracking house!

[u/Any_Watercress7736]

Probably where the lintel has very material above it if it’s loft conversion, meaning the roof joists aren’t secured as well as they could be giving a little bit of separation between the wall plate and roof structure. Would be easily able to sort if that’s the case by removing the plaster and putting restraints on

[u/nelmesie]

Please don’t say crack, Jez.

[u/No-Drink-8544]

It's only going to get bigger and worse over the next 30 to 50 years, so frankly don't worry about it

[u/youshallneverlearn]

If it's just superficial, and doesn't affect the structural part of the wall, nothing to worry about.

But, with just one photo like this, no one can tell you for sure.

[u/SuperHeavyHydrogen]

Hard to say. Could just be a bit of movement in the house cracking the plaster, could be subsidence from a cracked drain undermining a foundation. You’d need a structural surveyor to determine which.

[u/AdAltruistic8513]

unless it's a steal of a price, I'd avoid.

[u/luser7467226]

What does the survey say?

[u/kippax67]

Unexplained cracks can mean subsistence, check if there was mines in the area. Don’t just listen to a lick of paint.

[u/kippax67]

Subsidence a fortune mate.

[u/Low_Current9611 → u/kippax67]

what do you mean?