Hi there,
We've just bought our first place (three bed semi) and it was built circa 1967. My wife and I moved in about five weeks ago. The folk that lived there previously had owned it for 20 years, sold up and moved to another county due to work commitments.
The house was on the market for some six months before we bought it, albeit empty. The house originally sold and then fell through due to a chain break. We were first time buyers, and all went smoothly. I might also add that the heating was set just low enough to stop things freezing up, so the house has been pretty cold.
Before it was put on the market, it was decorated throughout in magnolia (horrendous job I might add) and new carpets were also put down.
I was laying in bed one night and looked up at the ceiling and noticed a crack that ran almost the entire way across the wall where the wall meets the ceiling. I jumped out of bed and completely freaked out.
And so the reason for this post is that I think i'm starting to notice more cracks in other rooms where the wall meets the ceiling. I'm not talking hairline; i'm talking the ceiling is almost lifting from the wall. The ceilings are also artexed (lovely). See attached pic..
I've looked back at some photos I took before we bought it, and I think I can make out that some of the cracks might well have already been there. I guess in the short time you view a house you're so overwhelmed you don't notice things like that. I will do next time!
Now, the party wall, which is cracked, runs along the two main bedrooms. I believe the hot water expansion tank and the cold water storage tank have both overflowed at some point, and the plaster at the top of the wall has blown, which I guess might explain that crack.
In the room below (living room/dining room which is all one one), there are similar cracks along where the top of the wall meets the ceilings along the party wall. Again, I think the airing cupboard tank has leaked at some point, and the plaster has blown in that ceiling too. So a crack is understandable.
Chucked up my drone and chimney flashing also looks okay.
There are also a few similar cracks in the kitchen (other side of house), and a few in the hallway.
Most of these cracks seem to be along the exterior walls. The supporting walls the middle of the house seem to have not been affected.
When I press the ceiling in the places where the cracks are, there is some flex and you can see the crack widen fractionally and close.
Prior to buying the house, we did not have a survey as my father-in-law is a builder. He went over the house several times and, other than a few niggly plumbing problems, his view was the house is sound otherwise. Pointing all looked good outside with no cracks to be seen.
My father-in-law has been over since, and doesn't think they're anything to worry about. He says the seams do not appear to have been taped and, given the fact the house has been stone cold for six months, it's been quite cold recently, and the heating is now at full tilt, he wasn't surprised that cracks like that may appear.
We plan to put our own stamp on the house and take room by room, and his view was to just make good in each room as we go and, even better, fit coving and forget about it.
My issue is, if the house was decorated, surely those cracks would have been made good, and wouldn't have appeared with that kind of rapidity?
I'm starting to lose my mind thinking I have major structural problems; I've scoured the internet for answers, and it either points to subsidence, or making the rooms good by raking out, filling/caulking and repainting. I have no sticky doors or windows, and no visible cracks outside.
We would like to have the ceilings skimmed at some point to get rid of the artex finish, and probably fit coving anyway.
Looking at that attached crack picture, what are your views? Make good or possible structural? I should add that the picture attached is one of the worst, but it's also one of the walls that I believe was water damaged from above.
I've only got one picture on me at present, but I can take more if needed. They all look similar, and some run 1/2 - 2/3 the way along said walls.
Sorry to be so long-winded! Please let me know your thoughts.
Thanks in advance,
Graham
We've just bought our first place (three bed semi) and it was built circa 1967. My wife and I moved in about five weeks ago. The folk that lived there previously had owned it for 20 years, sold up and moved to another county due to work commitments.
The house was on the market for some six months before we bought it, albeit empty. The house originally sold and then fell through due to a chain break. We were first time buyers, and all went smoothly. I might also add that the heating was set just low enough to stop things freezing up, so the house has been pretty cold.
Before it was put on the market, it was decorated throughout in magnolia (horrendous job I might add) and new carpets were also put down.
I was laying in bed one night and looked up at the ceiling and noticed a crack that ran almost the entire way across the wall where the wall meets the ceiling. I jumped out of bed and completely freaked out.
And so the reason for this post is that I think i'm starting to notice more cracks in other rooms where the wall meets the ceiling. I'm not talking hairline; i'm talking the ceiling is almost lifting from the wall. The ceilings are also artexed (lovely). See attached pic..
I've looked back at some photos I took before we bought it, and I think I can make out that some of the cracks might well have already been there. I guess in the short time you view a house you're so overwhelmed you don't notice things like that. I will do next time!
Now, the party wall, which is cracked, runs along the two main bedrooms. I believe the hot water expansion tank and the cold water storage tank have both overflowed at some point, and the plaster at the top of the wall has blown, which I guess might explain that crack.
In the room below (living room/dining room which is all one one), there are similar cracks along where the top of the wall meets the ceilings along the party wall. Again, I think the airing cupboard tank has leaked at some point, and the plaster has blown in that ceiling too. So a crack is understandable.
Chucked up my drone and chimney flashing also looks okay.
There are also a few similar cracks in the kitchen (other side of house), and a few in the hallway.
Most of these cracks seem to be along the exterior walls. The supporting walls the middle of the house seem to have not been affected.
When I press the ceiling in the places where the cracks are, there is some flex and you can see the crack widen fractionally and close.
Prior to buying the house, we did not have a survey as my father-in-law is a builder. He went over the house several times and, other than a few niggly plumbing problems, his view was the house is sound otherwise. Pointing all looked good outside with no cracks to be seen.
My father-in-law has been over since, and doesn't think they're anything to worry about. He says the seams do not appear to have been taped and, given the fact the house has been stone cold for six months, it's been quite cold recently, and the heating is now at full tilt, he wasn't surprised that cracks like that may appear.
We plan to put our own stamp on the house and take room by room, and his view was to just make good in each room as we go and, even better, fit coving and forget about it.
My issue is, if the house was decorated, surely those cracks would have been made good, and wouldn't have appeared with that kind of rapidity?
I'm starting to lose my mind thinking I have major structural problems; I've scoured the internet for answers, and it either points to subsidence, or making the rooms good by raking out, filling/caulking and repainting. I have no sticky doors or windows, and no visible cracks outside.
We would like to have the ceilings skimmed at some point to get rid of the artex finish, and probably fit coving anyway.
Looking at that attached crack picture, what are your views? Make good or possible structural? I should add that the picture attached is one of the worst, but it's also one of the walls that I believe was water damaged from above.
I've only got one picture on me at present, but I can take more if needed. They all look similar, and some run 1/2 - 2/3 the way along said walls.
Sorry to be so long-winded! Please let me know your thoughts.
Thanks in advance,
Graham
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