Our ceilings and an internal wall are cracking and creak loudly

66misog

This only started within the year.

Our house is 1994 Barratt built, so after 15 years all settling surely should be done by now.

I can't relate it to the heating as the creaking happens at all time's even when we are in bed and the heating is off the loud "cracks" sometimes wake us.

The cracks are all over both floors ceilings (downstairs & upstairs), plus the wall at the top of our stairs that is a central wall to the bedroom, with what looks like evenly spaced dimples also coming through and cracking the plaster, so I can't allocate any particular area as to where it started.
The floorboards upstairs also seem to creak more.

When we moved in 3 years ago there was no sign's of flooding, and we have not had any "overflow's".

We do have 3 pretty tall, big trees in our garden (50-60 feet), and they are quite close to the back of our house, the closest, a Beech is about 12 feet, followed by an Ash at about 14 feet.
We are trying to sort out getting them shortened a little as they are pretty scary, but this is all taking time.

I'm now worried that they might be the start of something worrying, but I have read that Barratt's should have compensated when doing the foundations for the tree's, BUT, we are the only house with any tree's in our garden, and we are end terrace, so would they have bothered for just our house???

I also must mention that the houses on our estate are built on clay, which I've heard is the worst for "movement".

I must add as far as I can see there are no external wall cracks.

Has any one else been in this predicament?

Any idea's as to what might be the cause of the ceiling cracking if not the tree's?

In anticipation............

Thank you

Sirbendy

plaster drying, I'd say. Cracks etc might just be the heating system cooling down..we get that in our house. We've had some new cracks open up since running the heating over the cold snap..not worrying about it. Filling and touching up.

missile

Those trees seem a little too close to the house. As a rough guide roots tend to extend as far underground as branches do above. I would want them removed, but you might need permision?

Many new houses are built to a budget and creaks and cracks are not uncommon. It really depends on how bad yours is. I think it might be a typo? but if you have external cracks, I would say that is serious. I would have a word with the neighbours to see if they have similar problems.

After 15 years, I doubt you will have any claim against Barratt.

66misog

thanks, yes typo, I can't see any external cracks.

Would love to get trees removed, but have a protection order on them, so can only get them trimmed, even then, we have to apply to the council which in turn then takes months to accept.

I did wonder if was just the plaster drying, but the little evenly place dimples coming through seem weird?

Thanks all for info:beer:

Sirbendy

my mum has these in the roof...the dimples are almost certainly where screws went in to fix the plasterboard to the frames..:) As the filler over the top of them dries out, it reduces in volume and makes a little dimple. The answer is to fill, sand level and repaint if it bothers you.

We don't get it in ours, as it's a 1940s job and the roof is not plasterboard..which is a pain in the bum itself when it suffers with distemper like ours did..what a 'mare that was to sort.

Fire_Fox

You might be able to speed up the process of getting the trees cut right back if you are able to demonstrate that the property is being damaged as a result of their presence. I would speak to the council on this.

You also need to consider how soon you are likely to want to sell this property. If it's in the next couple of years, you may consider getting some professional advice on why the house is creaking so loudly so that, if any major works need doing, the whole thing will be done and dusted well before any survey takes place. You might also have a chat with your buildings insurance provider, as you be able to make a claim.

Hicksy123

I know this thread is quite old now, so wonder if you are still looking at it. Anyway, I stumbled across this as am sitting here scouring the net about exactly the same problems! Our house is about 6 years (Barrett) old and it has always creaked and one of the internal walls dropped slightly in the bathroom, which we put down to damp or maybe even a leak. However, all the upstairs walls appear to be sinking now, our stairs creaks so much I think someone is going up them when they're not. I lay in bed and can here bangs, cracks and thuds and it freaks me out. We too have no external cracks, all internal around the windows, doors and the lining paper is rippling in places it's attached to external walls. The door frames are splitting and in hot weather we have trouble closing certain doors and windows! My neighbour did have initial movement but theirs has stopped now, though it is only recently that I am home all the time with heating on as had a baby and wonder if this is why it's only just happened!? The upstairs of our house sounds like an old ship wreck!!!! I do wonder if it is actually made of matchsticks!!!

Nicola81

Hicksy123, my house is 6-7 years old and I am having the same problems. My floorboards upstairs are dreadfully creaky, even when I am downstairs and my partner turns over in bed the noise from the floorboards is unbelievable, it drives me mad. My house creaks that bad my sister is convinced it's haunted!

Does anyone have any solutions to repairing the floorboards, I've tried all the normal ones talc, screw etc?