Cracks from work next door?

budgie123_2

Hi,

I am looking for some advice on cracks that have started appearing in our house. They have started to appear along joins between the floor and wall in the bathroom where the grout is cracking. In the bedrooms, cracks along joins that have been made to create cupboards in dormers. Hairline cracks randomly in walls around the house. And yesterday, I noticed a 9 inch hairline crack in the granite worktop on our kitchen island.

We live in a victorian house which was renovated and has a barn joined onto each side. The barns are being converted into houses and lots of work has been going on, digging out the ground and laying all sorts of pipes, concrete floor dug up, the roofs have been taken off. Lots of machinery has been used as well as lots of heavy hammering etc.

I noticed the latest crack yesterday in the granite worktop, (much to my shock as we are very careful to take care of the worktops, no heavy things ever go on it and no hot things ever go on it), which is the day after an old conservatory has been knocked down. When it was being knocked down, our whole house was shuddering with the hammering that was going on.

So, is it possible that this work (which is expected to go on for at least another 6-8 months) has been causing these cracks? Could this have caused the crack in our worktop? We are starting to get very worried about it. Any help is much appreciated.

daveyjp

"has a barn joined onto each side."

Do the terms "Party Wall Act" and "Party Wall Agreement" mean anything to you?

If not look them up now and take some professional advice.

budgie123_2

Hi, we are in Scotland so the Party Wall Act doesn't apply. Now I am feeling really worried. I am trying to find is there is any other legislation that covers this

System

seems very strange that a kitchen island worktop would crack if it's not attached to any walls!
you could be in for a very lengthy battle to get anything out of this, unless they have caused any structural damage to your property and it's just vibration from machine then it's very difficult to prove, i would contact the contractors undertaking the work directly and get them in to see what is happening. It could be a lot worse for your property in the long term if you try and stop the work in progress...

budgie123_2

Thanks and this is what we are wondering regarding the worktop. We are not really up on our knowledge of this type of thing. I have no idea what causes cracks and why they appear so it is helpful to get advice from folks in the know. Admittedly, we are panicking because we seem to be getting these cracks everywhere, every room has at least one crack and when we noticed the one on the worktop, we thought, "How did that happen?", and we have maybe lumped it together with all of the cracks when maybe it is some sort of coincidence, or other cause? I really don't know.

So all advice is helpful and it helps us to know what we should be worried about, and what we should not be worried about.

Many thanks again, much appreciated.

missile

I would take some photos and arrange an expert to view and speak to your neighbour asap.

You might be able to claim or at least get legal advice via your household insurance.

Damage to the island worktop may be unrelated. IMHO it could be damaged as a result of adjacent works but only if the shock/vibration is extreme and perhaps the worktop is not prperly supported.

1984ReturnsForReal_2

How long have you lived there & was it a new build before you went in?

Errata

The works, floors dug up and roofs removed, in the attached barns either side of your house may have compromised the integrity of your property. In your shoes I would, as an immediate emergency measure, phone the building regulations dept at the council.

missile

1984ReturnsForReal wrote: »

How long have you lived there & was it a new build before you went in?

For your info

We live in a victorian house which was renovated and has a barn joined onto each side.

googler

Take all or some of the actions suggested by previous posters;

Get the contractors to have a look. Ask them what specific measures they are taking to ensure that your integrity is secure.
Call Building Control at the council.
Talk to your Home Insurer.

WillowCat

How long ago was your house renovated?

Is this it's first winter, in which case it could just be shrinkage from the lower humidity we're now having?