Advice needed: who to call?

Feefster

This may seem like a very obvious question, so forgive my naivete, but I need some expert advice. When we moved into our 30s home nearly 3 years ago, we noticed there was what looked like papered-over cracks in the ceiling of the back bedroom. Survey was fine, so we thought, old dry plaster and/or dodgy decorating. However, recently, some new cracks have appeared near the window, and we want someone to take a look and either reassure us they are just surface and need replastering, or tell us the bad news if it's something more serious like subsidence.

But... who do we get to look at it? My worry is that if we call a builder, they will quote for nothing, but are liable to tell us we need major work done (as happened on a previous occasion with our roof, a narrow escape from parting with a lot of cash), but if we get a surveyor in again it'll cost a couple of hundred quid just for them to take a look. Any advice very gratefully received, as for the last 3 months we've been paralysed with indecision, and meanwhile, our house may have been slipping down the hill...

The cracks are at the top of the window frame, on one side only, and run top to bottom, rather than left to right, if that means anything to anyone. Oh, and if anyone can recommend an honest builder/tradesman to quote (in East Lothian area) that would be really helpful too. Thanks!

tcclalel

We had the same problem.
We rang the local council and they said to get a surveyor out.
It cost about £130 but at least we have the report if we go to sell.

ozskin

a trusted builer is your best bet, surveyors reports always come with so many disclaimers even if the house fell down there would be no comeback. If youdont know ask family and friends for recommends

somefriendlyuk

hi, i run a small building preservation business and have 20 odd years experience but no building quailfications but heres a few ideas -the cracks in the ceiling can be a number of things. If the ceiling is lath plaster, cracks are not unusual. Lath plaster is what most non solid walls and ceilings were made of before plasterboard. Basically strips of wood are nailed from joist to joist and plastered over. The plaster gets a hold by 'curling' around the gaps in the wood (laths or lats). Over the years the plaster sometimes starts to lose its bond(becomes loose) and may have to come down (before it falls). Without seeing it its hard to say and even then i have seen badly cracked ceinlings stay in place for a long time and it very difficult to give a difinitive answer. A friend of mine asked a few years ago for me to see if i thought a cracked ceiling would fall and i told her the only way i knew to see if it would fall(if it wasn't very obvious) was to get a brush and tap at it -i also told her that if i did that it may fall there and then! When these come down they cause an unbelievable amount of black dust and mess. We once took one down years ago and came out to find the fire brigade outside looking bemused at our badger like faces -someone had seen the dust coming out of the windows and thought it was smoke!!.
If the ceiling is plaster board. Where the plasterboards come together you can get cracks in a straight line. This is usually due to poor workmanship or possibly previous leaks.
If the cracks are now in the wall, this may be different and will need checking out. This is a very difficult area and again you are very unlikely to get a diffinitive answer.It could be just a bit of settlement that all buildings get from time to time or something more serious but it is often hard to tell and in my experience even fully quiafied structual serveyors only 'guess' unless there are other signs such as wall tie failure or defective drains (washing away foundations. It can be helpful to take some plaster of along the crack and see if the brick below is cracked.
Sorry i've probably not helped much here but if i were you i would get an opinon from an experienced builder first -and then a qualified structual surveyor. I use one occasionally and i expect his bill to be around £200- for an excellent report.(Micheal james lee in folye st sunderland by the way.) Also mark either side of the crack-get something that fits into it -peice of paper -coin ets and see if there is any more movementover the next few months . Please don't panic, it may really be nothing. My gilfriend house has developed a large crack in internal living room wall some time ago and hasn't move any more.Any yes she panicked like hell. The brick underneath if ok and i will sort it out now i know (think)there is no further problems.
Hope this is of some help