Cracks in the garage wall - supporting wall

info_maniac

Viewed a house for sale over the weekend, is 10 years old and as had only one owner since it was built.

I noticed 3 vertical cracks (ceiling to floor) in the breeze block wall of the garage (long side wall of the garage). The cracks are almost straight and either run through the middle of the breeze blocks or place where the mortar joins two breeze blocks.

And as mentioned above, there are three of them.

The garage is enclosed inside the property so there is a bedroom above the garage.

Also the cracked wall is the right side boundary wall of the property (if you stand on the front door looking outside).

The property is slightly over budget, but at a convenient location of school and work.

I did some research and found that these cracks may as well run through all the way into the foundation and may open-up with time.

My family liked a the property and after my life to go for it. However, I am in two minds and can't decide.

I know I can get a survey done, but my previous experience of a survey was that it is just a quick visual inspection (it was a £570 homebuyers' report) and any issues won't really be uncovered.

I found some info on this page, but apparently it is from US:
https://inspectapedia.com/structure/Vertical-Cracks-in-Block-Walls.php

I will post pics and videos in some time.

Any advice or help will be appreciated!!

Doozergirl

Call a structural engineer to look at it. They're the specialist as oppose to a general surveyor that you'd use for a survey.

AnotherJoe

I would steer well clear. How would you get it fixed on insurance if you knowingly bought with subsidence

info_maniac

info_maniac

I have posted 2 pics now. Trying to get videos uploaded.

Slinky

I had very similar cracking in our garage which sounds like an identical situation to yours, extended 12 years ago, bedroom above. A friend pointed me in the direction of a surveyor who came and had a look and said it wasn't a problem. These sorts of lightweight blocks are apparently very prone to cracking. There is nothing going through to the external wall.


I expect we will have similar concerns raised when we come to sell.


ETA I've just been and looked at ours, I think your blocks came from the same supplier - apparently those squiggles down the blocks vary by manufacturer.

tom9980

Slinky wrote: »

I had very similar cracking in our garage which sounds like an identical situation to yours, extended 12 years ago, bedroom above. A friend pointed me in the direction of a surveyor who came and had a look and said it wasn't a problem. These sorts of lightweight blocks are apparently very prone to cracking. There is nothing going through to the external wall.


I expect we will have similar concerns raised when we come to sell.


ETA I've just been and looked at ours, I think your blocks came from the same supplier - apparently those squiggles down the blocks vary by manufacturer.

We have similar cracks in our garage I suspect because there is more moisture in the air it makes it more likely. Drilling into them for any purpose just shows you how soft they are as well so it shouldn't be any surprise that they crack like this if there is very minor settlement. There are no cracks in the brickwork outside either so I have no concerns other than aesthetics.

stuart45

Shrinkage cracks are really common with Thermalite blocks, especially if a bit wet when laid. A lot of builders are using different blocks like Fibolite because of this problem.

info_maniac

Thanks to all for the advice.

However, I am really confused now.

I was under an impression that the real load bearing wall is the inner wall with these big blocks and the outer red bricks wall is just for aesthetics and not a load bearing wall.

Am I completely wrong?

or is there another third wall in between the outer red brick wall(visible when standing outside the house) and inner big breeze blocks wall (visible from the garage) which is actually bearing the load?

I am attaching a floorplan which shows exactly which wall has the cracks on (visible when standing inside the garage):

Sibz

My first thoughts were it could be normal in fairly new houses for settling. Also - are the cracks deep and not just on the coating of the blocks?

The outer wall would be the load bearer surely. Various builds use differing materials within for insulation etc rather than load bearing...?

info_maniac

I'm not too sure which one is the load bearing one - outer or inner. From this picture, it appears to me that it is the inner wall which is load bearing, and cracks (ceiling to floor vertical cracks) in a load bearing wall are surely a matter of concern, right?