Hairline cracking due to thermal movement - how expensive is this to fix?

Rosa_Damascena

FaceHead said:

There is nothing you have said that is remotely concerning. On the gas and electrics, well obviously they aren't up to modern standards. Surveyors (typically) have neither qualifications in gas or electricity so will routinely put them down as 3, basically because they aren't in a position to say any better, and take a cautious approach. 

Edit: to actually address your question, we're talking here about getting a bricky to do a day or two's repointing, and the materials are virtually free. So that's a job that costs hundreds, not thousands, if it even needs doing. 

There is also a significant element of surveyors justifying their professional costs.

In your position I would have a chat with the surveyor on Monday and see what they actually meant and how much they think it will cost to fix. Then use that as leverage to negotiate down the price.

stuart45

woody7777 said:

Why does the heat from the sun crack bricks, when they are baked in a hot kiln and don't snap in half?

Bricks crack as they cool off. In the kiln the bricks are cooled down slowly, it's the rapid cooling that cracks them. They are also only stressed once in the kiln, whereas in a wall or fireplace there are constant stresses of heat and then rapid cooling.
Also in a wall built in strong cement mortar the whole wall expands as one unit, whereas a softer limemortar accommodates the movement better.

Annisele

Thanks all. The surveyor has (finally!) got back to me. Turns out that when he said "the south elevation", what he meant was "the wall with render on it" - and that wall faces west. No wonder I couldn't work out what he meant!

The people who said the south wall (which I posted a photograph of) didn't need anything doing to it were hopefully right; the surveyor thinks it'll need repointing eventually but not yet.

The west wall apparently really does need some repairs to the render, but the surveyor thinks that's maybe £500 to £800 of repair. That's not a big deal; I could see for myself that the render wasn't perfect.