Possible Structural Damage? Lochay state normal settlement- looking for advice!

elk00035

Hello, I have recently moved into a Lochay home (apartment building consisting of 9 homes) which was built in May 2021. Since moving in November 2022 we have noticed that a crack that was present in the kitchen at the time of moving in has gotten bigger (now roughly 0.5cm thick) and expanded out across the ceiling measuring about a meter long (this section is hairline). I put a spirit level up to the hairline crack and it's showing the it's now no longer level across the crack (please see photo of this as well)

At the time of moving in we also noticed that two doors in the house wouldn't close properly either and would keep popping back open, never really thought much of it at the time (dad has since DIY'ed it to make them close). Also noticed that most of the windows in the house don't fully close, the handles don't fully close to be parallel with the frame and noticed that the French doors in the livingroom are letting in a lot of cold air

I have since noticed more cracks appearing throughout the house since initially reporting the crack that expanded. I will attach these photos in this post as Lochay are saying these are all normal settlement cracks however I'm personally not comfortable with the amount of cracks that have suddenly appeared throughout the house. Someone from Lochay has informed me that they are going to forward this onto the builder and see if someone will come out and have a look but I'm worried that they will tell me it's settlement so just looking for others opinions on this

Thankfully I had taken a lot of photos at the time of viewing and in the following weeks of moving in and looking back on them there is definitely no cracks in the areas that there now is cracks

Thanks so much in advance, Elise

elk00035

Don't know if the photos didn't attach in initial post but hopefully they should be here!

First photo is showing door frame (only one in the house that has a crack like this) 

Also photos of spirit level across crack in kitchen 

Doozergirl

Who are Lochay if they're not the builder?  

Have you purchased this property?   

elk00035

Doozergirl said:

Who are Lochay if they're not the builder?  

Have you purchased this property?   

They are the company who build the properties but I guess that they then get a third party builder in to then build them (?)

and yes purchased and on mortgage 

Le_Kirk

elk00035 said:

Doozergirl said:

Who are Lochay if they're not the builder?  

Have you purchased this property?   

They are the company who build the properties but I guess that they then get a third party builder in to then build them(?)   and yes purchased and on mortgage 

Could you get your mortgage provider involved, I am sure they wouldn't want their asset to collapse (OK, slight exaggeration for dramatic effect)!

stuart45

Is it timber frame construction?

elk00035

stuart45 said:

Is it timber frame construction?

Timber frame/block construction with facing brick and render outer leaf- this is what the home report states 

GrubbyGirl_2

I'd be worried.  First thing you need to do is let NHBC know you have a problem.  Although the builder is responsible for the first 2 years NHBC will make them sort it out as they won't want to have to pay.  When I had problems with my new build I got a snagging company in called Brickkickers but to be honest my problems were minor compared to yours and as they are not much cheaper than a surveyor I'd get a surveyor in as no point skimping now if it's a major issue.  It will also be worth having a chat with your neighbours to se if they have problems as it will be much cheaper for you all to work together

elk00035

GrubbyGirl_2 said:

I'd be worried.  First thing you need to do is let NHBC know you have a problem.  Although the builder is responsible for the first 2 years NHBC will make them sort it out as they won't want to have to pay.  When I had problems with my new build I got a snagging company in called Brickkickers but to be honest my problems were minor compared to yours and as they are not much cheaper than a surveyor I'd get a surveyor in as no point skimping now if it's a major issue.  It will also be worth having a chat with your neighbours to se if they have problems as it will be much cheaper for you all to work together

Thank you! I've spoken to immediate upstairs neighbour who have the same thick crack in the exact same place in their kitchen, spoke to another neighbour who states normal settlement cracking but nothing major

Thankfully my sisters friend is a surveyor so once Lochay come to do their inspection I'll ask if he can come out and have a look as well 🤞🏼

weeg

I just googled Lochay Homes, and it looks like they use Premier Guarantee, rather than NHBC. Similar scheme, different company.

It's impossible to say definitely from photos, but it does look like normal (if bigger than usual) early age cracking. Given that it's in timber frame and in a flatted block, it's more likely shrinkage than settlement. The timbers shrink as they dry out over time, and can result in cracking. Not to rule settlement out, of course, but that's also generally a cosmetic problem.

It's unlikely a sign of a bigger problem, but the developer should be obliged to make good, as it's within the 2 year period.

FWIW I'm a structural engineer and until recently I mostly did work for housing developers in the central belt so I've seen a lot of these issues.

elk00035

weeg said:

I just googled Lochay Homes, and it looks like they use Premier Guarantee, rather than NHBC. Similar scheme, different company.

It's impossible to say definitely from photos, but it does look like normal (if bigger than usual) early age cracking. Given that it's in timber frame and in a flatted block, it's more likely shrinkage than settlement. The timbers shrink as they dry out over time, and can result in cracking. Not to rule settlement out, of course, but that's also generally a cosmetic problem.

It's unlikely a sign of a bigger problem, but the developer should be obliged to make good, as it's within the 2 year period.

FWIW I'm a structural engineer and until recently I mostly did work for housing developers in the central belt so I've seen a lot of these issues.

Thanks so much, appreciate it 😊 glad to hear unlikely to be anything major!