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How to fix settlement cracks?

Hi,

We bought our house 2 years ago and at the time our handyman patched most cracks and holes around the house. Some of the settlement cracks have started to come back in recent months in the front right if the house around the entrance and a bedroom. I'm wondering if the recent warm weather in sydney has contributed?

Should we bother trying to patch them if they're only going to come back? If so, what's the best materials to use for a lasting patch up

Images are of the front door area but we also have some this cracks under the window in the bedroom. The wallas are brick with a render/plaster over them. The house is a good 100 years old.

Thanks!

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Comments

MitchellMc

The cracks you’re seeing aren’t the usual minor settlement hairlines you get in new homes @davidb0312. On a 100-year-old house, there has been plenty of time for it to settle, and that would have happened many years ago. The fact that cracks patched two years ago are reappearing at this size indicates there’s active movement in the walls or foundations. Warm weather might cause some expansion, but it’s not the root cause here.

Before worrying about cosmetic repairs, I’d recommend having a qualified structural engineer or foundation stabilisation specialist inspect your home to see if there’s ongoing movement that needs stabilising. Once the underlying issue is addressed, you can then patch the cracks for appearance. For now, cosmetic patching alone won’t be long-lasting if the movement continues.

Let me tag @Nailbag for his thoughts.

Please let me know if you ahve any questions.

Mitchell

Nailbag

Hi @davidb0312

@MitchellMc has already touched on all the key points I would have myself. That said are the two repaired areas that have reopened up all where the cornice meets the wall or is it more random? If so, it’s possible that the issues lie with the ceiling plasterboard giving way from the joists. If this is the cause then the repair is a more simplistic one vs a structural issue.

However, I would still take @MitchellMc recommendation and mine in getting a domestic building engineer to establish exactly what’s going on as it’s definitely not weather related.

And as always it’s important to get the cause of any issue resolved before a cosmetic repair. Otherwise you’re simply double handling and tempted to let the real issue drag on. This always has the potential to get a lot worse costing more money and headaches.

Keen to be kept in the loop on your progress.

Nailbag

davidb0312

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/61006#Comment_61006

Thank you both!

We remember that the new Sydney Metro was tunnel at the back of our property about 18 months ago so now thinking of that could be a cause. I have emailed them to see if they can look into it as they did and and post tunnel imaging and I cannot see the cracks in those images.

I will let you know if they send someone out and what they say!

Thanks again

Nailbag

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/92966#Comment_92966

Very interesting @davidb0312

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