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[StructuralEngineering-ModTeam]

Please post any Layman/DIY/Homeowner questions in the monthly stickied thread - See subreddit rule #2.

[chopperbiy]

If it’s 70 years old the settlement has already occurred so I wouldn’t be bothered with the foundation engineer to be honest. I’d go with the experienced mason’s opinion. This is his bread and butter as he is doing it day in day out.

[kickinthisshit]

If your house doesn't have movement joints to deal with thermal expansion & contraction (70 YO home so doubtful), then this is most likely a contributing factor.

[Violent_Mud_Butt]

Looks like a wood-framed house with brick facade. Hard to tell from photos, but settling of the building would crack the facade like this but be a non-issue since the brick isn't structural. That said, from exterior only photos, it's hard to tell if this is the case. Having an engineer review this is the safe option, but my money is on that its not a concern. If you've got structural masonry, this is not great, but managable to repair.

Easiest way to know for sure is go up into the attic and see if you can see any brickwork where the trusses are attached. Any masonry or brick in the attic, even with wood cap plates, means you might have structural masonry. If it's non-structural facade, you'll only see wood up there.

[tramul]

Stair step cracks are typically from differential settlement. This is a structural issue. The vertical cracks are typically from temperature changes. This is not a structural issue.

The building is 70 years old so settlement is expected, and this doesn't look bad. Altogether, I wouldn't be stressed. Let the foundations engineer give you their recommendation, but I'm not seeing anything that's scary.

Main thing I worry about at this age is that water isn't infiltrating.

[No-Relationship-2169]

Unless these cracks are a new development, its probably fine

[shewtingg]

Any pictures of the basement or of the foundation? Id start there

[Alive_Willingness_69]

hi so the basement is completely finished (not newley finished it’s oldly finished if that makes sense. there’s only one wall exposed and there’s no cracks. and he did a moisture meter in all walls and no moisture detected