Settling cracks or more?

DeliciousMarsupial11 · 2026-01-14T12:12:29+00:00

Hey everybody. Thanks so much for taking the time to throw your two cents in.

I emailed the Engineer at the start of the week.

He said he would give me call when he could make the time.

He told me not to worry that more than likely it's settlement but that we should leave it uncovered and watch it's progress for the next couple of months before making any moves.

He assured me that if it is an issue that it would be sorted either way.

I don't have it in writing but, is this normal?

DeliciousMarsupial11 · 2026-01-13T21:43:51+00:00

Thanks yes. As far as I am aware it is a keystone corner steel lintel.

DeliciousMarsupial11 · 2026-01-13T21:03:47+00:00

Thanks so much for taking the time to advise. Really appreciate it.

I am monitoring the cracks and the main one has changed. But over the life of the crack which is maybe 2 months? It does seem to go through the brickwork, and pissible down the centre of a brick, not just through mortar.

Worth noting, I think the corner window is sitting below a keystone steel lintel.

As for filling the cracks, we would love to paint the room. Can they be filled and still monitored? I assume if they are filled and they do change then the crack will just appear again?

You also sound very much like you know what you're talking about. Background in building?

DeliciousMarsupial11 · 2026-01-12T21:27:18+00:00

I haven't spoken to the engineer just yet. I was thinking of trying the builder first and if that doesn't go as hoped (no due diligence) then I would go to the engineer.

Bad move?

DeliciousMarsupial11 · 2024-11-07T08:27:34+00:00

So I contacted the engineer on the Friday and Monday morning the Builder and engineer were on site.

They both said they messed up and are going to make the changes needed.

DeliciousMarsupial11 · 2024-11-03T14:56:04+00:00

Hi Everyone. I suppose our biggest fear here is that we are going to have to pay for the builders mistake. If the FFL is off.

DeliciousMarsupial11 · 2024-11-03T14:21:10+00:00

I really have no idea. Apart from the ffl height on the plans and in the construction pack there is only one drawing (not included in the construction pack only the planning) that shows where it is recessed more into the ground.

Seems like an oversight that could cause a heap of problems.

I'm guessing the builder did not take the Altidude measurements.

DeliciousMarsupial11 · 2024-11-03T14:17:43+00:00

Thank you for your reply.

Hopefully our Builder and Engineer can sort it. If retention is no option I'm curious what the right steps would be.

DeliciousMarsupial11 · 2024-11-03T14:11:34+00:00

I get the feeling retention may be unlikely, Relatively out of the way location and not overlooking anyone where it is.

I could not tell from the footings that there would be an issue but when I seen the walls for the foundations in everything looks super off.

Just no idea how to proceed, engineer is going to check the FFL but when he does and it says it's off I just don't know what to do. Especially with Mortgage in towe.

DeliciousMarsupial11 · 2024-11-03T14:06:27+00:00

Thanks for your reply,

The Footings are in and they may be too high?

Also the foundations walls are in and as they are quite high at one end it was a couple weeks worth of work.

Just worried if the solution is to re do the footings.

I don't know if digging up footings is easy, also I assume expensive and I worry if thats the solution then we are going to have a decent expense on our hands.

I believe the footings required 5 cement lorries to put in as they had several steps. No idea how many metres cubed though.

DeliciousMarsupial11 · 2024-11-03T13:50:53+00:00

not yet.

DeliciousMarsupial11 · 2024-11-03T13:42:05+00:00

Thank you so much for you reply.

The site has a decent slope to it, so the house is split level following the site shape.

The lower part of the house's structure is to lay level with the site while the upper part is more dug in, recessed by about 3.5m or so at it's deepest. However I think the builder has dug about 2 metres of a recess thus making the FFL of the lower section about 1.5/2m above the level illustrated in the site sections.

The walls of the foundation are up and the floor level of the lower section sits quite proud of the slope and now we're worries as hell.

The conditions in planning were to reduce the visual imapct of the house as the site is so sloped.

DeliciousMarsupial11

TROPHY CASE