Stepped cracking in brickwork

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mattwnz

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#288879 29-Jul-2021 16:39

A house I am look at at buying is a single level house with half brick veneer walls and half weatherboard . The framework is all typical timber construction. The house is only 4 years old. I can see some re-pointing has been done in a diagonal stepped pattern on one end of a long brick wall down one side of the house. The pointing has been done in a slightly different colour so it is very obvious. At the other end of the wall it shows hairline cracking in a similar diagonal stepped pattern, but this hasn't been repaired. I mentioned it to the agent and they have said that it could be settlement due to it being a new build, but it does have a 10 year warranty on it, so 6 years remaining. During this time there haven't been too many earthquakes. It appears that stepped cracking can be caused by settlement. It is on a concrete pad. I am not really familiar with brick veneer, although I haven't really noticed this problem on any other brick veneer houses. Anyone have a newish brick veneer house that has had this type of issue, or anyone have any knowledge on this type of issue, or if it is even an issue?

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#2752034 29-Jul-2021 21:31

I doubt there's a definitive answer possible here.

Settlement is a thing for sure - but enough to cause step cracking in brick veneer shouldn't really be a thing in a 4YO house IMO.

I suggest you walk away - unless you want to pay to get an engineer's report, or at minimum find an engineer who might be able to give you an hour and offer a verbal opinion - along the lines of "run away", "should be fine - it's normal settlement I've seen in this area", or "I can't tell - it really needs to be investigated thoroughly".

mattwnz

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#2752060 29-Jul-2021 22:57

Thanks. Yes it is a concern because I haven't seen it on other brick clad houses . Obviously they are aware of it because some has been repaired. Unfortunately I can't see if the slab on the inner side of the wall maybe showing signs of cracking or movement either as it has been covered in garage carpet. I may have to pass on it because I don't want to buy a near new build that may have problems. As the whole reason for going down the near new build was to avoid problems.

mclean

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#2752229 30-Jul-2021 09:32

Presumably part of the slab has cracked and sunk. Perhaps if you could see the crack and how far it's dropped, it might clarify things for you. Floor coverings may preclude this of course.

Bung

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#2752237 30-Jul-2021 09:45

How would a post Christchurch slab be that bad? I'm thinking of the neighbour's house that's about the same age with a forest of driven piles under the concrete. If it's both ends of a wall is the cracking symmetrical?

mattwnz

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#2753081 1-Aug-2021 00:45

mclean:

Presumably part of the slab has cracked and sunk. Perhaps if you could see the crack and how far it's dropped, it might clarify things for you. Floor coverings may preclude this of course.

The cracking in the brickwork that I can see is only 1mm, but is in the stepped pattern. So I don't think the slab would have dropped very much (maybe only 1mm), but it is all covered by carpet and garage carpet anyway. It may not even have a crack in the slab. I have discussed it with a builder friend and he was concerned that if they had already fixed some cracking previously, that there should now me more cracking. It is in a liquefaction area, and most new houses in the area have timber driven piles underneath the concrete slabs perimeter foundation footing, and this one does too.

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#2753141 1-Aug-2021 08:46

mattwnz:

mclean:

Presumably part of the slab has cracked and sunk. Perhaps if you could see the crack and how far it's dropped, it might clarify things for you. Floor coverings may preclude this of course.

The cracking in the brickwork that I can see is only 1mm, but is in the stepped pattern. So I don't think the slab would have dropped very much (maybe only 1mm), but it is all covered by carpet and garage carpet anyway. It may not even have a crack in the slab. I have discussed it with a builder friend and he was concerned that if they had already fixed some cracking previously, that there should now me more cracking. It is in a liquefaction area, and most new houses in the area have timber driven piles underneath the concrete slabs perimeter foundation footing, and this one does too.

Without an xray of the slab and some ground penetrating radar on the foundations it will be hard to know what is underneath the floor covering.

To settle your ( and possibly the bank ) you might need to get this work done.

You are going to need proper engineering help.

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Rickles

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#2753186 1-Aug-2021 13:08

@mattwnz ... I have had experience with cracked brickwork with my mother's home on Australia's Gold Coast. What you describe is for them typically examples of subsidence .... that coastline is essentially sand and as you can imagine the alternating torrential rains and drought conditions makes a very unstable building platform, and after a few years the bricks crack as the house moves.

The remedy for me was to engage a company that did ground penetration under-pining using foam injection .... it's now widely advertised here in NZ. In Australia, a certificate of such work is usually required or asked for when the house is being sold. Insurance companies also get quite antsy if subsequent claims are not supported by evidence that the owner took reasonable steps to further prevent such damage.

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#2753244 1-Aug-2021 15:53

Bung: How would a post Christchurch slab be that bad? I'm thinking of the neighbour's house that's about the same age with a forest of driven piles under the concrete. If it's both ends of a wall is the cracking symmetrical?

cutting corners by subcontractors perhaps?

my mate has a brand new house and when he opened the kitchen cabinet the whole thing collapsed because the installers forgot to screw them on.

that was last week.

mattwnz

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#2753247 1-Aug-2021 15:55

SATTV:

Without an xray of the slab and some ground penetrating radar on the foundations it will be hard to know what is underneath the floor covering.

To settle your ( and possibly the bank ) you might need to get this work done.

You are going to need proper engineering help.

John

The building company has said that it is caused by normal settlement and the cracks in brickwork isn't structural. So any investigation would likely come at my cost. Luckily I am in a position where I can walkaway as I haven't put in an offer. We are meeting with the builder though to discuss it. But i may look at timber or steel clad houses from now on in this area.

mattwnz

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#2753249 1-Aug-2021 15:56

Rickles:
@mattwnz ... I have had experience with cracked brickwork with my mother's home on Australia's Gold Coast. What you describe is for them typically examples of subsidence .... that coastline is essentially sand and as you can imagine the alternating torrential rains and drought conditions makes a very unstable building platform, and after a few years the bricks crack as the house moves.

The remedy for me was to engage a company that did ground penetration under-pining using foam injection .... it's now widely advertised here in NZ. In Australia, a certificate of such work is usually required or asked for when the house is being sold. Insurance companies also get quite antsy if subsequent claims are not supported by evidence that the owner took reasonable steps to further prevent such damage.

Thanks. Yes I have seen a local company offering that sort of service here.

mattwnz

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#2755217 4-Aug-2021 17:30

Had an interesting update on this. We met with the bricklayers who apparently did the work, and previous repairs, and they said that the problem is caused by the brick itself. It is apparently a concrete brick product, rather than a traditional fired clay brick, and it is apparently a problem that occurs with concrete bricks. So it shouldn't have occurred if a clay fired brick had been used. They also said to expect other cracks over time with them. Interested if anyone else had concrete brick veneer walls (eg could be a natural grey concrete colour) and had this sort of problem occur?

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heavenlywild

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#2755224 4-Aug-2021 17:48

Do you have photos to share?

I have an interest in real estate, especially new builds, and have not come across cracking.

Would be great to see some images.

uncledave

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#2755243 4-Aug-2021 19:27

I would think that would cause random cracking, not stepped cracking which is normally from ground settlement.

Bung

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#2755250 4-Aug-2021 19:44

I was wondering if the stepping was related to the way walls are often built up at the ends to set the wall up then the middle gets filled in.

mattwnz

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#2755323 5-Aug-2021 00:38

Bung: I was wondering if the stepping was related to the way walls are often built up at the ends to set the wall up then the middle gets filled in.

That could be, but the cracking was in the opposite diagonal direction on both wall ends. I have also looked at a new brick house built this week and the walls were getting built relatively uniformly along the walls. But different bricklayers may do it differently. I have contacted the manufacturers to see if they have any feedback about it.

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