THE PROPERTY DOCTOR

The Property Doctor is a series of articles aimed at anyone considering purchasing

their dream home in France.

These will be published on a regular basis on this website with the hope that they will
go some way to addressing the fears prospective property buyers may have.

Obviously the articles cannot cover every aspect of construction and for more detailed
enquiries readers can contact the surveyor direct via the website
www.brianlindley.co.uk

This first article relates to the cracking most commonly found in the external walls of
properties. Whilst it is hoped that this article will help readers identify the types of
cracking, it must be borne in mind that cracking and movement within a building,
whilst not always serious, should be properly investigated preferably by a Chartered
Surveyor or a Structural Engineer.
 CRACKING IN WALLS

There are cracks in all buildings, some minor and insignificant, some requiring
expensive repairs and in some extreme cases the only solution is total demolition of
the building.
This article is intended to put cracks into context: obviously one of the major concerns
of house buyers. “How serious is it” is a question I am often asked.
Firstly I think it is important to understand why buildings move. The two main
reasons are settlement and subsidence, and these can best be explained in the
diagrams below.

Settlement occurs due to downward pressure. Subsidence occurs due to the removal
of earth beneath the foundations. Settlement is usually easily dealt with via cosmetic
repair, whereas subsidence can prove difficult and costly to repair.

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There is a situation where settlement can cause subsidence. Drains are connected to a
building, and if these shear or crack due to settlement the subsequent leakage can
cause subsidence by washing away the subsoil.

All buildings settle when they are constructed; the trick is to keep the settlement to an
infinitesimally low level. The other causes of movement and cracking are due to poor
design, poor construction methods, or poor maintenance.

In this article I will deal with the five most common causes of cracks that I have
encountered on my travels, this is not a definitive list and my advice, if you are
concerned about cracking in your building, is to seek advice from a Chartered
Surveyor or Chartered Structural Engineer.

For definition the diagrams are shown in brickwork; however cracks form in
stonework in a similar fashion.

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1. EXPANSION CRACKS
Cause
Walls are affected by temperature and moisture change. Materials can suffer from
initial shrinkage and/or subsequent expansion and contraction. This movement gives
rise to the cracks. The crack shown in the main picture is shown as vertical, which is
often the case. However, the crack sometimes follows the line of least resistance and
can end up stepped.

The cracks are often seen above window and door openings where the opening itself
relieves the crack.

This type of crack has a consistent width and it is this that distinguishes from other
more serious cracks.

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Repair
Left alone, the crack is of no real structural significance, although it may allow water
into the cavity in brick built houses, and subsequence cause deterioration of the wall
ties. Therefore filling the crack with a mastic or selastic compound is recommended.
However, for more severe cracking it is advisable to form an expansion joint. This
would be cut into the wall, filled with a compressible material with a waterproof
stopper to the outside. On some modern buildings these are formed at construction
stage and then hidden behind rainwater downpipes.

2. CRACKS ABOVE OPENINGS

Cause
Four causes are:
(a) Removal of windows or doors with inadequate propping,
(b) Inadequate bearings,
(c) Loads applied directly over the opening,
(d) No lintels.

Cause (a) - Removal of windows or doors with inadequate propping

Whilst not wishing to get complaints from PVCu window installers, the most
common reason for this type of cracking is the removal of existing window frames to
install PVCu. On several occasions I have seen the total collapse of brickwork above
bay windows! On older properties with brick on end lintels (soldier course), the lintel
is formed in a similar fashion to firmly pushing several books together between your
hands. It would be possible to place books on top of these without collapse, but
collapse would happen instantly if you released one hand ever so slightly. This same
principle applies to the soldier course lintels.
Repair
The best repair is to reset the lintel and repoint or rebuild the brickwork above, and
refit the window.
The poor repair is to do nothing more than repoint the cracks, as the brickwork is now
resting on the new frame. However, you should note that collapse of the brickwork
above the opening will be likely when the window is next replaced.

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Cause (b) – Inadequate bearings
The correct overhang (bearing) of the lintels above openings is 150mm (6 inches)
each side. If the bearings are insufficient the lintel will drop and the cracks will
appear. However, on some older properties I have seen huge stone lintels with only
50mm (2 inches) bearings. “Passed the test of time” is a phrase I like to use in these
instances.
Repair
Replacement of the lintel is recommended. However, once again repointing will
suffice until the window or door is replaced.

Cause (c) – Loads applied above the opening

This often occurs above first floor lintels where the roof purlins have been installed
directly above the window openings. The load imposed is too great for the lintel to
cope with and the downward pressure causes the cracking.
Repair
Once again replacement of the lintel is recommended. The severity and age of these
cracks would decide whether simple repointing would suffice until the window is
replaced.

Cause (d) – No lintels

In some properties builders (bless them, they keep me in business) decided not to
install lintels at all relying on the timber frame of the window to support the masonry
above, but once the window is replaced the cracks occur.
Repair
New lintels need to be installed and the cracks repaired.

3. WALL TIE FAILURE

Cause
Wall ties are metal ties that are built into both solid and cavity walls built in stretcher
bond to hold the outside skin of brickwork to the inside. Failure normally occurs
when the ties rust. When the metal ties rust they expand causing the cracking
normally seen every sixth course horizontally in the mortar joints.

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Repair
Replacement wall ties are essential. The cracking is an early indication of failure.
Without replacement, collapse of the wall could occur. Repointing and removal of the
existing ties is recommended.

4. SUBSIDENCE
Cause
The worst and most serious type of cracking and consequently the most difficult to
repair.
Subsidence can occur due to a variety of reasons:
1. Mining activity
2. Leaking underground drainage
3. Tree root activity
4. Peak subsoil
5. Clay subsoil
6. Running sand
The list is endless; however, the basic problem is the same; the foundations of the
house are moving. The cracks are normally the first indication of a problem; often
they are raking cracks (widest at the top) and can occur to corners of the building or
from the top to the bottom of the walls. (subsidence itself will be discussed in detail in
a later article).

Repair
This will normally involve some form of underpinning. However, specialist advice
from a structural engineer will be required.

GROUND HEAVE
Cause
The pattern is similar to subsidence cracks; however, the crack will be widest at the
base of the wall. The most common cause of ground heave is expansion of clay
subsoils. On older properties with shallow foundations the clay can expand and
contract dependent upon the weather conditions. If the clay becomes waterlogged it
can expand and push the foundations upwards causing the cracks.

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The removal of trees can also cause ground heave, which is why trees that are too
close to the property should be taken down in stages, slowly over a number of years to
allow gradual ground movement (the problem of trees and tree roots will also be dealt
with in a later article).

Repair
In extreme cases underpinning and/or deeper foundations will be the only solution.
This is however, a drastic measure. In cases of ground heave problems the solution
will be to remove as much of the clay from around the foundation as possible and to
replace it with hardcore.

In conclusion: Cracks are not necessarily always a major problem. They need to be
identified, studied and sometimes monitored; however in the majority of cases simple
repairs can be carried out to rectify the problem.

In a later article I will discuss good practice in crack repair, plastering or rendering
over a crack is not the answer, invariably the crack will open up again. Anyway, that’s
all for now.

TTFN and enjoy your home in France

Brian Lindley MRICS, MCIOB Brian Lindley has been a Chartered Surveyor for over
20 years. He is a long standing member of both the Royal Institution of Chartered
Surveyors (MRICS) and the Chartered Institute of Building (MCIOB).
Brian was formerly a lecturer in construction at Salford University in North West
England, and has considerable experience in all aspects of construction techniques
He is now based at Saint Seurin d’Uzet, Charente Maritime, France, but still returns to
the United Kingdom, on request, for surveying purposes.