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Restoration & Refurbishment

Cracking in brickwork between patio windows and upstairs window - what to do?

Anonymous user 28/02/2024 - 3.14 PM

Hi, I am looking to sell my house next year (built in the 70's) and noticed a stepped crack running from the corner of the patio up to a window on the first level (only in the mortor not through bricks). I have lived here about 7 years and remember a smaller hairline crack but not as prominent as this (about 1-4mm in places). It seems to have appeared more after we had the window replaced upstairs about 3 years ago. There is also a small crack in length about 2 bricks in height directly above the patio doors in the middle (they are quite wide about 3m in width) and this crack does actually go through the first brick (a small hairline crack). There are no cracks around the front or side of the house and nothing to note inside. Anyway I am now panicking as I do not know what I should do next. Do I get the mortor re-pointed? Call my insurance company? I have photos but not sure if i can attach them. Any advice you can offer would be greatly appreciated. Kind Regards, Jim

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2 Answers

Mels Brushstrokes

Rating: 5 out of 5

Sowerby Bridge

Hi this is a common fault with houses of this age it could be that the mortar is old and may need re pointing. I would recommend that you ask a local builder to grind out the bed joints on the brick work I would do it every three course you will need some steel rods you can ask your local builders merchants for them they come in two types one is two solid rods side by side with a thin bar welded accross them like a ladder. You also need some grout this is cement based And sets like granite. The other option is mesh that çomes in rolls called exmet. Using a mastic gun specially for grout you put the grout on it and sqeeze the grout into the bed joint along the top of the bricks then place the rods/mesh then press the bar/mesh down into the grout then grout again on top until full then let it go off. Do this process every other course leving two days for grout to go off then repeat the process on the remaining beads then point the brick work up using a sand and cement mix. Make sure the builder grinds the bed joints approx 150mm past the effected areas. Hope this helps good luck.

Answered28 June 2015

CMT Contractor Roofing & Building

Rating: 4.8 out of 5

Ellon

First port of call - structural engineer to be on the safe side. They will advise or repairs if required and if it can be sorted with just re-pointing. Don't stress too much as its a pretty easy and not too costly fix if it doesn't require underpinning, but an engineer will be the best advice. Calum @ CMT Contractor Scotland

Answered25 June 2015