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Plastering & Rendering

Cracks appearing in ceiling of new extension around nails and skylight window frames

Anonymous user 15/03/2024 - 2.40 PM

I got a builder in to build an extension on the back of my house and 6 months later there is a number of cracks appearing in the ceiling. The cracks are around what I assume are the nails that are holding the plaster board on the roof joists and around the skylight window frames. I would like to know whether this is my responsibility or if I have any recourse with the builder? The whole kitchen and extension were re-boarded and plastered and there are no cracks on the walls, it is just the ceiling in the extension which seems to be a a problem. I have contacted the builder and he has said this is normal and that I need to fill and plaster these myself. I would understand if it were one or two cracks but I have counted more than 16 cracks (3m x 5m extension) and seems unreasonable that I now need to repair these considering the vast sum of money paid for the job. I would appreciate some professional input to understand whether I am expecting too much?

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4 Answers

TSJTimber Carpentry services

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Royston

Any good builder would come back and sort it out. After all it is his work on display and will not help his reputation. I always fix any issues where it is weeks. Months. Or years later as I want my customers to be happy.

Answered13 July 2018

Anonymous user

Hi As long as the roof joist are correctly fitted with noggins where required, the roofs movement should be minimal. So it maybe that the joints and fixing have not been covered with a scrim tape prior to plastering, which will cause the fixing the grin through the plaster and the edges of the plaster board to be seen. It's would be difficult to blame your builder without looking at the condition of the ceiling in person, but its not normal for ceiling to crack.

Answered10 July 2018

Anonymous user

Hi, It would be expected that any new build would 'settle in' during the first few months usually resulting in minor hair line cracks to plaster and slight shrinkage of moldings(skirting/architrave etc) to appear. You mention that this is only an issue with the extension ceiling. You haven't said in your question but I'm guessing that this is a single storey extension? If this is the case,the shrinkage/movement of the ceiling will be due to the roof timbers drying out. Your builder is right to say that this is normal,however it would be usual practice to make you aware of this upon completion and provisionally have booked in a day for any making good and general snagging. I would recommend that you re approach your builder and request that someone re attends to make good these settlement issues. I hope this answer helps and best of luck! Complete Solutions

Answered10 July 2018

G S Rayton Painter and Decorator

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Rushden

Settling in cracks , if your builder didn't state in his schedule of works to return after a period of time , to maintain any settling in defects then you will have to undertake the work yourself , it's normal to have these cracks .

Answered23 August 2020