Would you buy a home if you saw a couple of cracks in the walls of it and knew it was not a foundation issue? We found a home a couple of weeks ago that we love, but there are cracks in the walls. We have not had it inspected yet, but if it was not a foundation issue, what else could the cracks be from?
When we were prospecting a house in this village, there was this house of Mrs. Mangaser that was offered cheap. Thinking that we had a good deal, we hastily went for an inspection. It was an old house although house architecture and in a dead-end road (cul de sac) so there's a bit of privacy. But good thing that my husband noticed the crack on the floor in one of the bedrooms. The owner reasoned that it was due to a tremor (she avoided saying earthquake). Obviously we didn't buy that house because our opinion is the unsound architecture.
The only way you will really know is with an inspection. Not knowing where you live or what kind of cracks makes it pretty much a guess. Water leak? Freezing and thawing? Improper surface preparation for whatever wall material was applied? Domestic violence, e.g., people throwing stuff? Something hit an exterior wall? Settling on unstable ground akin to sinkholes in Florida? I thought you signed a contract for a new home to be built? Not so?
Before making any decisions I would have it inspected first. The inspector will be able to tell you what is causing the cracks in the wall. It's best to know ahead of time before you make such a huge investment. All the best to you. Let us know how you make out.
Get it inspected. If it's just some surface damage and the foundations are fine then it's an easy fix. But you need to be 100% sure because otherwise you will be in for a big bill to pay.
We don't have inspectors here so the potential buyers make the inspections themselves just like what happened to our prospect house. You are right, buying a home is a big investment and a big decision that should be taken into consideration even minor things like small cracks. By the way, our village is susceptible to cracks on the concrete because it is near the so called West Valley Fault where unseen tremors occur often. Most fences here are tilting and some even fall down by the side.
Cracks can form from all sorts of different issues. Sometimes they are no gig deal but sometimes they can indicate a large and costly repair that will need to be done down the line. I have an older home and I have some cracks that open and close through the seasons, this is very normal and nothing more then the result of the swelling and contracting of the timbers as the weather changes. In these cases you do not even bother to try and seal them because they are small and will just open up again. Many times you will see cracks around ceiling edges or door frames and the like, these are from a poor taping job on the dry wall, and again no big deal. You can get cracks from hanging pictures poorly (or to many) or from furniture and doors hitting walls. This is when you have to take into consideration what the walls are made of. Are the drywall or plaster or brick? Plaster walls crack terribly. The direction of the crack can tell you a lot, usually the source is pretty clear. You can also get cracks from water damage, like a roof issue when the water runs between your walls or a toilet overflow. I would be very careful if there is any pronounced cracks on an exterior wall because there is a greater chance of this being the result of some sort of structural rotting or failure. This scenario is expensive. You might see this on the interior face, or the exterior face. Either side, you can pretty much bet you will probably need a professional and some sort of permits.
I think you need to have the inspection done. I have some foundation damage,,,and was given dire predictions years ago...about the state of the home...and nothing has ever come to pass. It is sound as far as I am concerned. Plus I don't see large cracks on the outside as there would be if the foundation damage was really severe. I am hoping to sell this Spring...and I know it will be an issue, so I am prepared to take money off the top for the potential homebuyer.
Gee, a foundation damage is a major problem in the structure. That is what we are afraid of because our area is always visited by small and invisible tremors that fences and walls seem to be out of position. There are several houses here with cracks on the floor and walls because of that. Now, our house has a crack in the main wall of the living room and we are afraid that the crack has affected the foundation because it is just beside the post.
