OT: Any construction workers/Structural engineers here ?

michaelg · Mar 26, 2023

Looking at this house for sale and I've noticed there seems to be a cracked lintel over the patio door on the right if you zoom in. The pain of glass below has a wide crack so I'm guessing the door frame must be taking some of the load. there is a converted attic space above. potentially serious problem ? Easy to fix ?

mfry2112 · Mar 26, 2023

It really depends on the age of the crack, sometime a house will settle and that happens. It’s possible the crack has been there a long time?

michaelg · Mar 26, 2023

mfry2112 said:
It really depends on the age of the crack, sometime a house will settle and that happens. It’s possible the crack has been there a long time?

Ill try to get more info from the seller and better pics during the week.

mebeatee · Mar 26, 2023

Holy crap that must have been the loudest drum room ever....
bt

cashmanbashman · Mar 27, 2023

I was a Mason and from the pictures best I can tell the stucco has cracked recently. It’s possible that the house shifted and the only problem is the stucco and not a structural one. If there is a structural problem it’s not a hard fix. They can Jack up that part of the roof just enough to cut out and repair/reinforce the problem and re stucco. Ask that the seller do this if it is flagged during the home inspection. If it isn’t flagged then stucco is cheap and easy and it’s a small area. I can’t tell you for sure looking at it from South Dakota but I wouldn’t blow up a sale over it if you like the house. Get them to fix it or come down enough so you can get it done.

michaelg · Mar 27, 2023

cashmanbashman said:
I was a Mason and from the pictures best I can tell the stucco has cracked recently. It’s possible that the house shifted and the only problem is the stucco and not a structural one. If there is a structural problem it’s not a hard fix. They can Jack up that part of the roof just enough to cut out and repair/reinforce the problem and re stucco. Ask that the seller do this if it is flagged during the home inspection. If it isn’t flagged then stucco is cheap and easy and it’s a small area. I can’t tell you for sure looking at it from South Dakota but I wouldn’t blow up a sale over it if you like the house. Get them to fix it or come down enough so you can get it done.

Thanks for your valued expert opinion and advice, very much appreciated.

Another builder friend mentioned to me that the left corner of the house looks damp so it could mean the ground is wet at the corner foundation and it may have settled a bit.
I did notice a leak from the guttering above that corner.

michaelg · Apr 1, 2023

cashmanbashman said:
I was a Mason and from the pictures best I can tell the stucco has cracked recently. It’s possible that the house shifted and the only problem is the stucco and not a structural one. If there is a structural problem it’s not a hard fix. They can Jack up that part of the roof just enough to cut out and repair/reinforce the problem and re stucco. Ask that the seller do this if it is flagged during the home inspection. If it isn’t flagged then stucco is cheap and easy and it’s a small area. I can’t tell you for sure looking at it from South Dakota but I wouldn’t blow up a sale over it if you like the house. Get them to fix it or come down enough so you can get it done.

Got some more info and pics. Apparently the crack has been like that over 10 years.