ᐅ New Construction Settlement Cracks in a Masonry Basement: What Is Still Considered "Normal"?

Hello dear forum members, about six months ago we finally fulfilled our lifelong dream and bought an almost new architect-designed house (built in 2019 using solid construction). During the inspection, we already noticed settlement cracks in the basement. According to the seller at that time, he had this checked by a structural engineer and was told it was harmless. Unfortunately, contact with the seller has now been lost, and we cannot communicate with him on this matter anymore (according to his statement, divorce stress, and he no longer wants to deal with the issue). We know we should have been more critical back then, but unfortunately, that doesn’t help us now.

After about half a year, however, we have the impression that the cracks are becoming somewhat wider and longer. The crack width is currently between approximately 0.1 and 0.7 mm (0.004 and 0.03 inches). The cracks almost always run vertically and extend up to about three quarters of the wall height. This is especially noticeable around the window reveals (where the load distribution is already uneven due to the geometry) and the partition walls to the other basement rooms.

Now we are wondering whether this is still within a normal range. The house is only four years old, and the soil is clay. According to the building plans we still have, a strip footing with a somewhat thinner slab was constructed. Unfortunately, it is not clear whether there was a gravel layer or something similar. According to the seller’s information at the time, the walls themselves were made from concrete blocks filled with concrete and reinforced with steel.

So far, I have not been able to reach the architect. We still have time to file a complaint and submit a defect notice, as we are still within the five-year period. The question is, who is ultimately responsible if this is a defect? The architect? The basement or structural builder? Unfortunately, we do not know. Perhaps someone in this forum has had similar experiences or can provide valuable advice. It might also be that this is not a cause for concern.

Best regards, Claus

At first glance, it looks okay, so it’s more of a cosmetic defect. However, since you are still within the warranty period, I would still have the contractor come out. Maybe they will offer some kind of compensation.

It was the same for us. After 3 years it was over. Then it was filled and painted. Tip top.

Great how you can identify so much from these photo snippets, without a floor plan, without knowing which walls are load-bearing, and so on.
In our case, the site engineer from the main contractor was already called in because of a 0.3mm (0.01 inch) crack in a non-load-bearing wall on the upper floor, as he said he couldn’t assess the situation from a few pictures taken remotely.

Get a professional to inspect the site in person; anything else is just guessing.

Why would someone sell an architect-designed house after such a short time? There could be several reasons, but this is not the usual case.

I would immediately suspect that something is wrong. Of course, it could be due to family reasons. Certainly.

If I were in your position, I would first examine the cracks myself. Remove the wallpaper and apply plaster gauges. Then monitor them over a few weeks. Place the plaster gauges over even the smallest cracks.

If in doubt, remove the render and inspect the masonry. Possibly also check the floor and the connection to the wall. If the foundation is settling, this needs to be observed, but in that case, I would also expect cracks in the slab.

However, you don’t need to worry. Cracks, especially below the windows, often occur. Structurally, they are usually harmless.

So, as I said, remove the wallpaper and apply plaster gauges first. If these also crack, which they often do with slight movements, then your house is still shifting. I’m not sure about the exact tolerance limits for such cracks, but I believe there are specific measurements for that.

Claus001 schrieb:

After about half a year, we now have the impression that some of the cracks are becoming slightly wider and longer. The crack width currently ranges from approximately 0.1 to about 0.7 millimeters (0.004 to 0.03 inches).

For documentation, a scale should be placed next to the cracks. It should also be clear in which areas the cracks appear, in case you need to assert your rights later on. Additionally, it is important to document whether or how the cracks are changing over time.

Was there a soil survey conducted at the time?