Hello everyone,
I bought a house built in 1959.
When we removed the screed from the ceiling slab between the ground floor and the first floor, a crack became visible.
It runs almost exactly along the wall below.
Is it possible to make any judgment about whether this is dangerous or not at this stage?
Best regards,
Robin
I bought a house built in 1959.
When we removed the screed from the ceiling slab between the ground floor and the first floor, a crack became visible.
It runs almost exactly along the wall below.
Is it possible to make any judgment about whether this is dangerous or not at this stage?
Best regards,
Robin
Robin82 schrieb:
Just beside the crack is an 11.5cm (4.5 inch) wall.
I assume it’s a tension crack caused by the pressure from the wall below when the ceiling on the left and right sides settles slightly. Just nearby ... that would worry me. Given the building’s age and no reinforcement plans, I would find that risky. Consider possible consequences and follow-up costs...
If I were you, I would continue looking for a structural engineer or building expert. What about documentation? Is there nothing left?
Maybe it’s possible to roughly locate reinforcement using a cable and pipe detector?
Is a supporting beam or additional load-bearing wall (next to the other one) under the crack feasible with reasonable effort and acceptable visually/spatially?
TmMike_2 schrieb:
The fact is, the crack runs continuously over several meters.
That in itself should not be ignored!
After all, nobody wants the ceiling to collapse on their head.
It must be checked if there is a steel beam or a load-bearing wall at least 17.5cm (7 inches) below the crack.
You should probably have an expert inspect it on site.
The cost of about one hundred (0.5 hours work + travel) would be worth it to me.
Nevertheless, this looks to me like typical settlement at the outer wings of the house.
So there must be a wall underneath.
After 70 years, that is quite normal. I would expect at least €250 ++ for an hour of inspection plus travel.
i_b_n_a_n schrieb:
Just slightly off... that would make me concerned. Considering the construction year and the lack of reinforcement plans, I’d find that too risky. Think about possible consequences and follow-up costs...
If I were you, I’d keep looking for a structural engineer or building surveyor. What about documents? Nothing left?
Maybe it’s possible to roughly locate the reinforcement with a cable locator device?
Can a beam or an additional load-bearing wall (next to the other one) be added under the crack with reasonable effort and without negatively affecting the appearance or space?
I’d estimate at least 250 € ++ for an hour of inspection plus travel costs. There is definitely reinforcement inside, but unfortunately no plans are available anymore. My approach would now be to drill diagonally from the side where the wall is into the concrete ceiling and insert several 12mm (0.47 inch) rebar rods, bonding them with a two-component resin for peace of mind.