15/09/2026
🏠 Spotted a crack in a property? What is it actually telling you?
Cracks are incredibly common in homes, and they don’t all mean there is a serious structural problem. Buildings naturally move over time, but the position, direction, width and pattern of a crack can provide important clues about what may be happening.
So, what can cause them? 🔎
Cracking can result from something relatively simple, such as plaster shrinkage or materials expanding and contracting. But it can also be linked to settlement, subsidence, heave, inadequate lintels, alterations to load-bearing walls, roof movement, drainage problems or movement within the foundations.
🌳 Even the surroundings can play a part. Local geology, soil type, periods of wet or dry weather, leaking drains and nearby trees can influence ground conditions. On shrinkable clay soils, for example, trees can draw moisture from the ground, potentially contributing to foundation movement.
📏 And the little card in our photo?
It’s a crack width ruler. It allows our surveyors to accurately measure and record cracking rather than simply describing it as small or large.
But width is only part of the story. A surveyor also considers the crack’s direction and location, whether it appears elsewhere and other signs of movement around the property. Sometimes monitoring over time or further specialist investigation may be recommended.
🔨 Can cracks be repaired? Often, yes. Some may only need local repair and redecoration, while others can require work to masonry, lintels, drainage or structural elements. The important part is understanding the cause before simply covering up the crack.
This photograph was taken during a RICS Level 3 Building Survey near Henley-on-Thames, where cracking formed part of a much wider assessment of the property.
That’s why a trusted surveyor is so important. We’re not just measuring the crack. We’re looking at the whole building and asking why it’s there. 🏡
