An engineer's assessment of cracking — what caused it, whether it is progressing, how severe it is against recognised damage categories, and the proportionate fix.
Most cracks in walls are harmless — plaster shrinkage, seasonal movement, a house doing what old houses do. A minority are the first visible sign of something structural. The problem is that owners can't reliably tell the difference, and neither can builders quoting for repairs. A structural crack assessment settles it: an engineer inspects, explains the cause, and grades the damage against the recognised categories used across the industry.
What the assessment tells you
- Cause — shrinkage, thermal movement, lintel failure, wall-tie corrosion, overloaded structure, drainage or tree-related ground movement.
- Severity — graded against the standard damage categories (hairline to severe), which is the language insurers, lenders and other engineers all speak.
- Progression — whether the cracking is historic and stable or active, with monitoring recommended only where genuinely needed.
- The fix — a proportionate repair specification: often repointing or resin repair and redecoration; occasionally lintel replacement or tie repair; rarely anything dramatic.
When to get cracks assessed
Before you sell (a graded engineer's report defuses the buyer's survey), before you buy (it converts “cracking noted” into a price), when cracks reappear after redecoration, when doors and windows start sticking alongside new cracking, and whenever a builder proposes structural repairs from a visual glance — second opinions are cheaper than unnecessary underpinning. Diagonal cracking stepping through brickwork joints, cracks wider at the top than bottom, or cracking paired with sloping floors justify a prompt look.
Fees and timescales
Fixed-fee inspection and written report, typically within 5–7 working days — faster during a transaction. If wider movement is suspected, the assessment rolls into a full subsidence investigation with credit for the initial visit.
Frequently asked questions
When should I worry about cracks in my walls?
Take notice when cracks are wider than about 5mm, diagonal and stepping through brickwork joints, wider at one end, reappearing after redecoration, or accompanied by sticking doors and sloping floors. Hairline and shrinkage cracks — the majority — are cosmetic. The grading exists precisely because width and pattern, not the existence of a crack, determine significance.
What are the crack damage categories?
The industry grades visible damage from category 0 (hairline, negligible) through fine and easily filled cracking, up to category 5 (severe structural damage requiring major repair). Insurers, lenders and engineers all use this shared scale, which is why a graded assessment carries weight in a sale or claim where "there's a crack" causes panic.
How much does a crack assessment cost?
It is a fixed-fee inspection and written report, quoted before you instruct — send photographs of the cracks and the property type and you will have a price quickly. Set against the alternatives — a collapsed sale, an unnecessary underpinning quote, or repairs that treat the symptom and not the cause — it is usually the cheapest step in the whole story.