Builder License No:
512166802
512166802
You’ve had an offer accepted, subject to finance and a building and pest inspection. The report comes back with a long list of minor items you’re not worried about, and one structural major defect and safety hazard that you are.
That was the situation for one Reddit user, who shared photos of their report. They showed a rendered brick fence pulling away from the house and deeper cracking around a corner of the house wall.
Andy from Swell Building Inspections looked at the photos with host Jordan in our Pro Insights series.
Here’s the short answer: it depends on the crack. A brick fence pulling away from the house is usually a foundation problem with the fence and is a safety hazard, but it can be cheap to fix. Significant cracking in the house wall itself needs a structural engineer. If underpinning is needed, it can cost anywhere from about $7,000 to well over $100,000 once repairs are included.
Andy separates the photos into two issues.
The rendered brick fence appears to be moving away from the house. That’s most likely because its foundations weren’t adequate to begin with.
The fence isn’t part of the house’s structure, but Andy still treats it as a major safety hazard. Brick fences and walls have collapsed onto people, and the results can be very serious.
The cracks further down are on the actual wall of the house. The inspector rated the cracks against a crack-width scale and decided some were large enough to need a structural engineer.
Andy agrees. “This is exactly the sort of thing that we come across all the time,” he says. Cracking at that level needs an external structural expert to diagnose the cause and specify a fix.
If the fence is only a couple of metres long, as it appears to be in the photos, you have two main options:
Indicative cost: around $1,500 to replace a short section with Colorbond.
If it’s a boundary fence shared with a neighbour, there are extra considerations to sort out first.
If the house’s footings are moving, the usual fix is underpinning. Andy explains the two main methods.
Concrete piers are dug in under the existing footings. This can either hold the foundation where it is, so it doesn’t move any further, or lift the house back into position.
Indicative cost: around $20,000 to $25,000 or more to underpin one corner of a house.
An expanding product is injected under the footing, which can lift and stabilise the house. Several mainland companies now come to Tasmania regularly to do this work, and many offer a warranty.
Indicative cost: around $7,000 to $10,000 for a similar corner. It can be roughly half the price of traditional underpinning, because it’s less invasive and needs much less time on site.
Cracking linked to foundation movement is common in parts of Tasmania too, with pockets of reactive clay soil around Hobart and Launceston.
Swell’s reports set out options like these so buyers can investigate which approach suits them.
Many underpinning contractors have engineers on staff or work closely with one, so engaging them as a package can be more cost-effective. But if the movement has damaged a lot of the inside of the house, Andy suggests hiring an independent structural engineer and a separate builder.
The worst Andy has seen was a hillside house where about two-thirds of the home was subsiding badly, in different sections and different directions.
In the past 12 months, Swell has reported on properties with over $100,000 in foundation-related defects:
That second figure surprises many people. When a house is lifted back into position, it can crack wall linings, waterproofing, tiles and other finishes, and all of that needs fixing too.
There is some good news. Andy recalls a client whose inspection uncovered about $100,000 worth of structural issues. The buyer took the report to the vendor and bought the house $100,000 cheaper.
The buyer then has to decide whether to take the risk that repairs will come in at that figure and no higher. But it shows what a thorough inspection can be worth.
Not always. Hairline cracks are often cosmetic. Wider cracks, cracks that keep growing, or cracks with doors and windows that stick can point to foundation movement. When an inspector rates cracking as significant, get a structural engineer’s assessment.
Traditional underpinning of one corner can cost $20,000 to $25,000 or more. Resin injection underpinning can be around $7,000 to $10,000 for similar work. Major whole-of-house cases can exceed $100,000 once repairs to finishes are included.
Yes. Brick fences with poor foundations can collapse. Even though a fence isn’t part of the house, treat it as a safety hazard.
Yes. A documented report with cost estimates gives you a strong basis for negotiation, and in some cases for withdrawing from the contract. Check your contract conditions with your conveyancer.
Not every crack is a structural problem, but the ones that are can be expensive. The aim is to know which kind you’re dealing with before you’re committed. Andy understands why cracking happens, not just where it is, and Swell’s reports set out your repair options and estimated costs so you can decide with your eyes open.
Andy is a licensed builder with over 15 years of hands-on experience. Every Swell inspection comes with a plain-English report, usually within 24 hours, and a follow-up call to walk you through the findings.
Ready to book? Book your pre-purchase inspection or call 0483 935 688.
