Short answer: A structural engineer. An engineer can inspect cracks in walls and tell you whether they are structural, what is causing them (subsidence, a sagging lintel, roof spread, an alteration, or simple shrinkage) and whether they need repair, monitoring or nothing at all. A RICS surveyor can spot and record cracks and will usually refer significant ones to an engineer. A builder can repair cracks but is not the right person to diagnose them. If you are making a subsidence claim, your insurer's loss adjuster arranges the investigation.
Who does what
| Who | What they can do | When to use them |
|---|---|---|
| Structural engineer | Diagnoses the cause and seriousness of cracking, and recommends repair, monitoring or further investigation | Any crack you are worried about; before buying; when a surveyor, lender or insurer asks |
| RICS surveyor | Records cracks as part of a condition survey and flags concerns | Buying a home; general condition |
| Builder | Repairs and repoints cracks once the cause is known | After the cause has been diagnosed |
| Insurer's loss adjuster | Manages a subsidence claim and arranges investigations | When you claim on your buildings insurance |
What a crack inspection report should include
- A short description of the property and how it is built.
- Where each significant crack is, its pattern (vertical, diagonal, stepped or tapered) and its approximate width, with photographs.
- A damage category, usually based on BRE Digest 251, so the severity is described in standard terms.
- The likely cause, and the evidence for it: the crack pattern, levels, nearby trees, the soil type and the drains.
- Whether the movement looks historic or ongoing.
- Clear recommendations: repair, monitoring, further investigation such as a drain survey or trial holes, or nothing to do.
- What was not inspected, and the limits of a visual inspection.
A report that only describes the cracks, without a likely cause and a recommendation, leaves you where you started.
What happens on the visit
The engineer looks at the cracks inside and out, photographs and measures them, checks whether doors, windows, floors and walls are level and plumb, and looks at nearby trees and drains. With us, trees are assessed against NHBC guidance and the soil type is checked against British Geological Survey records. The inspection is visual and non-intrusive: nothing is opened up.
How to prepare
- Note when you first noticed the crack and whether it has changed. Dated photos with a ruler beside the crack are ideal.
- Say whether it has been filled before and come back.
- Have any previous structural reports, insurance claims, underpinning or building work to hand.
- Mention large trees or known drain problems nearby.
Crack inspections at Laytoe Structures
For one crack or one problem area, our Specific Structural Inspection starts from £420*. For several cracks, or cracks in different parts of the house, our General Structural Inspection starts from £590* for a standard mid-terrace house. Inspections are carried out by our qualified structural engineers across Greater London, on weekdays and at weekends, and reports usually arrive within 5 working days. For the warning signs, see cracks in walls: when should you call a structural engineer?
* Prices are a guide only and VAT may be added.
Common questions
Can a structural engineer tell from a photo whether a crack is serious?
Not reliably. A crack's cause depends on its pattern, the building and what is around it, which needs a visit. A photo with a ruler next to the crack does help an engineer recommend the right inspection.
Can a builder tell me if a crack is structural?
A builder can repair cracks, but diagnosing the cause is a structural engineer's job. Filling a crack without knowing why it formed can hide the evidence, and the crack often comes back.
Should I fill a crack before it is inspected?
No. Leave it until it has been inspected or monitored. If you may claim on your insurance, do not repair anything until your insurer has seen it.
What should a crack inspection report include?
The location, pattern and width of each significant crack with photographs, a damage category, the likely cause and the evidence for it, whether movement looks historic or ongoing, clear recommendations, and what was not inspected.