I was looking at a Victorian terraced house which is for sale, and in
the 2-storey extension, the extension being about 50+ years old, there
are a number of external cracks visible.  A couple around a window, and
also on other parts of the upper external wall.  The extension is
rendered over.

I was wondering who would be the best person to tell me something about
these.  To tell me if they are just cracks on the rendering, or they
are more serious.

Should I be enquiring with a surveyor (what type?), or a builder?

"Mike"  wrote in message
news:1120433021.771228.65920@f14g2000cwb.googlegroups.com...

> I was looking at a Victorian terraced house which is for sale, and in
> the 2-storey extension, the extension being about 50+ years old, there
> are a number of external cracks visible.  A couple around a window, and
> also on other parts of the upper external wall.  The extension is
> rendered over.
>
> I was wondering who would be the best person to tell me something about
> these.  To tell me if they are just cracks on the rendering, or they
> are more serious.
>
> Should I be enquiring with a surveyor (what type?), or a builder?
>

Or even a structural engineer.  Did the internal walls also have the
appearance of being filled over the positions of the cracking?  Are the
lintels and sills on the windows still sound and firm?  Is the cracking
mostly where the extension meets the main building?  This is common on older
properties.

Thanks!

No, I didn't notice any cracking on the internal walls.

No the cracks aren't where the extension meets the main building.
They're more around the middle of the extension.  About half way up the
two storey extension, and half way across.

"Mike"  wrote in message
news:1120475029.770990.321280@g44g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...

> Thanks!
>
> No, I didn't notice any cracking on the internal walls.
>
> No the cracks aren't where the extension meets the main building.
> They're more around the middle of the extension.  About half way up the
> two storey extension, and half way across.
>

If there are no signs of the cracking having penetrated through to the
internal skin, then it may just be slight settlement of the old extension,
and hence nothing major to worry about.  But it is necessary to get a full
building survey done before a purchase anyway, so ask the surveyor to make
sure they check the whole plot fully.