Crack below Purlin

[Antno_23]

Hi there,

I'm selling a house and the buyers building survey has highlighted a crack in the brick work below the purlin. They now want to come back to measure the roof space to pass this information on to a structural engineer. Was hoping someone could let me know their opinions on how worried I should be!

 

[BuildingMad]

SE likely to make recommendations just to cover themselves, if no particular problem is evident, unfortunately for you, but will get to see a bigger picture than we can see.
What happened to inner skin.
Next doors re roofing may have upset the masonry, especially if extra loading.

 

[Antno_23]

SE likely to make recommendations just to cover themselves, if no particular problem is evident, unfortunately for you, but will get to see a bigger picture than we can see.
What happened to inner skin.
Next doors re roofing may have upset the masonry, especially if extra loading.

Thanks! Next door has had a re roof but it was at the earliest five years ago, as its not been done whilst we've been here. Interesting I'll have to wait and see I suppose

 

[Chris Holbrook]

It looks like one for the structural engineers to me. Pretty **** coursework by the builders! I have seen worse faults corrected by steel strapping... or they might just say measure and inspect every year or two.

Out of interest, and hopefully unrelated, what is that corrugated sheet coming in from the neighbours side? Some sort of underlayment to their tiles?

 

[BuildingMad]

That's a tell tale sign that a different size of tiles were used for next doors retiling & a roof gutter was needed.
Sacrilege.

 

[Chris Holbrook]

Thanks BuildingMad!

 

[Antno_23]

It looks like one for the structural engineers to me. Pretty **** coursework by the builders! I have seen worse faults corrected by steel strapping... or they might just say measure and inspect every year or two.

Out of interest, and hopefully unrelated, what is that corrugated sheet coming in from the neighbours side? Some sort of underlayment to their tiles?

Thanks Chris, my thoughts were it was more likely poor brick work rather than being caused by the purlin, the crack is not emanating from the point of contact...

Steel strapping assuming that won't be an expensive fix?

 

[BuildingMad]

You have another skin of blockwork on your side that looks in good nick.
If necessary a 4" x 2" timber plate can be bedded on it & then further timber packing up under the purlin.
Put something in place loose & ask the SE if it is acceptable.

 

[Antno_23]

You have another skin of blockwork on your side that looks in good nick.
If necessary a 4" x 2" timber plate can be bedded on it & then further timber packing up under the purlin.
Put something in place loose & ask the SE if it is acceptable.

Thanks BuildingMad the issue is the SE is working for the buyer so we are yet to receive any report just yet, I'm trying to understand what the building surveyor has identified and if it could result in a significant reduction in price of the buyer, or worse a pull out!

 

[qwas123]

OP,
Its a nothing.
The cavity wall on your side stops below the purlin but the neighbour's side of the cavity wall carries on up as the loft party wall.
The purlin crosses the cavity, & appears to enter & bear in the loft party wall or it might even continue through into the neighbour's loft - shadow makes it hard to tell?
You could support/pack up the purlin on your side by raising a little brickwork below the purlin.

More significant is the fact that the cavity has been left open - thats a smoke & fire risk - some BCO's would make you retro-close the cavity.
Regs require new work to have closed cavities.

 

[Antno_23]

OP,
Its a nothing.
The cavity wall on your side stops below the purlin but the neighbour's side of the cavity wall carries on up as the loft party wall.
The purlin crosses the cavity, & appears to enter & bear in the loft party wall or it might even continue through into the neighbour's loft - shadow makes it hard to tell?
You could support/pack up the purlin on your side by raising a little brickwork below the purlin.

More significant is the fact that the cavity has been left open - thats a smoke & fire risk - some BCO's would make you retro-close the cavity.
Regs require new work to have closed cavities.

Qwas123 thanks for your input, the more I look it up and read about it the more it seems minor, especially with no visible cracking below that brick and the other bricks in vicinity being in good condition too. Worrying over the exposed cavity wall though let's hope they don't bring that issue up!