Reading the cracks in Castle Hill brick veneer
Width, direction and location tell you more than the crack itself.
In short: Brick veneer cracking between 1 and 5 mm turned up on a Castle Hill pre-purchase inspection. Here is how we judge whether a crack matters.
Cracks are common, not all equal
Most older brick homes have some cracking. The report records width, length, direction and where the crack sits, because those details separate routine movement from something worth an engineer's look.
The 1 to 5 mm band
On one Castle Hill house we recorded veneer cracking in that range, wide enough for water to get into the cavity and reach the frame. That is a defect to repair, and a moisture path for termites to exploit.
Window corners and missing joints
Cracks running from the corners of windows often trace back to the absence of articulation joints. Brick panels that are too long have nowhere to relieve movement, so they crack at the weakest point.
The clay underneath
Castle Hill's shale derived clays move with moisture. Leaking downpipes and soil graded toward the walls make that movement worse along one side of the house.
When to call an engineer
Cracks that are wide, stepped through several courses, growing, or paired with doors that bind inside the house are worth a structural engineer's assessment before you exchange.
Written by our local inspection team from work carried out in Castle Hill. Licensed building practitioners, NSW Fair Trading licence 366177C.
