A crack has appeared on the wall of my new extension. What should I do next?

Has your dream come true recently by having your kitchen extended? Or has your budget allowed you to widen the side and top of your property by building a single or double storey extension to the side and/or back?
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If you have answered yes to either of these questions, a year or so down the line you might be asking why cracks have started to appear on the outside wall/s of the new extension.

If this crack appears like a thin line it is most likely to be a hairline crack. This can occur for various reasons. One answer is that, sometimes, if the plaster is no longer making contact with the wall the plaster could have blown. This can be confirmed by tapping on the plaster and hearing a hollow sound.

The image on the left shows a hairline crack on a newly built kitchen extension. The image on the right reveals the depth of the damage underneath the render.

One reason why your plaster may have blown is due to salt being present in the walls. If there has been a previous problem with damp, the salt from the moisture can work its way to the surface as the moisture starts to dissolve. To ensure that future plaster sticks to the walls properly, a special salt treatment can be applied to ensure that this problem does not reoccur.
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New builds and new extensions often get cracks due to settlement. This is literally a period needed by the property to ‘settle down’. Cracks can appear between the ceiling and wall or around doors and windows. All very annoying when you’ve just spent a fortune and your new home doesn’t look very new anymore. 

So, what’s the answer? Let your property settle for a couple of years and then get in touch with the team at GK Rend. We will plaster your cracks and make your extension look like brand new again. If you can’t wait and would like advice now - call 07812 343 766.