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shejaybo · Feb 19, 2010, 09:21 AM

This house is 2 years old, I am the first tenant and have lived here 8 months. The house is timber built and all interior walls are plaster board.
Since moving in I have had many problems, which they call "house settling". Lots of popping, doors not closing, framework moving, walls cracking and the list goes on.
What I now find rather concerning is that all the joints of these plaster board walls are showing through, I can count the exact number of boards in my house. Also in the stairway, I can now see where the kitchen ceailing starts and the bedroom floor (which is abouve the kitchen) starts. These lines were not there before and are more visible each day. I wake up to find bits of plaster here and there in my home, only to find cracks and more popping marks.
Is it normal to be able to see all the plaster board joints and other lines, like the ceiling of the bedroom and the kitchen?
I would really appreciate any help, tips, advice, Thanks Shejaybo.

arby808 · Feb 19, 2010, 04:02 PM

No sounds like you have more than plaster problems any pics?

shejaybo · Feb 19, 2010, 05:28 PM

Thank you arby808.
I will take some pics and pm them to you, if that is possible! Will later today! I appreciate you taking the time to message me! Many thanks, Shejaybo.

KISS · Feb 19, 2010, 06:23 PM

After you're a member for about 24 hrs, I believe you can post pics directly using Go advanced/Manage attachments.

shejaybo · Feb 24, 2010, 02:34 AM

Hi, I have tried to get some decent photos of the plaster board walls for you. However, because the walls are white, the reflection into the lens, does not make for good photo's, but I hope you can see what I mean!
The lines are very visible to the naked eye!
I would be grateful for any input, ideas etc, since I am being told that this is normal!
Many thanks, Shejaybo :)

KISS · Feb 24, 2010, 02:51 AM

Take he photo's with a piece of paper in front of the flash, not the lens, to diffuse the light.

shejaybo · Feb 24, 2010, 02:56 AM

Oke, thanks for that tip KeepItSimpleStupid!

KISS · Feb 24, 2010, 02:58 AM

I don't think it should happen. I'm wondering if a structural engineer should be consulted to evaluate the soil and the foundation.

I've lived in a house for nearly 50 years and there has been one small crack near a door frame that I repaired just last year and one ceiling crack. Everything else has been drywall nails showing through.

shejaybo · Feb 24, 2010, 03:43 AM

Yes, I am concerned myself, since outside the popping that I have on the ceilings, these lines in the butjoints of the plaster board, are getting worse. Most of it seems to be around the centre of the house and the stairs have the most cracks and as I said, the but joints there apeeared last week, so I can now see where the kitchen ceiling is and where the bedroom floor is, on the walls as I walk upstairs? Also tomorrow someone is coming to re-align my glas sliding doors.
I have reported all the defects to my housing association, they keep saying, "its a new house and it is settling". The whole street has 6 houses and we all have the same problem and receive the same answer. Yes, I have pushed for an inspection, still waiting for an appointment!
Thanks for your comments, Shejaybo.

KISS · Feb 24, 2010, 03:51 AM

The footings for the columns holding up the center of the house may not be sound. Some builders illegally dispose of debris which create sinkholes and methane

shejaybo · Feb 24, 2010, 04:39 AM

Well, I would hope that that is not the cause! But one never knows and I would certainly not know anything about such things. If that was suspected, could you tell me what kind of inspection/test would take place to see if that's the problem?
I have a feeling that I will be fobbed off, because of my total lack of knowledge on the subject of building and things.

I did try to take more photo's, but they are not any better, perhaps its my camera. Shame, because I can seee the lines and but joint very clearly. Also the marks through the plaster, actually looks like they have used their fingers for trowels?
Thanks Shejaybo

KISS · Feb 24, 2010, 11:58 AM

This link seems fairly comprehensive. Foundation cracking, foundation bowing, foundation settlement, foundation leaning, foundation movement: how to diagnose the cause and how to repair foundation cracks, foundation leaning, foundation settlement - How to Inspect Foundations for Structur

Look at the center beam in your house and see how straight it is. Put a level on it if you can. I'm still suspecting the column footings under the center beam. Look for any hairline cracks in the basement cinderblock walls.

shejaybo · Feb 24, 2010, 06:06 PM

Thank you very much! I will read up on the info you have given!
Not sure how to look for the centre beam? I am a older lady and have no idea. But I will make a start on reading and take it from there! I really appreciate your comments, ideas and tips!
By the way, this afternoon I did a visit from an inspector from the housing association. He deals with plasterboard etc. He said on first glance, what I keep hearing and what I expected he would say, "its the house settling and that it could go on for many years". After having a longer look round, he commented that some of my doors were bulging and the door frames were actually moving away from the walls?
That the finish to the house was not very good. That the very visible butt joints in the plasterboard were very common and normal? The cracks in the wall, especially in the stairway, were also normal?
I suggested that, since all the defects were in the middle of the house, could there be something wrong there, with the foundation. He didn't know?
He just seemed to keep saying all normal with a new house and it could take years for it to settle. I have told him that I rather think there is more to it than that which the housing asssociation keeps saying, that I am very suspicious of the cause of all the defects and require a building inspection via a qualified person.
I have heard this afternoon, after his visit, that the housing association has asked the company who built these houses, to attend a defect inspection next week.
So with this in mind, I will do my reading and await their results of the inspection.
Many thanks for your help and I will most certainly keep you posted on the outcome! Thanks Shejaybo.

KISS · Feb 24, 2010, 06:18 PM

I don't know if you have a basement or not or if any of the basement is unfinished. For the moment, I'll assume that some is unfinished. I'll also assume a cinderblock wall. This is very common.

The joists are generally not long enough to span the smaller dimension of the house so a beam is placed in the middle. This beam is supported by a cinderblock column in the middle of the smaller dimension and there may be two or three metal columns holding up a steel "I" shaped beam that bisects the smaller dimension.

Large boards (2 x 10's) or so span half the distance resting on the "I" beam in the center of the smaller distance.

If these columns are sinking then each of the joists that span 1/2 the smaller dimension would be tilted toward the center of the house. The tilt may be visible with the naked eye or it may require a level to check.

If the foundation were bad, then you should see hairline cracks in the cinderblock walls of the basement. The walls that would likely be affected in your case are the longer walls of the house.

Bowing of the walls is another possibility.

arby808 · Feb 27, 2010, 05:04 PM

The last picture looks like you have some major settleing if this is not your house call the landlord I am a home Inpsector and I have a drywall co you need to contact a structural engineer but joint should not push oput like that

shejaybo · Feb 28, 2010, 06:32 AM

Thanks Arby808 and KeepItSimpleStupid, all the help and advice is very appreciated!
I have an appointment with the company who built these houses and the landlord. Like I said, up to now all they keep saying is, normal problems of a house that is settling. That I should not paint the walls, but use the thickest lining paper first, then paint the walls. That this should cover up any defects? However, I rather think that that is a cover up initself from them! I have no intention of doing any wall papering, I would have thought the walls should be paintable, which is my preferance. That there would be the odd defect to attend to, such as popping, OK! However, the state of these walls would need a large amount of attention, which I am unable to do.
I will keep you all posted on the results of the Inspection that is taking place.
I really would appreciate, if you could point me out some Questions, that I could put to the building inspector of the Company that built this house, concerning the state of the drywalls. I need to show that I am not going to be fobbed off!

Thanks very much, Hope the weekend has been a good one for all, Shejaybo.

shejaybo · Mar 2, 2010, 10:30 AM

I could not close my sliding door properly and when I opened them the one door was just about hanging on at the top. Which I thought was not only a nuisance but outright dangerous. I had reported the repair many times and each time someone came to look, they couldn't find anything specific. Even though it was obvious to the naked eye, that the door when opened, was coming away at the top of the rail used to keep it in place etc.
After many months of going back and forward between repairs, finally some one listened to me and actually took the time to investigate the problem with my sliding doors.
The repair was carried out by removing the lintel to expose the bottom of the sliding door frame and floor below. There was a gap and the sliding doors had no support at all in the middle. Below that gap iis the area leading to the foundations. The workman carried out the repair by shuving plastic in the gap and then Foam, replaced the lintel and resealed around it.
Could someone look at the photos and tell me if this is normal, the way this frame has been done in the first place and the way the repair has been done? I would be very gratefull for any comments.
Thank you Shejaybo.