7 Signs Your Melbourne Home Needs Underpinning
The short answer
The main signs you need underpinning are stair-step cracks in brickwork wider at the top, doors and windows that suddenly stick, floors that slope toward one corner, gaps at cornices or skirtings, and external cracks wider than 5mm that keep growing.
Not every crack means your home is in trouble. But some are a clear signal that the foundation is moving and needs attention. Here are the seven signs that most often point to underpinning.
The 7 signs your home may need underpinning
Any one of these can be minor on its own. Two or more together, especially if they are getting worse, is worth an inspection.
- Stair-step or diagonal cracks in brickwork, wider at the top
- Cracks wider than a 5-cent coin that keep growing
- Doors and windows that suddenly stick or will not latch
- Floors that slope, dip or bounce toward one corner
- Gaps opening where walls meet ceilings or skirtings
- External corners of the house pulling apart
- Cracks that reopen soon after being patched
How to tell a serious crack from a harmless one
Fine hairline cracks in plaster are common and usually cosmetic. The cracks that matter are wider at one end, run diagonally, pass through brick rather than just the mortar, and keep growing over weeks and months. A crack you can fit a coin into, or one that lets daylight through, deserves a professional look. Read the full guide to cracks in walls when to worry.
What causes these signs in Melbourne homes
In Melbourne, the usual cause is soil movement, and specifically reactive clay soil melbourne that shrinks in dry weather and swells when wet. Leaking drains, thirsty trees and poor drainage all concentrate the movement under one part of the house. If your home is on stumps rather than footings, the same symptoms often point to restumping melbourne instead.
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