Structural Engineer Required in Lahore House is Cracking Up

[husnain5]

AOA, Its have been 1.5 years We build our new house in Lahore,We used the best Materials e.g Maplle Cement,Steel Quantity,Bricks,Sanitary Pipes and Wiring were used of top quality with Qualified and Experienced Technician and well known and Experienced Masonry Contractor was hired,Every thing was fine for 1 Year and all of sudden some Vertical cracks on boundary Wall appeared,Then it came to walls of house they are slight cracks less than 0.5mm or even more smaller but they are too many.

One important thing I would like to mention is All Cracks are on Exterior Walls theirs not even a Single crack in Interior Other than a Crack on Stairs Lobby.

People are Proving to be confusing Us,Some say these are settlement crack mostly occur in new houses,few say its the contractor he hasn't used right proportion of cement,few says these are in Paint(which seems to quite irrelevant),It becoming like "Jitnay Moun Itni Baatein).

So Please Advice me regarding a good Structural Engineer,Thanks in Advance.

[Salman922]

I am not an engineer but sharing what I noticed in my home as well.

It's usually the paint that cracks up and as u mentioned that it's on the exterior walls it could be due to Sun. This was pointed out by my painter that exterior walls paint (specifically water/oil matt) normally cracks due to direct sunlight and in my case he was right as where distumber was applied didn't crack like water/oil matt.

Btw post pics, it'll help the experts resolving your issue.

Sent from my VS985 4G using Tapatalk

[husnain5]

I am not an engineer but sharing what I noticed in my home as well.

It's usually the paint that cracks up and as u mentioned that it's on the exterior walls it could be due to Sun. This was pointed out by my painter that exterior walls paint (specifically water/oil matt) normally cracks due to direct sunlight and in my case he was right as where distumber was applied didn't crack like water/oil matt.

Btw post pics, it'll help the experts resolving your issue.

Sent from my VS985 4G using Tapatalk

This thing might Work in some cases but in our house Cracks are like lining,when paint gets cracked It leaves out the certain place not moving like lines through out the whole walls.Currently I am in Sialkot I will for sure post the pics.

One more thing we had Applied ICI Weather shield on exterior as we all know that weather shield can resist to harsh and normal weather conditions.

Thanks.

[husnain5]

Refresh Help any one.

[Sdogar]

Post some pictures, also take pictures by removing top plaster so that bricks below are seen. Pictures should be taken from far and near as well.I am a civil engineer so can guide you.

[s15]

@zia1288 is also a civil engineer in Lahore, he might be able to help in assessment.

But photos of cracks from both sides of walls (inside and outside) are required for assessment.

I guess, these are just plaster cracks. If its a settlement crack or brick damage, it's noticeably wider and occurs on both side of walls.

But it's still better to clarify.

[zia1288]

AOA, Its have been 1.5 years We build our new house in Lahore,We used the best Materials e.g Maplle Cement,Steel Quantity,Bricks,Sanitary Pipes and Wiring were used of top quality with Qualified and Experienced Technician and well known and Experienced Masonry Contractor was hired,Every thing was fine for 1 Year and all of sudden some Vertical cracks on boundary Wall appeared,Then it came to walls of house they are slight cracks less than 0.5mm or even more smaller but they are too many.

One important thing I would like to mention is All Cracks are on Exterior Walls theirs not even a Single crack in Interior Other than a Crack on Stairs Lobby.

People are Proving to be confusing Us,Some say these are settlement crack mostly occur in new houses,few say its the contractor he hasn't used right proportion of cement,few says these are in Paint(which seems to quite irrelevant),It becoming like "Jitnay Moun Itni Baatein).

So Please Advice me regarding a good Structural Engineer,Thanks in Advance.

Please post picture as also mentioned above. It'll help in determining the problem. First of all we have to determine the real problem only then solution can be suggested. What is the location of house? I mean which society.

[zia1288]

I'll provide you with structural engineer too if required. But my initial guess is that he'll not be needed.

[husnain5]

@Sdogar Thank you for your reply,Currently i am in Sialkot,for sure will post pictures with in 1-2days,Do Plaster cracks occure if "Trayare" is not done properly?

[husnain5]

@s15 and @zia1288 thank you for your reply.

House is situated in Valencia Housing Society in Lahore,I will Start from the Foundation which starts from 3ft depth and 27" in Width,House is standing on 13" walls (Ground Floor,1st floor walls are 9"),The Soil beneath is quit hard we noticed it when we were digging for foundation,In my Personal View Foundation Problem have less chances to occur.

There were 3-watti(Mixing of Plaster) done before applying it,Are there any chances that cracks come up on plastered wall if "Taraye" is done properly?

for sure post pictures with in 1-2 days.

[margallar]

might be that the sand has settled down abit more

[zia1288]

@s15 and @zia1288 thank you for your reply.

House is situated in Valencia Housing Society in Lahore,I will Start from the Foundation which starts from 3ft depth and 27" in Width,House is standing on 13" walls (Ground Floor,1st floor walls are 9"),The Soil beneath is quit hard we noticed it when we were digging for foundation,In my Personal View Foundation Problem have less chances to occur.

There were 3-watti(Mixing of Plaster) done before applying it,Are there any chances that cracks come up on plastered wall if "Taraye" is done properly?

for sure post pictures with in 1-2 days.

Plaster cracks can be caused sometime (not always) due to improper/less curing. The bricks needs to be cured (taraye) before it is used and also after it has been fixed in walls etc. The soil settling can also be due to many reasons. In my office's jurisdiction a whole colony's houses (25+ houses) got damaged severely. The reason was that WASA's water line leaked from a point and it was newly laid down. Another such issue occurred due to leakage of sewer line. These were just examples to show few of many causes/cases. Let's hope your issue is not too severe and just plaster cracks.
One thing I do when I get any room building prepared (govt.) is that after lots of curing, I ask the contractor to place a couple of layers of white cement (thin) and after that I get it cured alot too. After that I get whatever paint is to be applied. Alhamdulillah there have been no cracks so far in the rooms i got constructed. Mostly were Ablution rooms plus toilets in graveyards.

[husnain5]

@margallar thanks for your reply,Brother have you listen about "Kasooo" commonly called as "Passar" was applied (Parti in punjabi we call it) and a competer was used upon on it,but still if water comes into contact with it,this can lead to compression in soil point noted.

[husnain5]

@zia1288 Thank you very much for your informative reply,In our Area there have been no Up gradation done regarding Road,Sewerage and any other govt related stuff,As far i can understand this matter the Watchman on site who was given the job to do "Taraye" he haven't done his job Properly or sincerely.

Last month when cracks started to begin in our house boundary wall which is 110x80ft in measurement standing on 9" wall with out any Piller(Small Negligence as Piller should be there at a Gap of 20-25ft),I called my Contractor to put "White Cement" on its base (point where wall is connected with floor) and same procedure i applied on all walls on ground floor,This was done in order to avoid water entering through the base to foundation.It have been 1.5 years and theirs no problem we have found regarding water leakage in our house,Plumbing work had been done good.

I have one more questions to ask.

Q1-Kaya pani Deewar ke Upper se Maar kar sakta h agar woh properly Pluster/Neero na hoye ho kiyun ke jo crack boundry wall mein tha woh top se start hua tha phir niche ki taraf aya h?

Hum logo ne boundry wall top se pulster ki this par jab Security grill lagaye thi mujhe lagta h Mistry se sahi coating nahi ki top pe pluster ki.

White cement can suck moisture from wall which is a good idea.Best of luck with your job brother.

[zia1288]

@zia1288 Thank you very much for your informative reply,In our Area there have been no Up gradation done regarding Road,Sewerage and any other govt related stuff,As far i can understand this matter the Watchman on site who was given the job to do "Taraye" he haven't done his job Properly or sincerely.

Last month when cracks started to begin in our house boundary wall which is 110x80ft in measurement standing on 9" wall with out any Piller(Small Negligence as Piller should be there at a Gap of 20-25ft),I called my Contractor to put "White Cement" on its base (point where wall is connected with floor) and same procedure i applied on all walls on ground floor,This was done in order to avoid water entering through the base to foundation.It have been 1.5 years and theirs no problem we have found regarding water leakage in our house,Plumbing work had been done good.

I have one more questions to ask.

Q1-Kaya pani Deewar ke Upper se Maar kar sakta h agar woh properly Pluster/Neero na hoye ho kiyun ke jo crack boundry wall mein tha woh top se start hua tha phir niche ki taraf aya h?

Hum logo ne boundry wall top se pulster ki this par jab Security grill lagaye thi mujhe lagta h Mistry se sahi coating nahi ki top pe pluster ki.

White cement can suck moisture from wall which is a good idea.Best of luck with your job brother.

It is highly unlikely that water starts damage from top. Did the contractor put concrete under the lowest layer of the bricks in foundation? Was it properly compacted?

[husnain5]

@zia1288

It is highly unlikely that water starts damage from top. Did the contractor put concrete under the lowest layer of the bricks in foundation? Was it properly compacted?

Please Explain your Question I did't got it?

Foundation mein Rora (Small Bricks/Broken Bricks) dali thi,Unke upeer competer or ramba b mara tha Concrete b dali thi,everything was done,Then Damp was made and we applied few Coats of Luk(used in roads) and applied Membrane Sheet (didn't used that normal paper as it wasn't recommend by Architect for water proofing we used membrane sheet.

[zia1288]

@zia1288

Please Explain your Question I did't got it?

Foundation mein Rora (Small Bricks/Broken Bricks) dali thi,Unke upeer competer or ramba b mara tha everything was done,Then Damp was made and we applied few Coats of Luk(used in roads) and applied Membrane Sheet (didn't used that normal paper as it wasn't recommend by Architect for water proofing we used membrane sheet.

I was asking about rora ( i use concrete there). Well from the discussion till now, it seems like it's only plaster cracks. let wait till the pictures arrive.

[husnain5]

@zia1288

I was asking about rora ( i use concrete there). Well from the discussion till now, it seems like it's only plaster cracks. let wait till the pictures arrive.

Thank you for your reply i'll post the pictures tomorrow inshaALLAH stay tuned.

[Banoori555]

Hope concrete & plaster were cured i.e hydrated properly as shrinking of plaster & concrete develops cracks once the moist is evaporated after the chemical reaction completes & it takes place after year or so

[husnain5]

@zia1288

Sorry for delay in posting pictures I was out of town.

Today I visited 2-3 houses which are on corners and don't have houses built on there side (all four),in all houses there were few cracks in boundary walls as they aren't supported from other side.