4 February 2009

Cracking Becomes a Hot Topic for Home Owners, Buyers and Investors
....an average of 34% of properties across Australia have been damaged by drought

Climate change and the drought has made cracking, which can cost tens of thousands dollars to manage, one of the hottest housing topics for home owners, home buyers and investors in 2009.

Extensive cracking in a property

Archicentre, the building advisory service of the Australian Institute of Architects said an average of 34% of properties across Australia have been damaged by drought. This estimate is based upon 80,000 pre-purchase house inspections undertaken by Archicentre throughout Australia. David Hallett, General Manager of Archicentre said the estimated cost of cracking in Australia could be as high as $1 billion per year with basic underpinning costing up to $80,000 per home with a wide variation in the extent of damage. "Cracking occurs when the soil beneath a building dries up and shrinks from lack of water, it forces the properties foundations to move and the walls to crack. "In areas of continued drought where water restrictions are in place the situation is set to worsen with some owners of cracking houses wanting to sell them facing serious financial implications with a drop in the home's value."

Mr Hallett said many vendors facing the cost of repairs are opting for superficial cover-ups which can leave unsuspecting buyers with hefty repair bills. Archicentre recommends a thorough structural inspection to ensure the structural integrity of the property.

"Cracking in homes has become a major issue for Archicentre architects undertaking pre-purchase inspection, design and status reports for home owners. Some homes inspected have fine hairline cracks in their plaster, whilst others have major cracks threatening the structural integrity of the building.

"We are advising people with cracks in their home to monitor them carefully and if they are not sure of the extent to get professional independent advice before they embark on expensive repairs."

Click this link for full list of Victorian local government areas cracking statistics.

Help for Home Owners

Archicentre will run a Free Seminar for home owners on Tuesday February 24th 2009 6.30pm - 8.30pm called Sustainability - The 10 Things You Should Know about Building in a Changing Climate which will cover why houses are cracking and what to do about it. Bookings are required call Archicentre on 1300 13 45 13. Venue for the seminar is the Hawthorn Reception, 555 Glenferrie Road, Hawthorn.

Archicentre has a Free Cracking Information Sheet available to download from the Archicentre website at http://www.archicentre.com.au/Crackbrick08.pdf