Cracking under pressure

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Published Date 3/14/2025

When does renovating a house you just bought become a nightmare? When you discover what has been hidden from you all along.

Realtor.com’s Yael Bizouati-Kennedy says that while buying a fixer-upper might initially make financial sense, some homeowners may face shocking discoveries while repairing one—adding more to their original remodeling budget than they were prepared for.

She tells the tale of a couple renovating a 17th-century home while documenting the renovations on their TikTok account. Feb. 23rd found the couple posting a video that quickly went viral showing a man stripping wallpaper away and realizing what’s underneath it.

"When you decide to strip the wallpaper and decide maybe the wallpaper was holding the house together,” the text on the video reads, and this was literally the case. Deep, considerable cracks can be seen extending down the wall from the ceiling to the door frame and beyond.

Commenters dove in, offering their knowledge of his situation, warning him that his “load bearing wall” was in need of desperate repair and help from a structural engineer. And the experts Bizouti-Kennedy consulted, unfortunately, agreed.

What constitutes real damage foundation? Like a psychological spectrum of behavioral traits, there can be varying degrees of severity. The types of cracks the couple found are somewhat common—yet not all are serious.

Contractors and even homebuilders agree that as most foundations settle over time, the movement of the earth can cause small cracks or slightly uneven floors. But if cracks exceed a certain width, they can be a warning sign—though they may still be hidden before listing a home,” he adds.

One of the first things you want to check on while touring an older home is whether most doors and windows open and close properly. If they don’t align, that’s a strong indication of potential foundation issues and warrants further investigation.

As for what inspectors should look for when reviewing structural damage, insurance claims expert Courtney Klosterman says that thin, spiderweb-like hairline cracks are less than 1 millimeter wide and are the most common drywall cracks. They appear due to normal house settling or minor fluctuations in temperature and humidity. They can be caused by settling, temperature, and humidity changes.

Vertical hairline cracks that travel straight up and down, following the line where the wall meets the floor, and vary in size generally pose minimal concern if there are no significant length or width increases.

Cracks that run 5 millimeters wide and run at an angle on the wall from corner to corner, slanted at a 45-degree angle, regardless of size, need immediate attention from a professional, however. And horizontal cracks running along the wall plane can be a serious sign of foundation issues and potential structural drywall cracks as they are often the result of structural movement as expansive soils build up against the foundation wall. If left alone, they will progressively widen, potentially causing complete wall failure.

But some of the more alarming and concerning foundation issues are not hidden away. They include uneven floors and sagging ceilings. Contractor Jeri Goodkin-Dausey explains that uneven floors can be a serious issue, particularly if they slope noticeably or if gaps appear between walls and floors. She says sagging ceilings can occur when the structural support shifts due to foundation movement, compromising the home's overall integrity.

“These issues can range from minor to severe, but horizontal cracks and significant sloping or sagging are generally more urgent indicators that should not be ignored,” she says.

Fixing hairline cracks found in walls can be a fairly easy fix. Epoxy or polyurethane injections can seal and prevent further spreading. But more severe cases may require “piering” or underpinning, which means installing steel piers to stabilize and lifting the foundation back to its original position.

“Slab jacking is another method used specifically for concrete slabs; it involves injecting material beneath the slab to raise it to the proper level,” she explains.

The biggest nightmares, however, involve walls splitting, spalling concrete, or excessive movement. These fall into the deal-breaker category, says one Realtor, who says ignoring foundation issues can turn a manageable fix into a financial disaster. If the house is already settling, it's usually better to walk than to risk constant repairs.

It’s when repairs exceed the home’s value that is the true clincher — especially ongoing moisture issues. Then it’s time to move on. Persistent foundation issues can also make it difficult to obtain insurance.

Bizouti-Kennedy says foundation repairs can easily run into tens of thousands of dollars. And if you’re one of those homeowners who were unable to secure financing for repairs, selling the home “as is” may become the only option. Minor cracks or easily fixable drainage problems can often be repaired affordably, however. “For buyers, these minor issues could even be used as leverage to negotiate a reduced purchase price to offset repair costs, turning a troubled property into an opportunity,” says Bizouti-Kennedy.

Bottom line? When buying an older home, always leave room for surprises. You never know what’s really going on until walls are opened, and surprises are common. But if structural damage is left unaddressed, it can affect a home’s value and depress the price by as much as 20% to 50% or more, depending on the severity.

Realtor, TBWS

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