Cracked Exterior Wall? We'll Find Out Why Before We Fix It in West Bromwich

Most exterior wall cracks turn out to be minor, but you should never assume that before someone has actually looked. A hairline in the render could be nothing more than the wall drying out over a hot summer. A stepped crack through the mortar joints of brickwork, on the other hand, can point to movement in the structure itself, and that is a completely different conversation. This page explains how we tell the difference and what we do about each.

What causes cracks in exterior walls

Cracks in outside walls come from a handful of common causes. Shrinkage cracking happens as new mortar, render or plaster loses moisture and contracts — it is shallow, runs in random directions and usually stops bothering people once they understand it. Thermal movement makes buildings expand and contract through the seasons, which can open up joints and hairline cracks at weak points like window and door openings. Older West Midlands houses were often built with lime mortar that flexes with the building, so fine cracks in the joints are common and often stable.

More concerning are cracks that run diagonally from the corners of openings, step down through the brickwork following the mortar joints, are wider than a few millimetres, or keep widening between one look and the next. Those patterns suggest the wall is moving — from nearby tree roots, leaking drains softening the ground, failed wall ties, or genuine subsidence. Cracks that appear suddenly after a period of dry weather or after nearby excavation deserve particular attention.

How we assess the crack on the visit

We start by looking at the whole wall, not just the crack. We note its width, length and shape, whether it passes through brick, block or just the render, and whether it lines up with openings or lintels. We check inside the property at the matching position, because a crack that shows on both sides is more significant than one that is only skin deep. We look for tell-tale companions: doors and windows sticking, floors sloping, gutters leaking and feeding water into the wall, or vegetation growing close to the base.

Where the crack looks cosmetic, we will say so and explain why. Where it looks like movement, we will say that too — and in that case the honest next step is a structural engineer's report, which we will help you arrange rather than guess around. For anything borderline, a simple crack monitoring gauge fixed across the crack tells everyone whether it is live or stable over the following months.

Repair options once the cause is understood

If the assessment says shrinkage or a stable hairline, the repair is straightforward: raking out and repointing mortar joints, filling and refinishing render, or sealing fine cracks with a flexible filler that tolerates a little movement. If the cause is something fixable — a leaking downpipe, a cracked gutter, a hard surface draining towards the wall — we repair that first, because filling a crack without removing its cause simply buys you the same crack again next winter.

Where the wall has moved, cosmetic filling is not the answer. We make the area safe and tidy, then we refer you to a structural engineer whose report may call for underpinning, resin ties or specialist masonry repair. We are happy to quote for the making-good work afterwards, but the engineering decision comes first and we will not paper over it.

Limits, safety and honest boundaries

We cannot guarantee that a repaired crack will never reappear — walls move with the weather, and no honest tradesperson can promise otherwise. We also will not diagnose structural movement from a photograph or a five-minute glance; if there is any doubt, monitoring or an engineer's assessment is the responsible route. External work needs dry, suitable weather, so repointing and render repairs are scheduled with the forecast in mind and may need to move if conditions turn.

Aftercare and when to call

After repair, keep an eye on the area through a winter and let us know if the crack reopens or widens — that information matters. Keep gutters and downpipes maintained, and don't let soil or paving bridge the damp course. If you notice new cracks appearing rapidly, doors starting to jam, or a crack you can post a coin into, call us promptly.

Booking your visit

Book through maintenance-men.com or by phone. When you book you pay a booking fee, and labour is charged hourly at a rate that depends on how soon you need the visit. We quote the full cost and get your approval before any work starts, with parts and materials quoted separately if needed. Tell us roughly where the crack is, how long you have noticed it and whether it has changed, and send a photo if you can.