cracks in georgian/victorian property

[mookmookle]

Here are some cracks that i am concerned about. some continue to the outside and are mirrored. the house has had leaks and there is a large horse chestnut tree within 10 meters of the house. the house seems solid and no smell of damp or rotten woodwork.

 

[MatthewC]

This first post seems to have slipped past people's view! Nothing personal but first posts get moderated so never appear at the top.

It looks pretty clear from the pictures that the plaster is some nasty modern pink stuff and, as such, it is a good example of why you shouldn't use it on an old building. However, it's not clear whether the cracks are due to a structural issue or just down to differential thermal expansion which is amplified in the prescence of dampness. Basically, limestone and lime mortar expand and contract whereas anything cementitious is effectively rigid, so when the lime moves and the cement doesn't, you are going to get cracks; the vertical one in the corner is a classic of a join between old and new, and would be avoided by using lime plaster.

Matthew

 

[88v8]

So that was this house that you decided not to proceed with?
http://www.periodproperty.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=15686&p=214782#p214782

Hope you find something better.
It's not easy finding a house that hasn't been messed about with modern materials.
We looked three years to find one that hadn't suffered from plastic windows, gypsum plaster, plasterboard and cement.

Good luck.

Ivor