Some problems aren’t about looks; they’re about safety. If you spot any of these, stop, keep people clear, take photos, and call a professional.
- Sagging ceiling – often a leak soaking the plasterboard. It can fall without warning.
- Leaning or cracked chimney – loose bricks and pots can fall a long way.
- Loose tiles after a storm – they become missiles in the next gale.
- Cracks getting wider – the cause is still active, so filling won’t help.
- Stepped cracks near a corner – can point to ground or foundation movement.
- Sagging floor or roof line – a timber is overloaded, rotten or undersized.
- Rotten joist or rafter ends – long-term damp may have weakened them.
- Leaning garden wall – can fail suddenly after heavy rain.
If you spot one
- Stop – don’t fill, paint or patch.
- Make safe – keep people clear.
- Record – photos with a tape measure, plus the date.
- Call – your insurer if it may be a claim, and a trusted contractor.
Some repairs need a structural engineer or Building Control sign-off first. We’ll tell you straight when that’s the case, help arrange it, then do the repair properly.
General information only. If there’s an immediate danger, keep people away and contact a professional straight away.