Cracks in bay, lintel repair or settlement?

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lawltils90

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I had some replacement PVC windows installed in April this year, and since then we have had a crack appear in the painted over pebbledash underneath the top bay window. I have now noticed just yesterday some new hairline cracks in the interior of the top bay window that are diagonal in nature moving from the skirting to the sill.
I've read that when PVC windows are installed in some bays, it can cause some structural issues as they aren't as strong as say, timber window frames, however we replaced PVC with PVC. The bedroom (which the affected bay window is in) has recently been plastered as well. We also have some cracks to the ceiling in the living room from when the windows were installed, again initially put this down to natural movement.

I currently have three thoughts following some research:
1) It's been freezing recently, and as the internal cracks are next to the radiator could it be the change in temperature causing the new plaster to crack?
2) Internal and external cracks are just settlement cracks that have occurred due to the changes to the windows and nothing to worry about?
3) There is a structural issue and perhaps the lintel has failed and needs repairing to provide support to the bay.

What would be my next steps?
I've asked for some quotes for a defect survey from several chartered surveyors just incase, but I'm tempted just to keep an eye on the cracks for now and see if they get bigger/more numerous?

Any advice would be very welcome.

Thanks


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You need, as you say, eyes on site.
The "lintel above the bay opening is called a "Bressumer Beam" & if it was timber or has been disturbed then the beam bearing ends could be rotting or simply unbalanced?
Not necessarily serious maybe minor stuff.
Do all the bay windows open easily?
Any gaps under the bay skirting?

FWIW: The render stopping over the ground floor frames should have been finished with a Bell Cast but I doubt that thats your problem.
There's also a windows forum on here.
 
tell80 said:
You need, as you say, eyes on site.
The "lintel above the bay opening is called a "Bressumer Beam" & if it was timber or has been disturbed then the beam bearing ends could be rotting or simply unbalanced?
Not necessarily serious maybe minor stuff.
Do all the bay windows open easily?
Any gaps under the bay skirting?

FWIW: The render stopping over the ground floor frames should have been finished with a Bell Cast but I doubt that thats your problem.
There's also a windows forum on here.
Click to expand...
Many thanks for your reply
Yes I checked the windows today, all open fine without any problems. And no gaps under the bay skirting, yet!
Might it be worth posting in the windows forum as well, then?

Nice to hear it’s not necessarily serious if that’s the case. I’ve messaged a few surveyors today to try and get someone to come out.

Also thanks for the tip re bottom bay render- all the houses are like this on the street which I’ve always thought is odd
 
I should also add, a few weeks ago we had some dripping through the top bay window, at the top. Not loads and it’s not happened since then. Potentially linked?
 
Dont post in two places - ask the mods to move you if you want.

How does the roof shed its rainwater?

You could put a selfie on a stick, and photo the roof and fascia from the upper window
 
They have not supported the bay adequately in fitting, nor adequately with the new frame.

There should be bay pole support in the bays, and these are often not installed properly, and allow the bay to drop.

Nothing to do with a "bressumer" beam which is terminology from centuries ago and is not even the right terminology or even location for such a beam.
 
^woody^ said:
They have not supported the bay adequately in fitting, nor adequately with the new frame.

There should be bay pole support in the bays, and these are often not installed properly, and allow the bay to drop.

Nothing to do with a "bressumer" beam which is terminology from centuries ago and is not even the right terminology or even location for such a beam.
Click to expand...
Thanks, this is what I feared. Do you know the best method of rectification?
 
lawltils90 said:
Thanks, this is what I feared. Do you know the best method of rectification?
Click to expand...
If the new frame is not supporting the bay, the bay will move further. Contact the fitters or FENSA or who ever.

The bay poles should not be resting on the plastic cill, so its not that they are there, but that they are transferring the load from the bay above to the wall of the bay below through the cill.
 
^woody^ said:
If the new frame is not supporting the bay, the bay will move further. Contact the fitters or FENSA or who ever.

The bay poles should not be resting on the plastic cill, so its not that they are there, but that they are transferring the load from the bay above to the wall of the bay below through the cill.
Click to expand...
If only it were that simple...our window fitters are registered with Certass however we had them done in April and have not had any certificates. According to Certass our windows haven't even been registered yet. Despite constant chasing I'm just being ignored and Certass won't do a thing about it saying they only deal with registered installations. They're quite a popular local company where I live so it's incredibly frustrating.

Thanks for the insight though that's really interesting. Someone is having their entire bay rebuilt in the next street, managed to collar the builder this morning and they're coming to take a look. Might be we have to get an alternative window company to come and take a look, and possibly reinstall if you're right - although I don't know if anyone would want to reinstall another companies windows- especially a seemingly dodgy company.
 
Bressumer is widely in use today in SE & RICS Survey reports, & you that claim you used to be a surveyor of some sort dont know that?
The term indicates that a Bressumer is intended for lintelling a bay opening.

The OP had already covered the frame fitting in his opening post.
But to be a little more detailed, & cover important things that you didn't understand:

Careless, forceful removal of the old frame can disturb the Bressumer Beam - a rotting BB could later distort the new frame.
A selfie of the roof might show the flashings pulling away or a split in the cover.
The presence or absence of Jack Poles can be clearly determined if you know what you are looking for.
Jack Poles can be adjusted in-situ long after initial fitting.

I think that what you were trying to say about the Jack Pole base is that it must sit on a firm support such as masonry.
 
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