Major brickwork cracks in detached garage

[pompeyritchie]

Hi. I’ve had a good look through all the posts but can’t find anything that matches my problem.

I have a 5m x 2.5m single skin brick detached garage with an apex tiled roof. The garage sits on a concrete block foundation which is at the top of a fairly steep garden and public footpath. One side of the garage has a large crack running diagonally from the top corner down towards the middle of the floor. The other walls do not have any cracks.

I have lived in the house for approximately 3 years and I’m told, by my neighbours that the crack has been there for many more. The pictures show a wall tie, which looks almost as old as the garage. So I suspect that this has been a long running issue.

The problem is because the wall has moved (and I put this down to settlement on the corner directly under the top of the crack) it has caused the wooden roof to move therefore allow water in and start rotting the frame. The frame is in a really poor state now and there are areas where the wood has rotted so badly that the tiles have fallen off.


So…My question is: Can I repair the crack and then the roof?


My thinking is, I could repair the crack by fixing steel helifix bars and repointing. Then once the wall has been repaired dismantle the roof and refit, replacing any rotten timbers as required. Then probably fitting corrugated panels rather than tiles (lighter and cheaper).


Would this be cheaper and less labour than completely knocking the building down and starting again? I have briefly looked at pre-fab concrete garages, wooden workshops…etc but they all seem very expensive. And I can’t even imagine how much it would cost a builder to build it in brick or block from scratch.


Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

 

[pompeyritchie]

I should add (and you can probably see from the pictures) that someone has tried to fill the crack with what looks like expanding foam!
Obviously this wouldn't be any trouble to rake out.

 

[williamglossop]

If the roofs coming off, why not drop that wall too and rebuild it?

 

[gingerbiscuit]

I would take that wall down carefully, saving and cleaning all the bricks and then rebuild it. the only cost would be sand, cement and your time of course.

 

[^woody^]

You need to determine if the foundations are still moving or not, before repairing the wall or roof and anything else.

 

[vinn]

You could dig a test pit at the "cracked" corner to examine for any foundation movement or faults etc.
You could also inspect the floor for significant cracks.
There's signs of foliage above the Patress remedial tie, and small trees growing close to the rear garage wall.

Your garage is a possible safety concern for the passing public.
Maybe demolish it and start again taking into account the above. I would.

 

[williamglossop]

What he said, lol ^