Abstract: Gibsons Home Inspector note on making a claim under the Home Warranty program.
Photo: Drywall crack may be indicative of structural movement.
Parkland is one of the newer subdivisions in Gibsons. A recent home inspection there, of a two year old property identified a potential warranty claim issue.
The house was lightly used, that is, owned by someone with no kids! So it showed well. However in the living room there was a ‘step-like’ crack in drywall, high up on the wall. Cracks that propagate diagonally are a concern because they are unnatural for drywall boards, since joint are typically straight horizontal or vertical seams.
In addition, the drywall crack was high on the wall, exactly where the ceilings transitioned from an open high cathedral look to a lower flat ceiling. At these locations the roof trusses and joists have radically different construction methods. It looked to us as if the vertical support column (for the roof framing) behind the drywall had moved, for whatever reason.
The inspection report recommended that this should be claimed under the New Home Warranty Program.
The Contractor has been advised and is now investigating the issue.