Cracks in basement

I’m in Michigan looking to purchase a home with a basement. There are cracks on all four walls. The cracks were filled in and painted over. The homeowner does not have much info about the repairs. What do you guys see just by looking at the photos. Are these cracks something I should be concerned about



@manderson7

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homeownewr doesn’t have much info on repairs? lol shtt, how long have they lived there, 3 days?

so we don’t know what was used/repairs, could have been homeowner diy or handyman friend etc, never good imo.

and then one should consider, what caused these cracks and how long have they existed, have they widened recently n so on

i’d need to see what’s on the exterior of these areas, trees, raised patio, concrete,porch or is house near highway etc

imo, i would NOT buy just based on the ‘duh’ resaponse you apparently got from owner, imo you can find better aka less headaches and possibly more in future

and waterproofing those cracks? imo exterior waterproofing done correctly, where needed, is best, not the interior patch sht, just my 2 cents

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It is on a corner lot next to a busy intersection
Exterior is brick veneer with NO weep holes. Husband passed away and wife knows nothing about the repairs.
In South Carolina we have no basement so this in Michigan is all new to me.


It’s all covered up. Those repairs could be from hairline cracks that needed no attention (rip off artist) or big cracks that need more attention. Me personally? With little or no information, I’d pass.

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What did your (on-site) Home Inspector have to say about it/them?

Inspector did not have much to say except further evaluation needed by a specialist and to get with the homeowner on getting more info on repairs lol

He made the right call, can’t see much. What did the specialist say?

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Didn’t get any specialist to come out yet. Everyone is booked for two weeks!

Without chipping away that parge coat and paint, it’s hard to determine how wide the crack is/was. That appears to be a sloppy job for sealing cracks.

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Since you are seeking opinions, I would tap the brakes and or see if an engineer is available. I suspect you have a due diligence period which you will need to renegotiate. Otherwise, you buy it you own it :thinking:

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Are those pics the same wall? Looks like it is a short wall the juts out at both ends?

Or is that pic of the exterior the same wall?

OP stated there were cracks on all four walls.

That’s correct cracks just like in the last pic on all 4 walls

The crack in the pic appears to have been injected (Likely epoxy) and then parge coated to present a uniform appearance. If done professionally it usually comes with a pretty good warranty against leaks. If done by the homeowner or a flipper usually not.If the house is covered in brick veneer and has no weep holes I would not buy it as that is a major construction defect.

My home has no weep holes and has been performing well for sixty years. I’m curious how old the subject property is.

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Thank you all for your time

Perhaps your veneer is part of a cavity wall construction, no weeps required.

My home has a drain plane if that is what you are referring to. There is an approximate 1/2 inch gap between the veneer and the wall framing with Old tar paper house wrap.

Modern homes have a drain plane as well with added weep holes and flashing. All good stuff. But the absence of weep holes on older homes should not be disqualifying IMO.

My brick also goes into the ground which seems to ruffle some feathers :stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye:

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Tar paper and modern house wraps perform very differently when used as a weather resistant membrane. Tar paper is a vapor barrier and modern house wraps are not.