Ceiling cracks

[Kevin Webb]

I'm buying a mid-floor flat in a 60's purpose-built block with concrete floors. Some of the celings are cracked and sagging a little but the mortgage lender's survey makes no mention of them. I'm convinced there is no subsidence to speak of and I started the purchase making an allowance for replastering the ceilings if required. I will get a good builder or two to advise on what need to be done when the purchase is complete. In the menatime, has anyone any experience of this kind of problem and what was the cause and the solution?

Thanks. K

[Maris]

What is not clear is what the ceilings are made of. If concrete floors, I would have assumed that the ceiling was plaster directly onto concrete. In such a case, I would be most concerned to se the ceiling 'sagging'. As regards platerboard fixed to the underside of joists, this used to be fixed with plasterboard nails, which can work themselves loose because of movement of the joists and consequently lead to movement in the plasterboard accompanied by cracking. Nowadays, plasterboard screws are used and I have reinforced areas in my house, where plasterboard nails appear to have worked themselves loose, with screws, which do not work themselves loose and will provide a stable base for filling in cracks etc. Maris