What to Do if You Find New Cracks After Building Work Next Door

If you notice a new crack after building work next door, record where and when you saw it, then look for earlier photographs of the same spot. If there is an immediate danger of collapse or falling material, move away from the affected area and call Triple Zero (000) in an emergency. For other concerns, organise an assessment based on what has changed and how quickly.

Make a record someone else can follow

From a safe position, take a wide photo that shows the wall or room and a closer photo of the crack. Record the date you first noticed it and the location. Keep the originals. If you notice changes later, use the same viewpoint where possible and save the new photographs separately. Include other changes you have observed, such as a door that has started catching.

If you have a pre-works dilapidation report, find the matching room, elevation or photo number. For example, “rear bedroom above the left window corner, first noticed 7 November” is easier for an inspector to locate than “crack near the back”. Where there is no matching photo, record that the earlier condition is unknown.

Share the observation and keep the timeline

Tell the relevant person what you’ve seen and when, using the photos and any earlier report. Depending on the property and work, that may mean contacting your building manager, the owner carrying out the work, the relevant building surveyor or your insurer. If a Victorian protection work notice or formal survey is involved, refer to that paperwork and the Building and Plumbing Commission guidance on adjoining properties.

Ask what the follow-up inspection can establish

A follow-up inspection can document the current condition, compare it with earlier records and identify areas that need further assessment. Give the inspector the site address, relevant dates, the earlier report and any notice you have. The timing of a crack is one part of the evidence. Finding out what caused it can require a structural assessment or further investigation.

If work hasn’t started yet, see what to photograph before building starts next door. To ask about an independent before-and-after record, see PrimeCheck’s Victorian dilapidation inspection service.