Service · Services
Cracks inspection: structural or cosmetic?
Independent diagnosis of cracks in your home: structural or cosmetic qualification, root-cause identification, treatment recommendations and ten-year liability activation if needed. Enforceable report within 7 days, usable in insurance, conciliation or court.
280 €
from · VAT incl.
1-2 h
on site
7 days
report delivered
Wallonia
+ Brussels
expert measuring a wall crack with a crackmeter
For whom
An inspection calibrated for four situations.
01
New-build owner
Cracks appeared 1 to 10 years after reception. Qualification under short or long ten-year liability, responsibility identification and recourse preparation.
02
Renovation owner
Cracks appeared during or after works. Root-cause diagnosis (structural movement, vibrations, drought) and coordination with the contractor or architect.
03
Pre-purchase buyer
You spot cracks during a viewing. We provide a rapid opinion to adjust the purchase price or negotiate a suspensive condition.
04
Owner in dispute
You are already at odds with your contractor, insurer or neighbour. We draft an enforceable report, basis for amicable or court proceedings.
Our method
Five steps from diagnosis to enforceable report.
Reproducible methodology tailored to each pathology. We rigorously distinguish active, passive, structural and cosmetic cracks to correctly qualify risk and recourse.
- 01Phone briefingPreliminary exchange to understand the history: appearance date, evolution, works context. Request for photos and technical documents.
- 02On-site inspection1-2 hour visit with crack measurement (width, depth, length), evolution clue mapping and possible installation of monitoring gauges (adhesive crackmeters).
- 03Differential diagnosisStructural or cosmetic qualification. Identification of likely causes: settlement, shrinkage, clay drought, vibrations, workmanship defect. Risk assessment.
- 04Report drafting15-25 page document with located HD photos, detailed measurements, legal qualification, regulatory references and quantified treatment recommendations.
- 05Recourse follow-up if neededLetter templates to the contractor, insurer or neighbour. Coordination with partner lawyer if legal action. Monitoring of crackmeters over 3 to 12 months.
Deliverables
What you walk away with, concretely.
15-25 p. enforceable report
Structured document with HD photos, measurements, legal qualification and recommendations. Enforceable in insurance, conciliation or first-instance court.
Cracks mapping
Floor plan with precise location of each crack, its orientation, width and qualification. Centrepiece of the recourse file.
Monitoring gauges installed
Adhesive crackmeters placed on suspect cracks to monitor their evolution over time. Readings over 3 to 12 months depending on context.
Quantified estimate
Estimate of the repair cost, from temporary to definitive. Costing basis for insurance, ten-year liability or amicable negotiation.
Letter templates
Template letters tailored to your situation: contractor, home insurance, ten-year liability, syndic or neighbour depending on the origin identified.
30-min briefing included
Half-hour call to review the report with you, prioritise actions and lock in the recourse strategy suited to your situation.
Pricing · VAT incl., all-inclusive
Three packages for your need.
Flash diagnosis
From 280 €
Visit + written opinion · 1h on site
- 1h inspection
- 3-5 page written opinion
- Cosmetic/structural qualification
Le + demandé
Full inspection
From 480 €
Diagnosis + enforceable report
- Everything in 'Flash diagnosis'
- 15-25 p. enforceable report
- Monitoring gauges installed
- Quantified estimate
Inspection + recourse
From 780 €
Inspection + legal file
- Everything in 'Full inspection'
- Legal file preparation
- Partner lawyer coordination
- 12-month crackmeter monitoring
Testimonials
They entrusted us with their cracks diagnosis.
★★★★★
« Cracks appeared 2 years after reception. The contractor called them cosmetic. The report demonstrated structural origin. Ten-year liability activated, shell rework. »
photo client
Patrick Stassen
New-build owner · Liège
★★★★★
« Sudden cracks after a dry summer. The diagnosis pointed to clay and drought. Natural disaster compensation obtained with the report as evidence. »
photo client
Catherine Bernier
Owner · Wavre
★★★★★
« Pre-purchase viewing. Three suspect cracks flagged. Flash diagnosis in 5 days. Price negotiated down €14,000 thanks to the written opinion. »
photo client
Olivier Renard
Pre-purchase buyer · Brussels
FAQ
Your questions about the cracks inspection.
How to tell a structural crack from a cosmetic one?
A structural crack is generally over 2 mm, crosses several load-bearing elements, follows a diagonal or staircase orientation. A cosmetic crack is thin, superficial, limited to plaster or a partition wall.
When to activate ten-year liability for a crack?
Long ten-year liability (10 years) covers defects compromising the solidity or destination of the property. A wide structural crack can fall under it if it appears within 10 years. The expert report is the centrepiece.
How long before I get a report?
Seven working days after inspection. In emergencies (imminent proceedings, blocked sale), we can deliver a written opinion within 48h, at an increased rate.
Are you independent from insurers and contractors?
Strictly. We refuse any case where we have a commercial relationship with the contractor, insurer or expert appointed by them. Our mandate comes exclusively from the owner.
Are monitoring gauges reliable?
Yes, for tracking crack evolution over several months. Adhesive crackmeters graduated to a tenth of a millimetre distinguish a stabilised crack from an active evolving one.
Does my home insurance cover your fees?
Sometimes yes under legal protection cover, after acceptance of the file. We supply quotes and descriptions compatible with their reimbursement procedures.
Prefer email? contact@reception-provisoire.be