We are getting the classic "normal settlement movement" response to cracking in a near-new house, and I am trying to separate harmless cosmetic movement from defects that need escalation in QLD.
Examples we have: hairline cornice junction cracks, one stepped crack near a window corner, and a recurring wall-ceiling junction crack that reopened after patching. If you have lived this, what pattern ended up being treated as normal maintenance vs builder rectification item.
Useful detail if you can share: crack location, approximate width progression, when it appeared post-handover, whether seasonal movement changed it, what remediation was attempted, and whether an independent inspector/QBCC considered it cosmetic or structural risk indicator.
If a simple monitoring approach helped (dated photos with scale marks, monthly width checks, moisture context, door/window sticking correlation), please share that too. I want a practical threshold list so owners know when to monitor and when to escalate quickly.
