Look at the first 3 pictures pictures.  What's wrong with them?  Taken individually, they might seem like minor cosmetic cracks.  When considered as a group, they point to a common theme and one that can be significant.  Then look at the fourth picture.

On the left is a floor crack in the hardwood flooring on the first floor. 

On the right is a crack in the dry wall on a door frame also on the first floor.  The door also impacts the frame when closing.

Same thing but a different door, again on the first floor.

 Again, when taken individually, maybe not that big of a deal.  When considered as a group as a series of cracks on the first floor and the fact that the doors impact the door frames when closed, settlement of the foundation comes to mind.  Now look at the picture below.

In the crawl space, the main beam was placed on block piers with dimensional lumber spacers and shimmed with small wood shims.  The beam ran directly under the areas where the cracks were found on the first floor.  Over time, these shims have crushed under the weight of the house.  This movement may well have been the cause of the cracks in the first three pictures and the door misalignment.  Probably an easy fix with a house jack and some metal shims to replace the wood shims.  While at it, HABITEC recommends the use of plastic poly between the concrete piers and the dimensional lumber spacers.

Thank you,

Richard 

Comments in this blog posting are the intellectual property of Richard Acree, President, HABITEC Home and Building Inspections, LLC, and contributing members of the Active Rain Real Estate network, and are intended to educate and otherwise assist home owners, sellers and buyers, building owners, sellers and buyers, realtors, real estate investors, property managers, and lenders in the process of owning, buying or selling homes or commercial buildings.  HABITEC is a residential (home) and commercial building inspection company serving Middle Tennessee including Nashville, Brentwood, Franklin, Murfreesboro, Smyrna, Mt. Juliet, Hendersonville, Dickson, Belle Meade, Columbia, Spring Hill and more!  In addition to building inspections HABITEC offers Environmental Services for mold assessments, radon testing and water quality analysis.  Additional information about HABITEC can be found on our website at www.habitecinspections.com, or call 615-376-2753. 

Richard Acree is the author of the HABITEC Home and Building Inspections Blog and founder of the ActiveRain Group Tennessee Home and Building Inspectors.  All are welcome to join and see more blogs like this one.