Structural Repair · Emergency

Structural emergencies

Treat it as an emergency if something moved suddenly, a wall is visibly bulging or leaning, a floor or ceiling has dropped, or the movement followed an impact, flood, fire or earthquake. Get people out of the affected area, then contact your local building department and a licensed structural engineer. This Old House flags any crack that appears suddenly as abnormal.

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The honest test is change over hours or days, not the size of a crack. A wide crack that has been there since 1974 is a question for a scheduled inspection. A new crack that opened this week, a door that suddenly won't close, a wall that has visibly moved, or a floor that dropped are all reasons to stop and get help now.

What to do first. Get people and pets out of the affected space. Don't add load — no stacking, no parking heavy items above the area. Don't remove anything that might be carrying load, including a post or wall you think is temporary. Photograph everything from a safe distance.

Who to call. Your local building department can advise whether they will inspect for safety, and in many places they can post a structure as unsafe. A licensed structural engineer can assess and specify emergency shoring. If there is any risk of collapse or people are trapped, call emergency services first.

What is not an emergency. Stable hairline cracks, cosmetic drywall cracks in a house that hasn't moved, and a floor that has sloped slightly for twenty years. These deserve an inspection on a normal timeline, and being told they are emergencies is a warning sign about the person telling you.

How to choose

Call your building department early: They are free, local, and have no product to sell. They can also tell you what permits an emergency repair will need.
Don't let anyone remove a support to "take a look": Temporary shoring has to be engineered. Removing a post or opening a bearing wall without it is how people get hurt.
Photograph before any emergency work: You will need it for insurance, for the engineer and possibly for a dispute.
Emergency stabilization and permanent repair are separate: Get the house safe first. Do not sign a large permanent-repair contract while you're frightened.

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FAQ

Structural Repair emergency — common questions

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My basement wall cracked horizontally overnight. Is that urgent?

Sudden appearance is the abnormal case that This Old House flags, and horizontal cracking is associated with soil pressure pushing the wall inward. Stay out of the space and get a structural engineer or your building department involved now.

Who do I call at 10pm?

If there is any danger to people, emergency services. Otherwise, secure and vacate the area and call your building department and an engineer in the morning. Night calls to repair companies get you a salesperson, not a diagnosis.

Will insurance cover emergency structural work?

It depends entirely on your policy and the cause, and coverage for earth movement and gradual settlement is commonly limited. Call your insurer immediately, document everything, and read your policy rather than relying on what a contractor tells you.

Sources

Where these figures come from

This Old House — Foundation Cracks: What Is Normal and When to Worry · retrieved 2026-07-25