If your home could talk, then chances are it would be telling you to pay more attention to it. Because every home has its needs, and if you aren’t able to spot the reigns that something is wrong, then you could be letting the problem get worse and your home could end up in really bad shape. Which would not only be bad for your home, but could also to be very expensive for you too. That being the case, let’s take a look at 5 tell-tale signs that your home is not in great shape right now, so you can act and do something about it.
1. Cracks That Aren’t Just Character
A tiny hairline crack? Fine. Houses shift, plaster settles, life goes on. But if you’ve got cracks that zig-zag across the wall like they’re trying to escape, or gaps wide enough to post a letter through, you may have a bigger issue on your hands. Sometimes it’s nothing dramatic - humidity, old plaster, a bit of settling - but sometimes it’s the dreaded S-word: subsidence.
And trust us, the cost of fixing subsidence is not something you want to Google for fun. It’s one of those issues where early detection can save your wallet from crying itself to sleep.
2. Doors and Windows With Attitude Problems
Are your doors suddenly refusing to shut properly? Do your windows behave like teenagers, slamming themselves shut one day and refusing to move the next? When frames warp or shift, it’s often a sign your house is moving in ways it shouldn’t. You can plane the doors, fiddle with the hinges, swear at the window latch, but if the problem keeps coming back, then it is most definitely worth investigating what’s actually going on beneath the surface.
3. A Roof That’s Letting in More Than Fresh Air
If your roof is trying to double as a skylight, that’s… not ideal. Missing tiles, sagging areas, or mysterious damp patches on upstairs ceilings are classic red flags. Roof issues can escalate really fast and love causing secondary problems like mould, leaks, and the slow erosion of your will to live. Get them sorted early and you’ll avoid the joy of placing buckets around the house every time it rains.
4. Damp That’s Starting to Feel Like a Problem
A bit of condensation is normal. But peeling paint, bubbling wallpaper, tide marks, and that unmistakable musty smell? That’s your home telling you, in the only way it can, to stop pretending that things are normal. Damp can come from leaking pipes, poor ventilation, or rising moisture from the ground, and none of them disappear on their own. Left ignored, they attract mould faster than you can say, “Where did my health go?”
5. Floors Doing Their Own Thing
Creaky floorboards are one thing; floors that dip, bounce, or feel suspiciously uneven are another. Structural issues, rotten joists, or water damage could be lurking beneath your feet. If walking across your living room feels like navigating a funhouse attraction, it’s time to investigate.
