Practical guide to diagnosing structural movement in buildings It is often the laymans first reaction when cracking is observed in a building that it must be the foundations and that it is serious. This is not true. In the vast majority of cases it is not subsidence or settlement of the foundations and in most cases cracks do not indicate a serious defect. So when analysing cracks it is essential to always keep an open mind. A good rule of thumb for the beginner is to try to find what has caused the crack other than foundation movement. Only when all other possibilities have been ruled out consider then whether it is foundation movement. In my experience (teaching university students and graduate surveyors) it is very difficult to instil this discipline. There is a great temptation to jump to a conclusion or to shortcut the process of analysis