Cracks that are often ordinary
Hairline shrinkage cracks in a basement slab or a poured wall, especially in the first years after construction, are common. They are usually vertical or slightly diagonal, narrow, and stable — they do not keep opening, and they do not line up with doors that suddenly stick or floors that slope.
Finish cracks in drywall over a foundation can also be seasonal. Wood framing moves with humidity. That movement can telegraph into gypsum without the foundation having failed.
Cracks that deserve an engineer
Wider cracks, cracks that grow, stair-step cracks in brick or block, horizontal cracks in a basement wall, and cracks that appear with sloping floors or doors that no longer latch are worth a licensed look. Those patterns can record settlement, heave, or lateral pressure.
In Southern Indiana, water at the footing is a frequent cause. That does not automatically mean the house is unsafe. Bob's experience inspecting homes for buyers and lenders is that a large share of 'settled' houses are structurally sound, or the fix is getting water away from the foundation rather than installing piers.
What an inspection actually answers
A structural inspection is not a sales visit. It is a reading of the building: crack pattern, width, direction, the floor, the drainage, and whether the structure is still doing its job. You leave with a written opinion, not a repair contract.