Bog and patch is always an option as long as there is a way of measuring the movement behind the repairs.  Often the exposed brick work of exterior walls is a good place to monitor movement.  You don’t want to hide a serious problem though.  I’ve been told that anything between 10 and 20mm movement is considered significant and you should get a professional to look at it.  Have a look at the information on Jetpin Australia's website in their Frequently Answered Question section.  I know from experience that Jetpin’s advanced underpinning system has saved some fairly tragic homes.  I’m not sure where your friend is located but Jetpin Australia operates in the Melbourne metro area.