Some residents of Opal Tower in Sydney's west face the prospect of a further six weeks living in hotels, as residents remain in the dark about when they can return to their homes.

Since the cracks emerged in the building on Christmas Eve, forcing a mass evacuation, investigators have been trying to understand the cause, with the state government appointing professors Mark Hoffman and John Carter to lead the independent inquiry into the structural failure.

Some residents face a lengthy wait before they can return home. Credit:AAP

Building company Icon said it expects the majority of residents to be cleared to return home imminently, possibly as soon as Friday.

But Icon is unwilling to set a definite return date for any residents until the independent investigators' report is released, with residents facing an uncertain future beyond Friday when their hotel accommodation runs out.