2 storey extension - is this brickwork ok?

[Mrs S]

Hi everyone, a newbie here, just in the process of having an extension finished. Putting together a list of issues to be fixed. Aesthetically I’m not happy with the brickwork, have raised this but hit a blank wall! am I being unduly picky? I don’t mean to be . Abs I’m thinking of using a snagging company, hard to find as they mostly seem to do new builds, anyone used any body?

 

[Worcesterman]

There’s two different colours of brick. I don’t understand. Is one the origon and the other used in the extension

 

[Mrs S]

No idea! We requested them all to match the original house, this is what we’ve ended up with….

 

[Worcesterman]

So on the first photo there is about 22 courses of one colour of brick then it changes. Is the whole of that wall part of the extension. I mean is it all new.

 

[johnny2007]

2 different pallets.
They should've picked them from both pallets when erecting the extension.
Did you call one of those snagging companies???
I never understood how they make money.

 

[Mrs S]

Hi, ah ok ref the pallets, will the bricks weather too be the same or is it something I should raise. I haven’t called those snagging companies, they only do new build, I’ve found a RICS surveyor who assesses extensions etc

 

[Worcesterman]

To be honest some bricks are obviously quite a different colour. In my opinion thats more than a normal variation between pallets. What a shame. I wonder how nobody noticed as it was being built. Surely the brick layers would have noticed. I guess you can’t always match bricks between an extension and existing house but what you’re showing isn’t right at all. No they won’t weather in. I’d be really disappointed if it was me.

 

[Mrs S]

Thank you for sharing your opinion, that’s how I feel too.. all along they’ve fobbed me off..it’s on a list of issues and is being ignored.. we will see what happens..

 

[johnny2007]

Difficult to see different shades in bricks when they're on pallets.
Like everything else that is the "face" of a project, different packs need mixing, same as for laminate, tiles, etc.
Although, in later years, interior material has become very standardised with very little variation in colours.
Differently from the exterior bricks and tiles.

 

[Worcesterman]

That looks like more than pallet variation. The lower half is orange/multi and the upper part is red/multi. I’ve never seen a newly built house wall look like that. Its complete nonsense. How on earth did your builder not notice lol. I think if whoever built that isn’t acknowledging the problem then whats to say they won’t do it again and as such I’d take whatever legal action is required if only to make sure somebody else doesn’t get a dodgy extension. If they admit the mistake and come to an agreement with you to compensate you in some way (it does devalue the house) then I’d just stop looking at it. Its kind of growing on me in a quirky way. Its origonal and a good talking point…. but I am not sure a buyer would see it like that if you came to sell the house.

 

[Mrs S]

Thank you for taking the time to post. Totally totally agree with you on all points. I’m heartbroken and totally stressed out by all of this, they are not accepting responsibility for any of the issues we are raising. Looking likely it will go down a legal route.

 

[Worcesterman]

I think the benefit of going down the legal route is that it helps the builders to come to terms with the mistake that has been made and gives them a chance to reflect on it too. It also allows them to put forwards any reasons for it. As well as that it will help make sure that they don’t do it again and cause themselves and their future customers more stress. You should also claim for the devaluation of your property. Your builder should be insured as it will cost him a bit. But maybe less than repeating the mistake over again.
Its unbelievable how the brick layers hadn’t noticed the orange bricks on one course and then the next ones being red. My guess is that they did notice and that the red coloured bricks are actually a different brick altogether rather than just a different pallet. Maybe ordered in error or order processed wrongly and then the cost of haulage to collect the wrong bricks back and deliver the correct ones was simply too expensive. Perhaps they believed that the colour was close enough and when they had built enough to see how different it looked on the walls it was too late to go back and undo the damage.
Best solution is to work together with a solicitor and with the builders to come to a solution thats fair for everyone and that discovers whats gone on.

 

[Charlie George]

Brick tinting could be used to darken the lighter brick to make it a better match, have seen it done on a job once and was impressed.
https://www.homebuilding.co.uk/advice/brick-tinting

 

[Notch7]

Isn’t it a bit late in the day to be raising this?

those wire cut bricks look just like the ones on my house, I didn’t know you could still get them

 

[Mrs S]

We have raised it and were told they would weather in.. which is why I raised this thread.. this project was anticipated to take 4 months, 8 months later still not finished…