Brickwork quality

[Rocky1000]

Hi all, I just wanted to ask some advice please. I've recently had builders start on a single storey rear extension and they have just now started laying the bricks for DPC, however I'm a little bit concerned about the quality of the bricklaying as there appear to be many gaps in the mortar joints, is this normal or should I be concerned???

Any thoughts appreciated!

 

[^woody^]

The joints will/can be filled when pointing. Better brickies would perhaps have filled them more when laying, but it's not a big issue

The bigger issue is that they look to be twice as wide as they should be - 10mm.

 

[Rocky1000]

Hi Woody, many thanks for your reply, I was also wondering about the width of the gaps but wasn't sure, do you think a building inspector would sign this off???

 

[stuart45]

Put a photo of the face side on.

 

[tony1851]

Are they going to use insulating blocks for the inner skin?

 

[Rocky1000]

Hi, I'm not sure to be honest, I will need to ask them, the external finish is meant to be a render.

Thanks

 

[chris_o]

Just seems a bit odd to me. So is this just up to dpc? Seems pretty high for that. If they're using those engineering bricks for the whole thing then that's ridiculous.

If it's being rendered on the outside you should be using blocks, then can use celcons on the inside.

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

What's with the polystyrene on some of the pics?

 

[tomfe]

I've seen a lot worse, for the inner skin it's fine.
How many packs of bricks have they got on site?
The EPs might be used as a clay board or they dug the founds too wide.

 

[stuart45]

If they are supposed to be using claymaster it should be coloured rather than white.

 

[Rocky1000]

Hi all, thanks for the comments, the inspector made us dig twice the planned depth, so went from 1.2m to 2.4m because of clay soil and there are a couple of fern trees nearby, yes that is meant to be claymaster but I assume its some other variety as its white, I'm not that clued up on it to be honest.

That level is meant to be DPC, it might appear a bit high but the rear of the building is slightly raised so the floor level is about another row of brick above what you see, the vent bricks are meant to be going up next and yes from that point it will be block work and rendered.

I have quizzed them about things however my knowledge is limited, they said the internal brick work is sufficient as its just an internal skin and will be recessing the area below the DPC by 15mm to create a weather lip and rendering with bead, not 100% sure what all that means.

They are also debating whether to do block n bean floor or a concrete floor, not sure if there much benefit of one over the other though.

Many thanks!

 

[tomfe]

Are you sure you had a brick layer in, the perps are terrible.
Those bricks will be on show and should have been at cleaned off as well.
I'd have reduced the external skin dpc height and rendered down closer to the ground, i don't like to see a lot of brick on rendered houses.

 

[HERTS P&D]

Do they speak English?

Andy

 

[Rocky1000]

lol...yes the boss speaks English but workers are Romanian. I do kind of trust them as I've seem a couple of their other projects and they were good finishes, I'm guessing there is anything majorly wrong then the building inspector won't be signing it off.

 

[^woody^]

I'm guessing there is anything majorly wrong then the building inspector won't be signing it off.

That's a very common mistaken assumption people have with the building control service. The inspector is only checking limited conformity with the narrow set of building regualtions. They do not check that work is up to other British or other Standards and do not check quality.

That work would not be acceptible to any clerk of works or other person working for the interests of the client.