Wall (Main + Extension) not lining up

T

timsterboss

Joined
6 Sep 2022
Messages
23
Reaction score
0
Country
United Kingdom
We are in the process of buying a property and this seems to be a problem raised by a surveyor and we would like to resolve it.
The extension was built on the main building but the joint bricks do not align. After speaking with a builder been told this is not possible.

As bricks are sticking out on the joint, is this not possible to fix? maybe do the brickwork parts and parts and make them aligned smoothly? There are cracks on the joints but does not deem serious (structurally)?

Any inputs would much appreciated. Thanks
 
Last edited:
Looks like the extension has been built at a slight angle from the original building. There may be a good reason for this such as maintaining access to the side of the property. The fascia also appears to be butt jointed at this location.

It shouldn't be a problem.
 
Thanks for all your comments.

True, I never thought about knocking the whole wall down.. So I guess it's not possible to align them without knocking the whole wall down?

As seen on the floor plan below and as RonnyRaygun mentioned, it's been built at an angle because of access to the garage. Would it be necessary to monitor those cracks where the walls join? They seem to be stable but it's been re-pointed and may crack again.
Not sure if this is going to cause problems when we sell the house in the future...

"The fascia also appears to be butt jointed at this location" is that not a good thing?
 
Last edited:
Any cracks are due to differential movement of the two structures over the years, not the fact that the wall is slightly angled. It’s pretty common, the slight angled kick in the wall probably just accentuates it a bit visually.
 
Thanks all for the comments, really appreciate your help.

The surveyor mentioning the walls were poorly built but when looking at the floor plan the angle had to be adjusted so that the garage can be accessible. I am not sure if it is actually poorly built or the surveyor did not look the floor plan.

Hmm I guess nothing can be done in this case.. if the walls have been repointed and crack up again does it mean the differential movement is ongoing and require structural engineer?
 
Thanks, that's more assuring. The surveyor said the movement is due a settlement of the extension with the poor construction.. but surely need to be angled so I was confused.

Birdsmouth? Do you mean the roof where the fascia is?
 
Ornithology references can apply to brickwork too! Bonding bricks on an angle like that without a special angled brick is called a birdsmouth

Extensions/house connections do settle and do crack. In fact, it's actually less common to find one that has not cracked to some degree.

If your numpty surveyor is citing "poor construction" in a report then he should be qualifying that and stating what the poor construction is. And again, "poor construction" is not "unsuitable construction", so it's a bit of a pointless phrase unless it's qualified with the reasons as to why it is poor and the relevance of that to the buyer.
 
There are special bricks that can be bent to shape if soaked in a bucket of water for a week. Known in the trade as benders. Similar to red rubbers which are rubbed to shape.
There are also bird bricks which can be built into the wall. These are designed to take your eye off the rough brickwork with birds flying in and out.
www.bing.com

bird bricks - Bing

Intelligent search from Bing makes it easier to quickly find what you’re looking for and rewards you.
www.bing.com www.bing.com
 
Last edited:
^woody^ said:
Extensions/house connections do settle and do crack. In fact, it's actually less common to find one that has not cracked to some degree.
Click to expand...
Reassuring thanks!!

^woody^ said:
Ornithology references can apply to brickwork too! Bonding bricks on an angle like that without a special angled brick is called a birdsmouth
Click to expand...
So there is a solution to get the angles worked out but I guess this is costly and no point in terms of structural changes, and only just for visual effects.
Yeah, poor construction seems wrong since it survived for decades.

stuart45 said:
There are special bricks that can be bent to shape if soaked in a bucket of water for a week. Known in the trade as benders. Similar to red rubbers which are rubbed to shape.
There are also bird bricks which can be built into the wall. These are designed to take your eye off the rough brickwork with birds flying in and out.
Click to expand...
This idea sounds great too thanks
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top