Unfinished project...

[limerockconstruction]

Chaps - i've just been to see an unfinished project - builder went bankrupt on them 3 years ago. Half of a double brickwork extension, thermalites on the inside - bad cracks throughout the blockwork, timber work that is in looks shot to pieces, windows in wrong place.

Would you finish the project? They've apparently got a letter from an Engineer about 2 years ago saying it was sound to build off of, however give the recent winters we've had, i'd be a bit cautious about the relevance of the report.

I just wondered if you more experienced builders would consider finishing someone else's dirty work

 

[jeds]

Don't know about that. If it's that bad it would probably cost as much to repair as re-build. And repairing would be much greater risk of future issues for you and client.

 

[noseall]

Any timber items that have been exposed for a number of years will probably need replacing.

The masonry should be ok, perhaps the uppermost courses may need addressing. However the issues regarding openings and having to do a lot of knocking about will mean either a real shoddy looking extension, or it may be financially wiser to start again from low down.

The foundations, if they were ok initially, will be no worse off now. The drains may just need flushing.

 

[limerockconstruction]

On one of the walls there is a vertical crack that runs straight down through the blockwork - and like you say noseall, the top 2 therm courses are green with mould!

 

[^woody^]

If the wall with the vertical crack is aerated block, then it will be normal shrinkage and not a structural issue. Building around/over it will strengthen it

If walls are rocking, then consider rebuilding

 

[rxbren]

might need a new structural report
if the openings are on the wrong places you may as well knock down whats there and start fron dpm