Collapsing Bricks - advice required urgently!

Hi - I'm new to the site, I have been advised to join this forum by my son-in-law about a problem that my husband and I are having.

Two years ago we paid a builder to build a elevated brick balcony onto our mobile home.

After last winter (08/09) we contacted the builder about what appeared to be salt coming out in the bricks which was affecting the cement.

He repointed some of the brickwork and said there was nothing that could be done about the salt.

Then last summer we called him back again because the slabs on top were uneven. He told us that the problem was with the hard core and that the slabs had sunk a bit.

He came back in October time to remove the slabs, he took some of the top row of bricks off, then replaced them, did what ever he had to do with the hard core inside and replaced the slabs.

It was in February when we noticed that the repointing was all coming out and that the cement was crumbling underneath.

Some of the bricks can actually be moved. We once more called the builder back who told us that the bricks were a bad batch and he could not be held responsible - he advised us to have it taken down and rebuilt at our own cost!!

If you look at the pebbles around the balcony you will see the repointing which has fallen out.

This structure which is about 7.5D x 8W x 2.5H (feet) is single brick and filled with hardcore.

We do not feel that we are responsible for the rebuilding costs and want him to foot the bill. We are quite prepared to give him the option of taking it down and rebuilding before we seek legal action but any advice that anyone can give us would be very welcome.

I've attached several photos of the balcony - hopefully these will help.

Sheila

PICS ABOVE

I'm not a builder,, but a single brick/skin structure, 2' 6" high, fully filled with hardcore/compacted, would surely put a lot of pressure on the actual brick structure itself, forcing it outwards.

I'm a sparky not a builder so any advice is just what I've picked up here and there..

the bricks and slabs moving is likely down to frost. the hardcore under the slabs gets saturated ( as evidensed by the salt leeching out ) and freezes, which expands and presses against the wall and the rest of the hardcore..
when it thaws it all shifts back and the hardcore may shift back slightly differently making it more compact etc..

same can be said for the mortar.. as the water in the hardcore is seeping through the mortar and bricks and again freezing it's trashing the mortar..

the re-pointing is falling out because it's not deep enough..

Did you see the foundations being laid? Sounds / looks like the whole thing is sinking.
Not the best brickwork I've ever seen either.....
Hope you didn't pay much for it.

Builders build dozens of things like this, without any proper design, all over the country and the majority survive with no problem. Every now and again though things go wrong and the thing starts to fall to bits.

First of all you need to establish exactly why it has failed, and for that you need expert input. My advice is get a report from a chartered building surveyor or a structrual engineer. You need to know what has caused the failure and what the remedy is? If it turns out to be poor design, incorrect mortar, or a bad batch of bricks then it's down to the builder. If it's bricks then it's still down to the builder and he will have to claim from his supplier.

When you know the problem, consult your solicitor for advice. Most likely you will write and tell the builder what has caused the problem and give them 6 weeks to re-build or whatever is advised. If they do not then you will need to have it done by others and recover the costs from them.

There may also be sulphates in the hard core.

From looking at your photos, all that is wrong with your brickwork is efflorescence, caused because the area acts like a sump and fills with water seeping through the cracks in the slab joins which then allow salts in the water etc to travel through to the brickwork. If the inside face of the bricks had been sealed (2 coats of bitumen or tanked) and weep holes installed, the problem would have been greatly reduced. As already said, if old mortar wasn't raked at least 15mm it'll fall out again. Unfortunately, you will always have the efflorescence, it's either a case of knocking it all down (sod that) or perhaps you could build another brick course in front of the existing one and leave a cavity and ensure both are tied into each other. If you were to paint the brickwork, this also would come off in places where the damp/efflorescence pushes the paint layer away.

Sheila, Read your post numerous times, and decided it was one to stay well away from due to so many unknown factors. However also read your son-in-laws post and found out that you are pensioners, so decided to try and advise you providing you give me the
following information.
You say the work was carried out in 08. what month?
You say you called the builder back in 09 after seeing the appearance of soluble salts. What month?
Had any of the pointing blown out of wall then?
If not why did he do any pointing?
You say the wall is single brick. this is 215mm wide. A half brick skin is 102.5 wide. Please confirm width
He re-laid slabs in October 09. Correct?
It was in February this year that you noticed pointing all coming out. Correct?
Are the other sides the same condition as shown in photos?
Is the fall to the slabs from mobile home to-wards the wall shown in photo?
Are the joints to the slabs butt jointed or have they got a sand and cement joint between them?
Do the slabs finish at the edge of the brickwork, or is their a overhang?
You say hardcore fill. This normally means brick hardcore. Was it old broken bricks used or MOT a material that is a mixture of stone and fines?
Finally, did you get a written quote, did you get an invoice and receipt for payment when complete, did you pay in cash?
Give me as much info as you can, and I will come back to you.
old un.

Have to agree with DIYedboy.

I'd suggest the biggest problem is the inability of any water landing on the surface flags and seeping through to escape below. The water will saturate down and at least some of it will end up soaking onto and through the brickwork. As it's a single skin of brickwork there's no cavity for the water to drain into and away to ground. The net result is that the water is pulling salts out of the brickwork (not a structural issue) and spalling the mortar. Effectively the brickwork walls are forming a well for the rainwater landing on the patio.

The re-pointing carried out isn't working as the rake out is, as mentioned, far too shallow.

I don't think it's a structural problem, more cosmetic but obviously that's just my opinion.

One solution may be to drill and place weepholes along the brickwork to let some moisture out. A system such as Flexiseal http://www.riw.co.uk/flexiseal.htm might work but I'd speak to a specialist and see. This may give you a base to paint on that prevents moisture coming through.

Theoldun has it nailed this time fellas, a few photos aren`t enough to analyse all of the probs on this build, but answers to his questions will lead to a good understanding of most of them.
Basics seem to have been missed in the build from start to finish.Re;-
Foundations, Single brick or single skin, drainage/weep holes, hardcore fill, brick choice, was it fairy liquid or plastersiser, slab fall, specification and paper contract.

2929, Nice to meet some one who looks left, looks right, looks left again before crosssing road.
Makes for a lot less accidents.
Bless yer. old un

I would like to thank everyone for their helpful comments.

We have now had a visit from a local building surveyor who has outlined what is wrong - as soon as we receive his written report we will put his findings on here.

Our next step will be to contact the builder and offer him the chance to either rectify the problems. If he still wont accept responsibility we will be taking him to court..............

Watch this space

Sheila

You cant beat old school-Hey I still got a guy waving a red flag in front of my van!

2929. You must still be very young, all i've got is an horse and 32 tonne cart.
old un.