Advice broken brick

[titan_uk]

Hi people,

Had Openreach install a new line but the idiot who installed it, despite being told to lay the cable along a ledge went and pushed right through it from the inside out and ended up blowing a brick. Their people sent out someone to inspect it, while I was at work, and they have rang to say it would be hard to replace so they are going to repair it using the brick doctor and that 'you won't notice it had ever been damaged'.

A bit concerned about this as I think it should be replaced. So questions:

Is this a valid method of repair or should it really be replaced?
Would this brick be really that hard to replace from a reclamation yard?
Had trouble describing what the installation guy had done - is there a special term for this 'ledge' ?

 

[stuart45]

Had trouble describing what the installation guy had done - is there a special term for this 'ledge' ?

It's a string course of moulded bricks.

 

[^woody^]

What a stupid place to drill a hole.

A repair, done properly, may well be less obtrusive than a replacement. Perhaps a brick surgeon may be better than a doctor.

I'd have that cable relocated as part of the operation.

 

[CJRatch]

Hi people,

Had Openreach install a new line but the idiot who installed it, despite being told to lay the cable along a ledge went and pushed right through it from the inside out and ended up blowing a brick. Their people sent out someone to inspect it, while I was at work, and they have rang to say it would be hard to replace so they are going to repair it using the brick doctor and that 'you won't notice it had ever been damaged'.

A bit concerned about this as I think it should be replaced.

Don't worry once they've done the repair it'll probably blend in as well as the repair job done above the window.

 

[Ian H]

That’s rough. They did the same to mine but on a less fancy brick.

 

[Dereekoo]

All about H&S, not allowed to stand on ladder and drill inwards hence have to do it from inside/out

 

[noseall]

it'll probably blend in

I used to feel really bad saying that, when building new extensions. So I stopped saying it.

 

[Nige F]

What a stupid place to drill a hole.

.

Sky would have done a better job

 

[^woody^]

Sky would have done a better job

What, blown the full brick and some render too?

I just can't imagine what the bloke was thinking to even drill it there.

Years back, I had to sign a disclaimer and the fitter refused to let me use his drill for "H&S reasons" when I told him not to drill from the inside out. He said he could not drill from the outside in because he might hit a pipe or cables. The wall was new and bare - "might be some in the cavity" he told me with authority, "you can't trust some builders" he added. "In which case" I said, "It wont matter which side you drill from", but he seemed confused. "I built it" I said with a smile "I'll do it, you watch and learn" I said.

 

[Leofric]

If it is 'The Brick Doctor ' he will do a good repair. My house was built with bricks which had fissures as a sort of feature but I thought some were a bit deep and could collect water which could freeze and spall off the face. The housebuilder sent The Brick Doctor and he did an excellent job I thought. He repaired blending in with the bricks. If you have just one brick damaged just let them repair it.
ps I see now it is a shaped string course that is damaged (couldn't have picked a worse place to drill through !) Brick Doctor should be able to fix it.

 

[John D v2.0]

Years back, I had to sign a disclaimer and the fitter refused to let me use his drill for "H&S reasons" when I told him not to drill from the inside out. He said he could not drill from the outside in because he might hit a pipe or cables. The wall was new and bare - "might be some in the cavity" he told me with authority, "you can't trust some builders" he added. "In which case" I said, "It wont matter which side you drill from", but he seemed confused. "I built it" I said with a smile "I'll do it, you watch and learn" I said

Look on the bright side at least he didn't bring up the old chestnut "I've been doing it this way for years and never had an issue before"

 

[titan_uk]

I would just like to say thank you all for your replies. I think I'll let the brick doctor have a go.

'...it'll probably blend in as well as the repair job done above the window....'

I know when the window guys did it I was assured the dye would last for 'a long while'. Well I suppose if you are waiting for a bus, then nearly 3 years is quite a while, on the other hand if you are granite..not so much. Hoping to tap the brick doctor guys while they are here to see what they can do, so if they can, I guess every cloud, etc, etc.

I must say I've only just heard of the site whilst looking for help and spent 2 days reading all the other threads on everything DIY and I'm actually gladdend by the degree of helpfulness and professionalism when responding to questions. Since I'm an old fart who was actually around when all this stuff was on BBS it has restorted my faith in online forums. Thank you all and thank you DIYnot

 

[stuart45]

Black dye does turn grey quite quickly, so you need to make sure the colour is much darker than the existing to start with. Even if it stays a bit darker than the existing it shows up less than when it's lighter.

 

[noseall]

I avoid mortar dye like the plague.

We tend to blend different types of sand to achieve the colour we need.

 

[titan_uk]

I avoid mortar dye like the plague.

We tend to blend different types of sand to achieve the colour we need.

I would've loved that to happen at the start but was assured that not only was it costly but hard to source with the mortar/cement being part mixed ash or something