Joint thickness

[pgtips]

Hi

Some sanity check please.

Our builder has just downed tools. Costs were ballooning and we wanted to know why but the final straw, his final walk off argument, is it's our fault we can't make up our mind and keep interfering.

Long story short do 7.3 concrete blocks need thicker joint. ?

We'd agreed the height of our garden retaining wall, he laid 3 blocks on the floor without cement and the surface brick on top for the decorative effect. The height looked ok. I assumed the joints would be about 10mm so +40mm was good.

He's actually laid the blocks using joints an inch thick, over 3 courses + the to brick that's way higher than we wanted.

Last night I got home and realised it was not what we wanted so as the top block was laid on it's side ( top layer of decorative bricks not laid) and the joint was still wet I figured as that matched the height we wanted then take the top off

He'd only laid 20 blocks so I did it, took them off, cleaned it up well and ensured all was ok.
And now as a positive there's 2/3 less blocks to lay.

He came in this morning and went nuts. I took today off because I knew this would happen and didn't want my wife here on her own.

He said the joints have to be thicker to support the heavier block.... so I asked why, houses aren't built with thick cement at the bottom.

Keep interfering, don't understand, etc...

So if I'm wrong please tell me. I hate this conflict.

Pg

 

[securespark]

A picture would help explain the situation.

 

[^woody^]

Cement mortar joints can be between 6 and 15mm, but nominally 10mm. This is to allow for variances in the brick or block dimension so as to keep an overall even guage per course.

25mm joints may not be visually acceptable, but may be OK structurally. But the builder's reasoning for such joints is wrong.

Whether you are a meddling client, is unknown, we'd need more detail.

 

[pgtips]

Thank you. I will upload images shortly.

 

[stevie888]

Pure unadulterated BS by the builder re the joint thickness

I would suggest however that "way higher" to describe 60mm in the context of a garden wall is rather OTT. TBH there sounds as if there's an element of swings and roundabouts here!!

 

[pgtips]

So measured the joints are between 32mm and 39mm.
Wall was originally going to have another laying down block on top then a facing brick to achieve the level required but the thickness of 4 joints ( there would have been another above and below the laying down block) world have added as much as let's say 4x35 = 140mm.

It was viewed/planned to be 1 brick above the grass level. If I hadn't taken off the top block it would have been another 100mm higher. (allowing for the planned 10mm ish joint thickness). That's a whole brick/block.

He said it needed to be thicker as they were heavy blocks.

I removed the blocks that were laying down. The concrete slab was one of the joins. I left it smooth, brushed and clean. 20 blocks had to come off.

It's all very uncomfortable but I've got to live with it for many years. By not having the extra layer of blocks there's now 2/3 less top to lay. I haven't asked for any reduction in price by the way in case someone thinks that's the case.

 

[StephenStephen]

Hi

Some sanity check please.

Our builder has just downed tools. Costs were ballooning and we wanted to know why but the final straw, his final walk off argument, is it's our fault we can't make up our mind and keep interfering.

Long story short do 7.3 concrete blocks need thicker joint. ?

We'd agreed the height of our garden retaining wall, he laid 3 blocks on the floor without cement and the surface brick on top for the decorative effect. The height looked ok. I assumed the joints would be about 10mm so +40mm was good.

He's actually laid the blocks using joints an inch thick, over 3 courses + the to brick that's way higher than we wanted.

Last night I got home and realised it was not what we wanted so as the top block was laid on it's side ( top layer of decorative bricks not laid) and the joint was still wet I figured as that matched the height we wanted then take the top off

He'd only laid 20 blocks so I did it, took them off, cleaned it up well and ensured all was ok.
And now as a positive there's 2/3 less blocks to lay.

He came in this morning and went nuts. I took today off because I knew this would happen and didn't want my wife here on her own.

He said the joints have to be thicker to support the heavier block.... so I asked why, houses aren't built with thick cement at the bottom.

Keep interfering, don't understand, etc...

So if I'm wrong please tell me. I hate this conflict.

Pg

Personally I'd have called or texted diplomatically that evening first, rather than just undone his work and let him find out by seeing it - going about it as you did is frankly a little humiliating.

I have had to undo tradesmen's work in the evening before, but I'm very apologetic and diplomatic when I let them know.

 

[danfre]

Is there a reason the joints are not staggered?

 

[pgtips]

Personally I'd have called or texted diplomatically that evening first, rather than just undone his work and let him find out by seeing it - going about it as you did is frankly a little humiliating.

I have had to undo tradesmen's work in the evening before, but I'm very apologetic and diplomatic when I let them know.

I didn't mention that in the post but I did.

Left a voice message and text, I'm not that crass but it's a good point. I wouldn't like it either.

 

[Koolpc]

He ain't no builder...be glad he has gone...don't have him back .. terrible job

 

[noseall]

So measured the joints are between 32mm and 39mm.
Wall was originally going to have another laying down block on top then a facing brick to achieve the level required but the thickness of 4 joints ( there would have been another above and below the laying down block) world have added as much as let's say 4x35 = 140mm.

It was viewed/planned to be 1 brick above the grass level. If I hadn't taken off the top block it would have been another 100mm higher. (allowing for the planned 10mm ish joint thickness). That's a whole brick/block.

He said it needed to be thicker as they were heavy blocks.
View attachment 418121

View attachment 418122

I removed the blocks that were laying down. The concrete slab was one of the joins. I left it smooth, brushed and clean. 20 blocks had to come off.
View attachment 418123

It's all very uncomfortable but I've got to live with it for many years. By not having the extra layer of blocks there's now 2/3 less top to lay. I haven't asked for any reduction in price by the way in case someone thinks that's the case.

JEEZUS!

Those blocks have not been laid by a bricklayer.

Sack him off - swiftly.