Is this brickwork/porch OK?

somedream · 23 Apr 2020

Hello!

I've recently (well, 3-4 weeks ago now, just before lockdown....) I had a recommended builder start our porch. Old, rotten, wooden porch has been taken down and this started. It's been like this for a couple of weeks now as apparently the builder couldn't get more bricks due to the lockdown, anyway I've only just had a proper look at it and it seems the joints are a bit thick? Also, should a wall tie thing have been used on the other side too, they only used it on one side?

The idea is to have it single brick, plasterboarded inside, window join next to the bay window (bricks ontop - not cladding), and a lean-to (?) roof. Also a small opening window on the top left side wall.

Quite new to any "major" building, but trying to learn as much as I can for future projects! And obviously also make sure this builder is doing the job correctly..

Thanks for any advice upfront!

somedream · 23 Apr 2020

Additional photos for which wouldn't upload in the first post for some reason.

Mobo_14 · 23 Apr 2020

Couple of things that stand out right away are the jointing the bonding and the lack of ties or a wall starter if you think he hasn’t put them in.

All in all without sounding too harsh, it looks a pretty poor job.

on first impressions I wouldn’t be recommending this guy to build anything.

stuart45 · 23 Apr 2020

It's rough work, wasn't done by a time served bricklayer, that's for sure.

somedream · 23 Apr 2020

Mobo_14 said:
Couple of things that stand out right away are the jointing the bonding and the lack of ties or a wall starter if you think he hasn’t put them in.

All in all without sounding too harsh, it looks a pretty poor job.

on first impressions I wouldn’t be recommending this guy to build anything.

Hey, thanks for your feedback. There is a wall starter used on the left hand side joint to the existing wall (if facing the house) but none on the right hand side (under the window) - I'm guessing there should be on there too?

This is the joining on either side, there's the wall starter on one, but the entire jointing doesn't look great..

Mobo_14 · 23 Apr 2020

somedream said:
Hey, thanks for your feedback. There is a wall starter used on the left hand side joint to the existing wall (if facing the house) but none on the right hand side (under the window) - I'm guessing there should be on there too?

Should be some sort of tie both sides yeah. To be fair though looking at the brickwork that’s the least of your worries I wouldn’t be asking him to finish the job anyway.

A decent bricky will have that taken down and back up to the same height in a couple of hours I’d wreckon that’s your best option

somedream · 23 Apr 2020

Mobo_14 said:
Should be some sort of tie both sides yeah. To be fair though looking at the brickwork that’s the least of your worries I wouldn’t be asking him to finish the job anyway.

A decent bricky will have that taken down and back up to the same height in a couple of hours I’d wreckon that’s your best option

Sorry what would be the other major issues?

I've already paid £850 (20% of total price ) for the foundations he dug and laid and for removing the old porch - So would *prefer* for him to carry on, but withhold some of the final payment unless it's absolutely perfect.

Mobo_14 · 23 Apr 2020

Well if your happy enough for him to carry on that’s your call.

major issues are the bonding pointing and lack of ties.
Leading to a potentially unsafe structure

and without sounding like a total knob your not going to get anywhere near to perfect judging on his work.

garyo · 23 Apr 2020

Are you going to paint it all cream to match the rest of the house? If so then it may not look *that* bad in the end. Those kind of smudges on the faces of the bricks and dreadful tooling on the joints are beyond rookie - it's like he's not even trying to make it neat.

cdbe · 23 Apr 2020

How can any kind of "tradesman" stand back at the end of the day and consider that to be a good days work, although I think some people think it's some kind of rustic/shabby chic sort of look. Shameful. Mind you for over £4,000 I doubt he cares.
If you believe (and it's probably unlikely) that the foundations have been done properly then you could argue that what you have paid so far is vaguely worth it but don't let him carry on, I dread to think of the bodges when he gets to that bay window and the roof.
Write if off and employ a builder.

stuart45 · 23 Apr 2020

The pointing style on the front is Weather struck and cut, and it looks like he tried to copy that style at the start, but found it too difficult and went over to the rounded type which is a bit easier.
Garyo, I think I can remember your brickwork being a lot better than this. You would expect a pro to be at least as good.

johnny2007 · 23 Apr 2020

This guy is a very messy bricklayer.
Wall starters are a must for porches and they've gone down in price with time, so no reason not to use them.
I would have personally finish the porch wall on the inside so to have square cut bricks rather than angled, easier window fitting with a upvc pillar and a small sill to put a plant pot on the side bay window which will end up being internal.
Also, never been a fan of single brick structures, I have seen too many of them fail in my days.
For the sake of an extra grand I would always insist on double skin insulated.
That way you could even have the rustic interior look of exposed bricks, but seeing how messy this guy is, maybe that would be a bad idea.

noseall · 23 Apr 2020

somedream said:
Thanks for any advice upfront!

OMFG!

23vc · 23 Apr 2020

3 pointing styles for the price of one, what you all moaning about?

^woody^ · 23 Apr 2020

I think people are being too harsh. It's nothing a stick of dynamite would not sort out.

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Is this brickwork/porch OK?

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