Bad brick - unsure

[Himesh]

Hi All,

Im in the process of getting a large extension done, all the ground work has been done and the brick work has started. At the rear we are building a single storey extension.

So the builder has completed most of the brickwork at the back but i have noticed gaps\missing mortar on one wall, which is next to the fence. He has advised that he cant do pointing as there is no space but i would not expect missing mortar. Am i correct in saying his?

Please have a look at the pictures, any help would be appreciated.

 

[noseall]

WTF! Why didn't the builder remove next doors fence panels and build it properly with a weather pointed finish?

Having to lay overhand is horrible and is impossible to get a good finish. However, your man has made no attempt to point the brickwork at all.

 

[Himesh]

Thanks for yiur reply. Next door have got plants, so would be very hard for him to remove the fence.

Am i correct in saying that he should redo the wall or ask him to somehow point it. Will the gaps cause issues?

 

[noseall]

Am i correct in saying that he should redo the wall or ask him to somehow point it.

I find it astonishing that there was not a conversation about it in the first place. Yes, he needs to do something about it because it looks awful and is not pointed to a weathering finish. What was agreed when he was building it?

Will the gaps cause issues?

​

The unsheltered bits of the wall, yes. However, the weather conditions that could affect the wall are rare and the problems that can occur are usually slow moving as well as those conditions being slow to manifest because of the cavity wall construction.

Not the point though - it looks horrendous.

 

[Himesh]

As a builder i thought he would make sure this is done. All the other walls are pointed and no gaps, just this wall. I guess he throught he would get away with it, as you cant really see it. I think i will get him to take this wall down and redo it. Hopfully he agrees

Thanks for your advise and help!

 

[cdbe]

Mine is similar, I built and jointed it overhand - hard work and you need your working platform at exactly the right height.

In your case I think your builders will need to have a polite conversation with your neighbours. Mine have been a bit negative about the extension so I decided best not to bother them, but I think now the wall is there they've come round a bit - when I was hanging over doing the fascia and guttering she said I was welcome to come into their garden if I needed to.

 

[Himesh]

Are you able to send me some pictures from the side? want to show my builder an example of what it should be like.

 

[HERTS P&D]

Thanks for your reply. Next door have got plants, so would be very hard for him to remove the fence.

He should of removed the panels, built the wall then fitted new panels, that way your neighbour would of being happy with a new panel/s and you would of got a quality job for little extra cost.

Andy

 

[Himesh]

Yes agree he should have done this but now it been built. Its only about 2m wall, so going to ask him to rebuild it correctly.

 

[cdbe]

Are you able to send me some pictures from the side? want to show my builder an example of what it should be like.

The side is done to the same standard as the end that you can see. You just have a lazy or rubbish builder - even the pointing to the accessable area in your last picture looks a bit rough. As stated above, being realistic and reasonable you would be far better pursuing repair via the neighbours garden - on the whole, the beds seem to be not too bad with the perps needing attention. Also, you need to be aware that the pile of mortar droppings at the bottom may be breaching your dpc. I have a strip of polythene formed into a trough at the bottom of my wall to catch it all which I'll pull out.