My builder has just built the first of a few brick arches on my extension - and I am not impressed. Obviously he's used a wooden former and the arch itself is not too bad, its the way he's run the bricks into the arch either side that looks like a dogs dinner. Instead of cutting the bricks with a stihl saw he's used a hammer to break them. I am thinking of cutting the bricks for him and asking him to replace them. Am I being too critical? I've looked at a lot of arches and no matter what the rise is the bricks can be cut well to accomodate it.
Brick arches
- Thread starter clarebear
- Start date
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Think this should be moved to 'Building' but from a personal point of view;
An arch is a 'feature' and therefore should look right. Brick edges and ends should be absolutely square edged not ragged or it will stick out like a sore thumb and detract from the proposed view of the arch.
I wouldn't offer to cut them for him as you employed him to do the job and do it correctly. Tell him you are not satisfied and you want it done properly or you are not paying and will get someone else to do it.
An arch is a 'feature' and therefore should look right. Brick edges and ends should be absolutely square edged not ragged or it will stick out like a sore thumb and detract from the proposed view of the arch.
I wouldn't offer to cut them for him as you employed him to do the job and do it correctly. Tell him you are not satisfied and you want it done properly or you are not paying and will get someone else to do it.
Invariably if a thing looks right then it is right, you are paying him to do the work for you, if you are not satisfied with the work done, then it's up to him to correct that work to your satisfaction.
Few things stick out more than shoddy brickwork, stick to your guns and insist it's done properly.
Wotan
Few things stick out more than shoddy brickwork, stick to your guns and insist it's done properly.
Wotan
If he's making a complete mess of something so obvious, what else is he cocking up? He's npt going to transform into an ace brickie overnight and you've got to live with the results, do something about it now.
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This may help your understanding, terminology etc ...
I'm sure 'Cwatters' used to post hereabouts... See his arches halfway down page here :- http://www.ebuild.co.uk/forums/messages/3414/10865.html
The above forum provides link to here :-
http://www.gobrick.com/BIA/technotes/t31.htm
-p-
I'm sure 'Cwatters' used to post hereabouts... See his arches halfway down page here :- http://www.ebuild.co.uk/forums/messages/3414/10865.html
The above forum provides link to here :-
http://www.gobrick.com/BIA/technotes/t31.htm
-p-
Says it all really, your "builder" is not a bricky. Very rare they are. Most are jack of all trades. Like someone has mentioned already, what is the rest of his work like that you cant see/no experince of? I see extensions go up and then people think they are up to standard because they are checked by an inspector? These inspectors more often than not are not brickys either, so that says something there.
Everyone thinks they can get away with cavity wall builds, sounds easy, and it is to brickys, even though sometimes the facework by builders is appaling, but they get away with it. When it comes to arches, real brickys come into their own, and thats what proper 4 year apprenticeships used to teach along with loads of other things. It doesnt take 4 years to learn how to build cavity walls!
"Brickys" who call themselves that after 6 months night school who can slap up cavity walls, unfortunately never will be brickys
Everyone thinks they can get away with cavity wall builds, sounds easy, and it is to brickys, even though sometimes the facework by builders is appaling, but they get away with it. When it comes to arches, real brickys come into their own, and thats what proper 4 year apprenticeships used to teach along with loads of other things. It doesnt take 4 years to learn how to build cavity walls!
"Brickys" who call themselves that after 6 months night school who can slap up cavity walls, unfortunately never will be brickys
Is that why knickers are also known as manhole covers?My sons mate is a qualified brickie, spent 5 years appreticeship and been doing it for another 9 and still learning he says.
Done a gate pillar and small section of wall for me about 3 years ago, got it 3/4 of the way up then took it down again as he wasn't happy with the finish. When I said it looked alright to me he said, "Alright is not good enough. This is my trade and my work on show, it has to be right."
He will not settle for second best and now runs his own business with top class tradesmen. You ain't qualified and got a good reputation and work history you don't work for him.
I've sacked him - he had an excuse for everything! It wasn't just the arch, it was lots of other details. the guy couldn't build for toffee. Just another builder with empty promises of quality - unfortunately its these guys that give builders such a bad name. Hopefully the next guy will be the one. The search continues....
the term "builder" should be reduced in meaning..
a "builder" should be the contracts manager that gets all the other trades in as and when needed...
as said, if you don't specialise than you aren't great at anything...
the saying "jack of all trades, master of none" is never a truer word spoken..
a "builder" should be the contracts manager that gets all the other trades in as and when needed...
as said, if you don't specialise than you aren't great at anything...
the saying "jack of all trades, master of none" is never a truer word spoken..
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