Brickwork below dpc

[Sp14]

The brickwork beneath dpc was rendered , this was all blown , I have removed , leaving the brickwork exposed there's about 4/5 courses below dpc , which is in pretty poor state. I am reasonable competent ref brick laying so the options iam thinking of are , either to gradually chop out all the bricks and replace with Engineer bricks as I go ( iam guessing pretty time consuming. Or put a new skin of bricks in front of the existing then put a bevelled brick to finish just below dpc.... Or I have read about sticking brick slips on although iam not sure of the longevity of this or if it's correct thing to do.... Any advise please .... If I do put a skin of bricks where can I get bevelled finish bricks from? Dpc course is lead and in good condition all bricks above are sound. Need best option to tidy it up ,
Many thanks

 

[stuart45]

If I do put a skin of bricks where can I get bevelled finish bricks from?
Many thanks

Do you mean plinth bricks?
http://www.brickselector.co.uk/Special-Bricks-Details.asp?subcat=53

 

[tony1851]

Neither of those methods (ie sticking on brick slips, or building a separate skin finished with plinth bricks) would be a worthwhile solution.
As well as not solving the problem (and possibly making it worse), it would be highlighted by a surveyor if you sell the house.
Correct way is to replace with frost-resistant bricks, a small bit at a time. Time-consuming and laborious - yes - but the only long-term solution.

 

[^woody^]

Anything stuck on will fall back off.

It depends if the "poor state" is visually or structurally. Repointing may be enough. Replacement would be extreme.

The damage may be from the render, and won't get any worse.

 

[Sp14]

Many thanks for the advise guys. The bricks are well past just pointing in so its looking like a full replacement job . I can work my way through it slowly .. Tony /woody out of interest I posted the same question on another site and advice there is re render ? So a little confused as apparently rendering below dpc was common if poor quality bricks were used.... I would prefer to do it once correctly even if it does take me a while and cost more. Further question guys . What's the best plan of attack as regards removing how many at a time ? Working on a single row or in a complete vertical section.?

Appreciate the advice us thank you

 

[tony1851]

Rendering below the dpc if poor quality bricks were used would make them break down even faster; the damp rising from the ground would be trapped between the dpc and the render.

I would do it in vertical sections, perhaps two-brick lengths at a time, replacing the dpc as you go with new lengths.

 

[^woody^]

I'd try for four bricks at a time

 

[tony1851]

Make it three and you've got a deal.

 

[Sp14]

3 sounds like the plan .... just a thought... the DPC is slate, when i get up to the level below the slate, is it a case of being cautious ?, is it worth slipping in as well as the slate some modern DPC strips ?
Also , house was built 1952 so imperial bricks, if iam doing the whole lot gradually over the summer, could i get away with modern Engineering bricks ? or get have to source some imperial Engineering Bricks. ?. I have had an extension on the rear , so the DPC bricks are modern ones there , if i use Modern ones for the replacements, it would match the whole plinth under the DPC..

Cheers guys

 

[tony1851]

You can get 73mm class B engineering bricks, which should do.
Slate dpc? Hmm - tricky if you're not careful. Suggest some strips of flexible dpc as you go along, just incase.

 

[^woody^]

Sometimes, you can just turn the bricks around.