Long Gaps Between Brick and Soffit

[Door7000]

Woody - Agreed. But so busy looking out for more obvious (and ground level) faults that I and the previous owners clearly missed this issue. If it was not for the sudden appearance of insulation we would not have inspected more closely. Must also add that this developer has a whole range of trade issues from brick to roof to window to kitchen fitters to electricians to plumbers to gardens to sewers to decoraters to carpenters - every trade has caused issues to many houses in some way.

Harry, any idea how to clear the obstruction of this air brick?

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

Harry, any idea how to clear the obstruction of this air brick?

I'm not a builder, others on here are better qualified to answer that, but assuming that is a cavity wall - you can replace a snorkel or periscope type vent to replace that. They dog-leg up in the cavity, to appear higher on the outer wall.

 

[catlad]

Air brick bellow ground level wow!

 

[datarebal]

Build a small curb around it .easy enough

 

[catlad]

Yes and then call it a drain!

 

[datarebal]

Call or anything you like ..same idea is often applied if in flood zones. But in this càse just needs to keep the air brick free to flow

 

[^woody^]

As it's a modern house with a concrete suspended floor, the vents are really just to vent any ground or rotting vegetable matter smells, so whilst they should be clear, it's not a biggie if they are not. Unless you're in a radon area, where it would be an issue.

 

[noseall]

As it's a modern house with a concrete suspended floor, the vents are really just to vent any ground or rotting vegetable matter smells, so whilst they should be clear, it's not a biggie if they are not. Unless you're in a radon area, where it would be an issue.

Just plain lazy. Its what telescopic vents are made for so that you can locate the vent just below DPC.

 

[noseall]

In the one image you can clearly see the old mortar bed, so those bricks have been laid and then knocked off (back).

 

[datarebal]

Yep you are right the old mortar is still there. If you zoom a bit

 

[Door7000]

I contacted the developers CS who initially tried to fob off with the 2 year warranty out of date thing. In preparation I had already contacted NHBC and they noted that they only deal with jobs that will cost £1950+. I expect them to turn it down so I will be pressing the developers over this.

They have now come back and state it's a carpentry issue because they believe the soffits have been "pushed up". I can not see how this is true because on the corners where the flat run ____ meets the angle A the soffits seem to be flush with each other

If in that picture the soffit for the walling facing out is pulled down from / to _ then it will not match with the soffit on the left hand side.

Besides, the neighbours have exactly the same configuration of soffitt. They just have the proper row of bricks in the missing section. I have pointed this out to CS but they insist stating the carpenter is going to look at this.

 

[Alastairreid]

They will take the path of least resistance which would be strapping out the wall and leveling the soffit plate....quite acceptable.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

They will take the path of least resistance which would be strapping out the wall and leveling the soffit plate....quite acceptable.

You mean this \| will become this _| ?

 

[Alastairreid]

Possibly, or at least lower to cover the missing course on the wallhead.

 

[Door7000]

Airbricks
I will start a new topic on that issue.

Birds
I used an endoscope cam on a large pole to try and survey the area inside the loft. I could not see any nesting or signs of birds in the loft space but I can here twittering. I wonder if they could be in the ridge capping because at the end of the house in the driveway there is bird crap directly below the apex.

On the gap in the bricks side I did manage to see one fly in and out a few times. I'm no Bill Oddie but it was a blackbird and I read they tend not nest in houses but take bits and nest in the hedges.