New brick wall meets old brick wall

[akist]

We have built a new brick wall that joins an existing wall at right angles. Right up to the corner where the two walls meet, by bad design, the brick layouts do not match, so that we have two halves at the same level, and above we have two wholes at the same level etc. I proposed that we cut them vertically and we join them, even with wall ties in between, but I was told that would create a "rip joint", which is not building regs friendly.

What we have done instead is we extended the new wall to go just past the corner with the old wall, and then create a new corner, right up to the old wall and with the right angled bricks trimmed about 1-2cm because that's how it has worked out.

Can you please advise me if this construction is sane? I have drawn a top-down view.

 

[^woody^]

Can you please advise me if this construction is sane?

Totally insane.

What's a rip joint?

 

[akist]

Hmm maybe he used another term...

It is when you join two walls with a vertical join (straight vertical line), rather than with a meshed joint. I do not know the builders terms.

 

[^woody^]

Hmm maybe he used another term...

It is when you join two walls with a vertical join (straight vertical line), rather than with a meshed joint. I do not know the builders terms.

But that's almost every single house extension.

 

[akist]

No wait, in a proper extension you mesh the bricks on the old and new part so the join is jagged. Toothed. You remove the half end bricks on the old part and insert new whole bricks from the new part so the two parts are meshed together like a zip.

 

[^woody^]

No wait, in a proper extension you mesh the bricks on the old and new part so the join is jagged. Toothed. You remove the half end bricks on the old part and insert new whole bricks from the new part so the two parts are meshed together like a zip.

No you don't.

In a proper extension, you need to allow for the extension to move, so toothing is not used, and flexible ties are used instead.

 

[Dereekoo]

Yes you do, why would you want your extension to move

 

[stuart45]

What's the difference between a proper extension and an improper one?

 

[akist]

Improper is what the building inspector rejects.

 

[akist]

And I am still (quite) confused, is what we have done a "rejection" in the eyes of the building inspector? This is crucial for me, because we may have to rebuild the front elevation from scratch if yes.

 

[^woody^]

Yes you do, why would you want your extension to move

Same reason I'd prefer that gravity does not stop me from floating off somewhere, but does so against my will.

 

[^woody^]

What's the difference between a proper extension and an improper one?

Upbringing my good man, upbringing.

 

[^woody^]

And I am still (quite) confused, is what we have done a "rejection" in the eyes of the building inspector? This is crucial for me, because we may have to rebuild the front elevation from scratch if yes.

What do the plans say?

 

[akist]

What do the plans say?

The plans do not show this extra half brick column on the left corner of the front elevation. Is this something the building inspector may take exception on?

 

[Notch7]

Yes you do, why would you want your extension to move

Because house and extension are built at different times, different construction methods, prob different foundation spec.

A flexible joint is therefore best. Known as a 'firfix' in the trade.