Browse Forums Building A New House 1 Jan 29, 2014 5:11 pm Hi All, I'm new to the forum and was after a second opinion on my face brickwork Our duplex is just at lockup and I'm not happy about the quality of the brickwork. Seems to be defective against the standards in the perpend width, variation and alignment which tends to make it look very average considering the purpose of brick veneer is just an aesthetic cladding I'm very disappointed about this. This is our second build with this builder who is one of the largest project home builders in NSW. I am taking it up with the builder at the moment, but was after others opinions to check that my expectations aren't too high. I'm concerned that it will significantly devalue the house when we go to sell as it looks like very poor workmanship. https://2fg5rq.blu.livefilestore.com/y2pyBzivGG5yjPlNCitnkcNQR8yBDs3DXyFQ4X_HFUA_PrjnfNz8Eln9baWD4E6vnaD53hfh3a0no05oGhCpSTDv41g7KW1fLa4lw0lsrVMock/WP_20140125_002.jpg?psid=1 https://2fg5rq.blu.livefilestore.com/y2pIcGTdx9LB-6veq01yumO4V478DQASa47WO3JLb-3tBDPbMNSltXsuU3Ut-X6AH629PzEbwKsZUvb7_YdtIm2IlqYu_oyAc4gs1SQImtDthU/WP_20140125_003.jpg?psid=1 Re: Defects in Face Brickwork - Project Home Duplex 2Jan 29, 2014 5:24 pm Overall it is not too bad, just a few joins here and there. If the builder doesn't fix it ( easy job, just rake out the offending places and repoint ) it is an easy DIY job. Stewie Re: Defects in Face Brickwork - Project Home Duplex 3Jan 29, 2014 5:48 pm I don't mind the mortar blow outs. Pics maybe don't show it but perpend Joints range from 3mm to 25mm and there is a whole course of bricks where the perps are out of vertical alignment by at least 100mm. Re: Defects in Face Brickwork - Project Home Duplex 4Jan 29, 2014 8:24 pm Lach79, just went through standards and tollerences and found this. IMHO as a supervisor, perps aside, that wall looks like arse. Make them pull it down or render it. Joint Sizes Mortar bed joints are required to be less than 10 mm unless the design specifies another thickness. A different thickness may only be specified after the designer considers the effect on compressive and flexural strength of the masonry. During construction mortar bed joints are allowed to deviate by ± 3mm. Because of poor practice or lack of proper direction some slabs and footings are finished at the wrong height. Mortar joints up to 50 mm thick have been used to get the correct coursing, however, this is not allowed under AS3700. Perpends are to have a minimum design thickness of 5 mm. In structural brickwork perpends may be up to 10 mm thicker than the specified thickness but no thinner. In face brickwork perpends may deviate by ± 5 mm from the average width but in any one wall the maximum difference allowable between any two perpends is 8 mm. The preceding tolerances do not apply in the case of thin bed mortars and perpend tolerances do not apply where perpends are not filled with mortar. ■ Re: Defects in Face Brickwork - Project Home Duplex 5Jan 30, 2014 8:06 am Actually looking at that wall again, I'd have to agree somewhat with mgilla. I didn't realise they were up to 25mm wide which is way too big in comparison to the other courses. They haven't worked their bricks out when they've laid the wall. They should have kept their perps to 10-12mm and end up with a cut brick or compressed their perps a mm each brick to end up with full one at the end of a run. Of course the builder will say " It's within tolerances" Stewie Hi All, I engaged a tradie to install concrete retaining wall 600-800mm high over 32 meters in Victoria. Sleepers are 200*75*2000 mm installed over 17 steel posts. I… 0 6889 1 9464 All 3 items listed are defects and are of concern. Please seek qualified independent inspector and/or legal advice for your state. 1 8203 |