Browse Forums Owner Builder Forum 1 Jun 14, 2009 12:31 am Has anyone used double height bricks in order to cut down on costs? Does it actually work out cheaper? Re: Anyone built with Double Height bricks in order to SAVE $$$ 2Jun 14, 2009 12:41 am anything non standard will cost more to lay. Yout also need to consider other thinkgs like door and windows openings. When laying things may not just work out like they should. I have never built with them but you just need to think about the implications on your house. Re: Anyone built with Double Height bricks in order to SAVE $$$ 3Jun 14, 2009 1:00 am We are getting double brick, which is costing $1200 more than the standard brick. The reasons I was told is along the lines of them not actually being a complete double of the normal brick (like 2 bricks in one) which puts the windows out and stuff like that. They need to be cut which could also put things out of whack too, so that would mean the brickies have to use their brains more It ended up making a couple of windows "special" windows ie. non-standard. We just liked the look of them better, so wanted them regardless. Built with New Generation (Summit Homes) We own land!... with a slab on it! Plus a shell of a house with stuff inside ! Re: Anyone built with Double Height bricks in order to SAVE $$$ 4Jun 14, 2009 3:27 am Hi G/T , yes i used them for 1st time (see o/b forum thread "our last o/b & still enjoying...) & it was my wifes choice for our last home....she is the owner i'm her biulder we often joke. We love the 1/2 bond look which meant i spent every day with brickies cutting bricks (rediculous situation) BUT as nice as they look i would NEVER build with them again & was so warned by 2 builders i know well, but had to find out the hard way as follows:- 1) they don't fit any normal running 1/2 bond (ie they run a 1/3 bond not 1/2bond) which i recon 1/3 looks terrible like the brickie lost his way!!! the normal bond doesn't run around a corner. 2) if u want a brickie to run a normal 1/2 bond expect to either be on site with a brick saw or buy all sorts of "snaps" (1/3 bricks) & 1/2 bricks at very expensive prices. 3) they sell the "snaps" & 1/2's as whole bricks, which have a brake line on them, which when brickie hits with trowel r meant to break on that line - most don't & u waste a lot of expensive bricks or u have to cut them to make sure. 4) brickies will lay them in 1/3 bond but many want extra if u want 1/2 bond. 5) IMO they r rubbish bricks - being 90mm wide they r bigger length way (290mm) higher (160mm) then sit on SMALLER base !!!!! IMO no where near as stable as a good many 100's years tested 8" X 4" brick that has stable width base' 6) IMO they r brittle - we lost dozens of bricks with cracks thru centre core that brickie rightly wouldn't use - when i complained they said "just how these r made" 7) u have to be aware of different lintel sizes & door frame sizes. viii) if u r building d/brick & use similar inside, u really should buy a heap of longreach 1/2 heaight (290mm long X i think 76mm high) to get extra strength over any opening ie doors & windows - again look at the earlier pics of my build & u will see how i did this simply to get strength into a brick house - a contadiction in terms!!! 9) there might be a small saving in laying, which can quickly get lost in having the brickie put extra cement in the morter to make it stronger & either hire brick cutter......luckily i was lent a brick cutter by a retired tradesman who said "u'll need one of these" when we said we were going that way - he was right! i hate them......even at my later stage of life, if i built again & if my wife wanted them again, i think after 40 years of marrage i'd be changing wivies rather than use these bricks if u r going to use them, talk very, very carefully to ur brickie, make sure he has used them b4, be prepared to pay for brick cutting & make sure ur brickie puts in extra strong morter mix - when i'm drilling into them i try to get holes into morter rather than bricks for simple strength - thats not the case with normal clinkers!!!!! hope this makes u more aware of just the nice look, & i was warned..... cheers tony Re: Anyone built with Double Height bricks in order to SAVE $$$ 5Jun 14, 2009 12:01 pm Thank you all for your valuable feedback. I think we will just stick to standard size bricks then I've just had a look at the website. The company are just building broker's. There are plenty of similar companies that basically draw your plans (they own them so you… 8 4377 I am new to this forum so please bear with me. An NCAT order was breach by our neighbour regarding a retaining wall dispute. He is the owner of a building company and he… 0 2064 Hi All, we are starting to think of building with Masterpiece Builders in Victoria, has anyone had any feedback or experience with them 0 7456 |