Brickie

I don’t have a scientific background,but a product which claims to inhibit the ingress of moisture in one direction whilst simultaneously allowing egress in the other direction seems too good to be true.

Personally,I quite like a bit of dental and dog toothing,in the middle course of a 3 course projection,in a contrasting brick.

I’m doing footings at the moment with a guy who’s been doing them 20 yrs plus.Unless the water is entering with other services through the same void,he just leaves a 140mm approx gap in the first course of blocks & spans across it with a block on the next course.

Where did you get them from & how much? (If that’s not too nosey!)

Used them many times pal.

Not in a million years would I trust one of those formers to stay true & plumb as the wall goes up.

The pictures you’ve posted are of footings. The outer leaf will have face brickwork up to dpc.

Your patio level is what’s known as ‘level threshold’-there’s no step up into the house as there would have been traditionally. The lower dpc shown should be a continuous barrier all the way around the building, at that level,on both skins of masonry. A level threshold presents a risk that rain splash will affect the wall above dpc level (not having the standard 150mm clearance from ground level) & so an additional dpc is installed,extending a minimum 1m past the raised ground level & lapping down to meet the dpc lower down.

Same in West Sussex-I’m getting contacted at least 3 times a week to see if I’m available. I feel there is a market correction coming sooner or later though.

We once ran a Silo virtually dry & the colour changed considerably darker. The rep told us the opposite-that the last knockings of powder are cement-rich which gave the difference in tone.

Haven’t used it for a few years & so you only remember the problems as time passes... With the retarder it can be like soup when delivered so Monday mornings can be a stress as it’s unlikely you have anything usable left from the previous week. Towards the end of its time it can need knocking up a lot (especially in summer) so it’s worth spinning it in the mixer for a bit. No colour variation is an obvious plus & I believe there are firms who’ll deliver as little as one tub,though I imagine you pay over the odds for that amount.

What a strange figure to arrive at. Bricklayers hard to get hold of down here (West Sussex) right now. I must get a minimum of 3 calls a week from contacts looking for people.

It’s not for everyone but I picked up a 2nd hand Leica Rugby 610 from Cash Converters online for £250. Got a receiver & charger from eBay for about £70 & a box (though not Leica) from a Surveying equipment supplier for £40. Only occurred to me whilst I was ordering the other bits that the unit itself is probably nicked,otherwise there’d at least be a charger with it. If it’s not brand new then it’s had an almighty clean up in the shop.

There is an abbey channel system can be used in these situations. Same applies for using imperial sized bricks,but the other way (I.e. the brick coursing comes in higher than 225mm block & bed joint.) Small sections of abbey slot which are bedded in to the blockwork.

I would guess that they should be spaced at either 450mm or 900mm intervals all the way round,depending on the regs. Sorry,I know that’s not exactly what you asked. Is that scaffold up there right now for the rebuild?

I’ve not been following this-did the thread start that long ago? ?

Have you considered brick effect render? Not something I’d normally endorse but given you may be stuck with an expensive system giving a finish you’re not even happy with,it’s worth looking into. Some houses had it near where I used to live (retrofitted) & it was only the EWI & detailing at openings that gave it away,and even then,only when staring at it whilst stuck in traffic. On a new build that could be eliminated with a bit of thought at design stage,I’d guess

He’s got 100mm blockwork outer leaf.

The gap issue would be easily overcome with a mortar joint at installation; not so the calcs issue. Easy to get annoyed when it’s my name on the sign off,even if your feeling is that it’s fine. Had to fit the additional concrete lintol on a cavity lintol many times when there’s a precast floor bearing on it-always seems to coincide with a batch of lintols which have been battered out of true in transit!

...or two 215x100 lintols side by side. Agree block on flat is massive overkill on 1.5 storey house. Save your money-you’ll want it elsewhere on your build.

If you were at the stage of your sale where your buyer’s survey showed something up & they wanted to drop £5k as a result,you’d probably bite the bullet. If,however,you’d had a pre sale survey done yourself which brought that issue to your attention,you could make a decision on whether to rectify it or to make any potential buyer aware of it,reducing your risk of having to accept a hit further down the line.

I don’t think so but others may know for sure. A quick Google for presale Surveyors report showed one doing it for £525 (not in your area though.) If you were down the road of selling & the buyers survey showed something up & they wanted to drop £5k then you’d most likely swallow it,wouldn’t you?

I wouldn’t think so but seeing things in the flesh is much better. A structural surveyor would give you peace of mind & if you’re thinking of moving why not pre-empt what the buyers survey may pick up anyway?

You could get them to install a couple of Helifix bars whilst they’re doing it-would help out & wouldn’t cost the Earth.

I’d guess that crack works down to the corner of that reveal. Sounds like a settlement crack,annoying but very common.