Core drilled through end of Lintel & metal showing

[noseall]

I work alongside skilled bricklayers. They would never do a job like that. Looks amateurish !

That house is being slowly tortured.

 

[NBT]

I did see the brickwork being done, I had no idea it was wrong. The side of the window and the back door were bricked up.

I've attached a few pics to show brickwork

I'm stirring away from my original question.... hope thats ok !

 

[Andy165]

Builders are not skilled plumbers, so the pipework should have been better. The extractor / vent is a lash up. Pipes need clipping by the compression elbows otherwise they will eventually push off over time. Sadly standards have slipped across all trades. Monkey see monkey do.

 

[Ivor Windybottom]

I'd seriously suggest calling a halt to the job. Perhaps try ringing the council building control department and asking them to look at it. You will need to pay, but I think you need help.

There are so many obvious issues just from the photos...

Brickwork not tied
Courses misaligned
Lintel looks very unconventional (plastic clad?)
Looks like a generic vent rather than an extractor duct, and is upside down
Is there any cavity insulation? No signs of it in the photos

I think you need a knowledgeable pair of eyes to look at the job and advise. They may think it's fixable, or may say it needs stripping out and starting again. That lintel is holding up the back of the house, there's another storey above so you shouldn't take chances.

 

[Ivor Windybottom]

Getting back to the original question... It looks like the window opening has been reduced, so the timber framing extending to the new reveal is not load bearing. Therefore the hole cut through it may actually be quite close to the edge of the original opening, which was about a brick wider at this edge. So this damage will have reduced the amount of supported lintel, which is holding up the upstairs of the house and roof.

I'm guessing that the inner lintel is reinforced concrete, the outer iron like nextdoor's, which now has plastic cladding over it.

 

[Ivor Windybottom]

I've added the green line to show the original opening. It looks like the hole has been drilled through almost the entirety of the supporting end of the lintel.

The new bricks may be adding a degree of support but unlikely. But the inside leaf appears to be timber framed so will not be adding any support.

Please stop and get an expert to look at what's been done before the place falls down.

 

[NBT]

Thank you for your advice.

The Lintel is the original concrete and steel. The outside is covered in plastic clad to match the window.

I had cavity wall insulation all around the house but they did not put any in the doorway when it was being bricked up.

You are correct regarding the vent now I've checked.

I was unaware of these serious issues previously, I'm so grateful for everyone's input.. I assumed the builders knew the correct way of doing things.... obviously not !!!

 

[aveatry]

The extractor uses a 150mn pipe and It advises in the booklet not to use a Reducer but the builder explained there is no option as limited space in the wall. Is this correct ?

That's right but in your case you have to but the flexible stuff is not the stuff to use, all of those folds upset and restrict the flow, as posted eairler get the smooth pipe, you can get it in 150mm with then a 150- 100mm reducer like this but in 150 https://www.screwfix.com/p/manrose-round-central-reducer-

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

I was unaware of these serious issues previously, I'm so grateful for everyone's input.. I assumed the builders knew the correct way of doing things.... obviously not !!!

No, you cannot assume that at all - those sites are full of chancers, the only vetting they do is based on their ability to pay the site owners. The site owners wash their hands of any responsibility, when things go wrong.

Please do not pay your builder any more funding, until BC have checked things out. My own suspicions were raised by that horrible temporary looking drain pipework, which you suggested was the permanent, finished job.

 

[NBT]

Reply to your last message...
It used to be the edge of the window where the added bricks have been built.
Yes it was timber frame with hardboard on the inside.

 

[NBT]

I'm sat here in bits as i paid the builder for the work he had completed (which I thought was correct).

Thankfully I did draw up a contract listing jobs, price etc and he signed it.... is that any help trying to retrieve my money back ?

 

[aveatry]

I am not an expert but I do not see any major structural issues the original lintel is still there as it was when built and all they have done is narrow it by 1 brick, they do not need to be holding anything up.
But yes it is shoddy work, and there should of been insulation put in when they bricked up the door. Dont know if it would of been a regs requirement for the insulation but it should of had some put in there.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

I'm sat here in bits as i paid the builder for the work he had completed (which I thought was correct).

Thankfully I did draw up a contract listing jobs, price etc and he signed it.... is that any help trying to retrieve my money back ?

It might help, if it comes to it, but it depends if the builder has assets to be seized, claimed against, whether it is set up as a limited company. Check the name on the receipt, do a search via the Companies House web site.

All we are saying at the moment, is that it appears to be dodgy. Get it inspected with MK 1 eyeball, for a proper opinion.

 

[aveatry]

Ah I am beginning to see the potential problems now. It seems that from new the lineal is only on about 2/3 inch of brick but I am not sure if putting an extractor hole next to it is a major problem or not as its not like the extractor hole is below it. Also on the photo of the work being done the extractor vent looks lower and already there. Totally covered up by the hopper
https://www.diynot.com/diy/attachments/img_20230804_181646279_mp-2-jpg.324280/

 

[NBT]

Thanks again for all your replies.
I'm just checking if limited company