gable end

[wig]

I live in an end terrace, my gable end is constructed just 2 bricks thick about 8 inches. recently we had the exterior rendering re done, they used a kango hammer chisel type thing to get the old stuff off, they took with it a good portion of the outer brick face too.

There is no movement in the wall but I'm worried that it is such a huge wall to be only two bricks thick and the only thing to tie it onto would be floor joist which terminates half way across the wall because the stairs come up on this wall so there would be no strength in the half length joist anyway.

The house was built around 1910 do I just forget about it.

What's the deal with buildings insurance? if the wall fell down would they pay up? but it would first show signs of movement and cracking would it not? in which case the insurance would not pay, I'd have to pay right?

 

[WabbitPoo]

Most walls are two brick skins, or a brick thick as it is called (9" or the length of a brick) separated by a cavity. I'm not sure what the problem is you think you have - anyway a builder will be able to advise properly, but the wall as you describe it sounds normal to this numpty.

 

[jbonding]

I live in an end terrace, my gable end is constructed just 2 bricks thick about 8 inches. recently we had the exterior rendering re done, they used a kango hammer chisel type thing to get the old stuff off, they took with it a good portion of the outer brick face too.

There is no movement in the wall but I'm worried that it is such a huge wall to be only two bricks thick and the only thing to tie it onto would be floor joist which terminates half way across the wall because the stairs come up on this wall so there would be no strength in the half length joist anyway.

The house was built around 1910 do I just forget about it.

What's the deal with buildings insurance? if the wall fell down would they pay up? but it would first show signs of movement and cracking would it not? in which case the insurance would not pay, I'd have to pay right?

how much of a portion.

 

[wig]

Good question, about 10 mm, over all, in some places chunks of 20 - 25 mm, also I just remembered their hammer cracked some of the bricks clean through.

There is no cavity just a wall two bricks thick (the length of one brick). Nothing holds it up except the rendering on both sides internal and external, and of course the fact that it joins the front of the house and the back of the house.

The wall has stood for 100 years, but I'm concerned the hammering it got will have weakened it. I suppose there's nothing I can do anyway except wait to see if it ever fails.

But if it does is it covered by buildings insurance? I suppose that's a question for insurance experts.

 

[Deluks]

But if it does is it covered by buildings insurance? I suppose that's a question for insurance experts.

Probably not if the builders caused it, insurance company would probably refer you back to them.

 

[jbonding]

if they had to take that much of the brick off i would say the render was loose why didnt they advise to go over the top? what was the condition and the reason for having it re-rendered in the first place?

 

[wig]

The reason was that it was heavily cracked, not blown, only a small amount was blown.

 

[Static]

if they had to take that much of the brick off i would say the render was loose why didnt they advise to go over the top? what was the condition and the reason for having it re-rendered in the first place?

I think jbonding means "the render wasn't loose" which does beg the question why remove it if its well bonded.

Anyways your builder is liable for any works he carries out, ask him what guarantees/insurance he has.

Talk to your builder about your concerns see what he says.

 

[Nige F]

Well if WW11 didn`t move it I doubt if owt else will Oh sorry shouldn`t have mentioned *that*

 

[legs-akimbo]

Wig I think that you are under the impression that the gable end is built of two leafs of brickwork independant of each other as there is no cavity and thus no wall ties. This is not so, the walls will be constructed with a bond of brick that uses a header brick to tie the whole thing together they are usually spaced evenly among the "stretcher" bond of every fourth or fith course of brickwork and effectivly theese are bricks laid head on "through" the wall tieing the two skins together.....it would take a bomb beneath it to bring it down, not a thing to worry about!

 

[Bylough]

Our house was build in 1934, is solid brick, has no ties and no stretchers and no cavity, ie all bricks, inside and out go straight across (the 9 inch faces showing). The bricks are a full 4.25 inch + and as hard as glass (outside). The building and plastering was done by master builders who really knew their trade- a real eye opener to interested persons.

 

[stives68]

all renderd houses crack brick work is english bond and was layed 4 to the foot strongest bond you can lay you would need a rocket luancher to bring it down