New build external render worries

[DanM1980]

Hi,

Have been in our new build (bovis homes) 7 months now and have noticed hairline cracks in the external render. The house is of breeze block construction. I am sure bovis will tell us it's normal and to do with the house settling but it doesn't seem to be affecting any of the other houses on the development with the same rendering (all be it ours is the newest one).

When the weather is damp it does look quite dramatic. I am definitely going to write to bovis customer care to ask then to carry out an inspection but does anyone have experience of this kind of thing being normal and will either go away or just need a bit of filling with special render filler in time once the settling has finished? Or does it look like the render will need taking off and re doing?! I hope not!

Thanks for any thoughts

Dan

 

[roughcaster]

THAT IS A RIGHT OFF,, ABSOLUTELY SHOCKING.
To me,, that render has blown, and it'll get worse. Once winter comes in and that gable gets wet, then freezes??
It needs to be taken right back to the blockwork, and re-done,,,, it's a rubbish job.

 

[chappers]

I have to agree that's shocking. I even thought that there was a crack towards the top that had opened up until I realised it was a dog hair on my screen.

 

[dishman]

How thorough was your survey? Did you even get one (many do not as it is a new build). There has been lots of articles in the news recently about the appalling standards of many new builds. None of these issues are picked up on initial move in (due to lack of survey) and only begin cropping up years down the line.

https://www.theguardian.com/busines...-new-build-homes-in-england-have-major-faults

https://www.theguardian.com/busines...agged-over-poor-build-and-compensation-claims

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b08fdbc7

https://www.ft.com/content/4a6cff98-ea01-11e6-967b-c88452263daf?mhq5j=e2

http://www.which.co.uk/consumer-rights/advice/my-new-build-home-has-problems-what-are-my-rights

I do not mean to panic you. You may be one of the lucky ones. But there is some useful help in those articles, especially if you need to flag up issues with the company that built them.

 

[roy c]

Like the lads said there's no excuse for a job done like that!!!! Is that a plastic bead in the middle of the gable? It looks like it to me. Looks like they split it into two sections to render it...But it's a weird photo as nothing looks "plumb" in your picture, Might be the angle you took it from. .
Anybody agree with me?

 

[geraldthehamster]

 

[DanM1980]

Thanks for the thoughts and advice guys. The photo does look wonky for some reason (the house isn't actually wonky..I think!) They are coming out to have a look on Monday. Fingers crossed it's nothing major and just looks worse than it is..(it is much less visible in the dry). If there is any question of its long term integrity though I will push for them to replace it all.

 

[dishman]

I also just realised that the bbc link (the radio programme) actually relates to Bovis homes. So it may indeed be well worth a listen.

 

[chappers]

. Fingers crossed it's nothing major and just looks worse than it is..(it is much less visible in the dry). If there is any question of its long term integrity though I will push for them to replace it all.

Yeah it's pretty major, eventually the whole lot will probably come off. The reason it looks worse in the wet is because water is penetrating the cracks, the cracks will just get bigger and more water will get behind the render until it blows off the wall.