Purlin/brickwork question.

[CortinaV8]

I live in a 1932 built Semi, typical construction with a three sided roof.

The brickwork where the purlins sit look to have cracked and dropped slightly, Is this common or something I should be worried about?

It's been like this since i bough the place a year ago, wasn't picked up on the engineers report I had carried out, just thought I would ask.

 

[cmother1]

It's very common. Quite often the bricks have crumbled away completely and typically the purlin isn't long enough to extend into the brickwork. Unless it's really gone I'd be inclined to leave it. You can only really hack a hole out beneath the end of the timber and cement a raised brick in. You might need temporary support while you do this.

 

[CortinaV8]

Ahh, fair enough then, if its common as suspected then I shall leave it for now.

I am about 75% sure I will be extending my house in the next year, which will need to extensive roof work at that point, so its not really worth messing with it I guess.

What causes it? just natural movement?

 

[cmother1]

Dunno - I think it was just one of those crappy building conventions that no one questioned.