Structural defect....help!!!

[ioloowen]

Hi everyone.

I am in the middle of a garage conversion and I've just uncovered that the blockwork used to form the external wall (single leaf of 150mm blockwork and render) is hollow throughout. Some moss had grown over the plinth and upon removal I discovered that the surface of the blockwork (locally) below dpc level is falling appart and brittle to the touch. The outside face of an entire hollow block has broken away.

Is this a massive structural defect? And what advice can anyone offer to rectify the issue.

Ill upload pics later

Thanks.

 

[OwainDIYer]

one block failing is unlikely to be a failure, but you need to expose all the blockwork and check it's intact.

Cut out the failed blocks in sections and insert new. Prop up roof to take weight off.

 

[ioloowen]

Thanks for the reply.


I've discovered that this has spread down towards the footing itself (inside of 2 -3 courses of blockwork can be seen when looking down)

Would you replace these using a similar methodology to underpinning - doing them locally and in segments?

See pics

Thanks

Untitled

• ioloowen
• 31 Aug 2012
• 1

Untitled

• ioloowen
• 31 Aug 2012
• 1

Untitled

• ioloowen
• 31 Aug 2012
• 1

 

[OwainDIYer]

yup.

What you can't cut out and replace chuck in some concrete.