We are currently having a kitchen extension rebuilt. We asked the builder to keep the old brick and reuse it. He said some couldn’t be used and skipped them, however showed us some common brick samples and said he would use these and the existing bricks to blend them in. We were happy with this solution. He has just finished the foundations and damp proof layer and has used orange engineering brick? When we questioned this he said the old and common brick can’t be used for this initial layer. But we think it will look shocking once completed. (See image below) Surely there is another solution???
Pretty poor choice,IBSTOCK, Ketley Brick & Wienerberger, etc, all make engineering bricks in various colours, so should have found something closer.
I have ordered a few samples of engineering brick from Ketley brick, they do imperial sized ones as well 73mm. Brown would have been more sympathetic, but I have seen blue bricks used which look good as well. https://www.ketley-brick.co.uk/Request_a_Sample-Bricks.html
Re. matching common bricks, visit a local reclamation yard to get a similar brick, you will be paying a lot for these but worth it when you need to match the bricks. Otherwise look around auction sites in local area.
We have plenty of old bricks stacked up just out of shot. We also took down a large internal wall so there should be an abundance of bricks. The builder stated that we needed to use these because they are better for damp course and stronger and cope better with damp? I haven’t a clue if that’s right. But i’ve seen plenty of new builds using heritage type brick that don’t have a line of tangerine bricks at the bottom. So i’m guessing that i’ve got a reasonable argument?!
He's right, you needed an engineering brick up to that level, but, a better colour match would have been far preferable.
Been better if he'd used a bricklayer to take it to DPC as well. PS, bricks should be F2 rated below DPC, you don't have to use engineering bricks.
They only have to buy a trowel, level and piece of string out of their mega earnings leaving a small fortune to spend on technical books and holidays by the pool to read them. Chippies on the other hand work all of their lives to pay for the tools they need.....
As said above, bricks aside the standard of work thus far in terms of brick layer is terrible. I'd be taking this opportunity to ask the builder to take it down and do it properly, while he's at it he can source a more appropriate brick.
Thanks everyone for your input. So we will be telling the builder to take it down tomorrow. The question is, would you allow him to put it back up with a right brick if the bricklaying is as bad as it seems?
The SEAMS in the brickwork are all different sizes hence why it SEEMS to be rubbish, or should i say it does SEEM to be rubbish, because it is rubbish.