My client was building a big beautiful two storey home a block away from the beach and the builder was one of the top tier volume builders. Brickwork was finished and it’s appearance was unbefitting good workmanship and the tolerances required. The mortar was chalky and it appeared too soft.

I recommended mortar test and it came back indicating inadequate cement content. It did not comply with BCA. The builder tried too propose that raking out mortar and repointing would overcome the problem of mortar durability. This type of solution however could not address the fact that because of inadequate cement content, the resulting softness of mortar compromised brick tie bond to framework.

During inspections I also picked up that the builder was using  lightweight brick ties of wrong material and that also did not comply with BCA. Higher grade of brick ties and or stainless steel brick ties were required in proximity of the beach.

This was the nail in the coffin for the brickwork and it had to come down. So it did.

Brickwork was demolished and rebuilt by the builder at builder’s expense.