EQC Repairs

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Fred99

13684 posts

Uber Geek

#1186036 1-Dec-2014 08:33

Tel69:
Fred99:
IMO that wall should be removed and re-laid - as well as being cracked - it's displaced outwards a few mm. Does the veneer wall move if you push it?
The vertical crack in the perimeter foundation also needs to be fixed - epoxy injection. It looks like 1-2mm wide, not considered "structural" so exempt from consent, but a point for moisture ingress and corrosion of rebar.

If you did gardening to expose this damage, EQC have the excuse that they're not allowed to do anything destructive when carrying out inspections. I had issues with this, they wouldn't even push back branches of shrubs to look behind. Similar with damage to floors etc, they won't lift floor coverings - that's up to the homeowner.

No, the gardening didn't expose it, I was just trimming a couple of bushes on either end of the wall, the crack itself goes 2/3rds of the wall.
The reason why it was missed was because you have to get down on the ground to see it because the bricks are displaced outwards, (I was bending down picking up branches and saw it).

If they were to replace the brick / SHS, then they're unlikely to be able to get a match to the rest of the house. Someone has to make a decision in the case of minor cracking whether to fully reclad or repoint only the affected area. Repointing some minor cracks is probably ok if the walls are otherwise sound - but I'd have thought that if there was other damage - then they'd have at least bothered to look for damage as you show in that photo. Very poor of EQC not to have picked that damage up in their inspection(s).
Around where I am (hills) , failed SHS has generally been replaced (full house re-clad) with 70mm clay brick. Doing that's consent exempt under present CCC guidelines, and not particularly expensive work.
If the brick veneer wall moves when you push it (insufficient, loose, or damaged tie-backs) then it could collapse in another shake.
If that foundation is as low as you suggest - is it a perimeter foundation with wooden floors - or slab on grade? If slab on grade with a crack extending to the edge of the slab, then the slab needs to be checked under the floor coverings. Some minor (shrinkage) cracking is normal, but if the cracks extend to the edge of the slab there could be bigger problems.

Fred99

13684 posts

Uber Geek

#1186055 1-Dec-2014 08:53

Spyware:

A sample of what I tolerated. All the complaining in the world did me no good. All my mortar was silver, according to EQC it is really white so was repaired with white grout. Hasn't been ground out in places and simply all re cracked along stress points.

Can't quite see what I'm looking at there - internal corner? Even if they get the mortar colour right, then new vs weathered old pointing will stand out, but that looks to be a very poor attempt.
A qualified / experienced bricklayer should be involved in repointing, to use correct materials/methods - or the repair will likely fail.

Tel69

Tel69
261 posts

Ultimate Geek

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#1186056 1-Dec-2014 08:53

Fred99:
If they were to replace the brick / SHS, then they're unlikely to be able to get a match to the rest of the house. Someone has to make a decision in the case of minor cracking whether to fully reclad or repoint only the affected area. Repointing some minor cracks is probably ok if the walls are otherwise sound - but I'd have thought that if there was other damage - then they'd have at least bothered to look for damage as you show in that photo. Very poor of EQC not to have picked that damage up in their inspection(s).
Around where I am (hills) , failed SHS has generally been replaced (full house re-clad) with 70mm clay brick. Doing that's consent exempt under present CCC guidelines, and not particularly expensive work.
If the brick veneer wall moves when you push it (insufficient, loose, or damaged tie-backs) then it could collapse in another shake.
If that foundation is as low as you suggest - is it a perimeter foundation with wooden floors - or slab on grade? If slab on grade with a crack extending to the edge of the slab, then the slab needs to be checked under the floor coverings. Some minor (shrinkage) cracking is normal, but if the cracks extend to the edge of the slab there could be bigger problems.

No this is a perimeter foundation and piles under the house (wooden floor on top).
Will see what movement there is, just waiting for a structural engineer to arrive.

Tel69

Tel69
261 posts

Ultimate Geek

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#1186504 1-Dec-2014 17:50

Well bricks are still tied to the walls so it seems which is good.
EQC/EQR and Watts group have gone really quiet, It could be they are trying to explain internally how 4 guys all over here with a mandate of
"The meeting today is an inspection to ensure the contractor has completed the defects to an acceptable trade standard in the timeframe
we set them."
completely missed a crack in the mortar to ring foundation that carries on for 2-3 meters.

I'd say they are either going to completely stop talking to me or come back really apologetic, but for today they were probably thinking how the feck did we miss a crack that big and long.
Strangely enough the structural engineer looked at it and said "how could they miss that".
I will admit however looking from above it is not obvious just because of how the bricks stick out from the ring foundation.
But I laid a complaint with EQC anyway pointing out the CCI was completed (although I was unable to sign anything or was even here for the final one) and this was not noticed.

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