dodgy repair to dodgy wall

[BrokenBiker]

been out to quote a wall repair this morning. 5.5 foot breeze block wall with a crack running from top to bottom, penetrates right the way through the wall all along the crack.

I know the 'builder' who put this up, I urged the customer not to use them. I didn't want the job, but I knew it would end up like this if he did it. he has since been out to repair the problem, however at the time the crack was only a few inces long at the top and a small crack in the middle.

I have no idea what he has used to repair it with, the idle looks like normal mortar, but the top is different, its like a ceramic when you tap it, looks marbled and feels a lot less dense than mortar and is very brittle, I can break bits off by hand without too much effort.

any ideas what the stuff is? I will be chipping it all off, taking all the cracked mortar out and re-doing the whole crack. the neighbour who is also affected by this has very generously agreed to go halves on the price as she has a young child and wants the wall sorted asap and as such I have access to the back too so will be a nice strong repair with proper mortar

there is not a single part of this wall that is straight, It bows into the neighbours garden half way along and the bricks don't line up at all, which is part of why I think this crack has got so bad so quick.

Edit** can mod please rotate the pic, I have tried rotating it but it still comes out like this - Have done

 

[Bobtail4x4]

better to take it down and start again

 

[Fazerruss]

Looks like the whole wall need taking down because the muppet who built it has put all the joints in a vertical line rather than staggering them or does it bend there? How long is the wall as it may need some expansion joints.

 

[steveo3002]

id suggest you only quote to remove and rebuild from scratch , if you try a repair it will always be your problem if and when it fails again

 

[Wozzaaah]

Duct tape'll sort that, sorted my neighbour's garage wall out just fine. Good as new!

 

[julianf]

If the wall is moving, no amount of new mortar is going to stop it.

 

[DanielW]

Leave it alone if you're not a builder,otherwise you will end up being called out to sort it out.

this is bad footing and needs to be started again from scratch either that or foundation movement built on clay.

 

[MattF]

Seriously BB, tell them to get someone who knows what he's doing to sort it. You'll be making it no better, by the sounds of it. I ain't no bricky, but even I know that needs a damn sight more than just the cracked mortar removing and replacing. That portion of wall, (and I use that term loosely), is an abortion. Stick to what you know and let others deal with their trade where safety is concerned.

 

[Welderpaul]

We get this all the time - they go off elsewhere that is cheaper then come ringing when its all gone pete tong asking you to put it right.

You will 'own' the job if you touch it. I wouldn't.

As Bobtail says, needs knocking down and rebuilding. If you patch it you will be getting a call in a few days saying your repair has failed. You will be patching it until hell freezes over!

 

[pedrobedro]

Take the middle down and rebuild it with the joints not in line, coursed as it should be. We can't see enough of it to really say but what is it built on and how long is it. It looks like single block so it should have some pillars to help support it. The ceramic looking mortar will just be a high mortar to sand mix which will only make things worse as it is, as you found, more brittle.

 

[cumbriasteve]

I also would be reluctant to be involved at all with that wall, 5.5ft dodgy wall with possible foundations to the same standard and young kids are not a nice mix, I would tell them to get it knocked down for safety's sake and then keep well away from the job.

 

[wyn]

Even with the dodgy joints in line it still looks like a problem with the foundation.....walk away.

 

[Rocketman]

I would hazard a guess at foundations is the base problem as well but also agree it's very poorly built.

 

[bigegg]

Even with the dodgy joints in line it still looks like a problem with the foundation.....walk away.

I disagree.

You should run away, not walk.

 

[Pete.]

Looks like the builder did a special 2-for-1 offer going by the state of the one in the background.

If you're gonna fix that, allow for a decent footing.

 

[rtbcomp]

Why not replace it with a fence?

 

[Parm]

I wouldn't touch it with a barge pole unless your prepared to take it down redo some proper foundations and build a straight wall with properly staggered joints and correctly spaced pillars, anything else and its your headache for the ongoing repairs that will be required

 

[66-V8]

I'd advise the neighbour to have a hanging basket fitted to her side of the wall to balance things up a bit.

 

[BrokenBiker]

just remembered about this. Basically, its about 5M long, brick pattern is crap throughout, the foundations were already there as there was a decent brick wall there before but old owners knocked it down and put fence up. New owners were fed up of fence coming down so had brick wall put up again.

wall in the background wad a totally different guy.

I'm not into big building gigs like that so will reccomend a replacement but that starts to get pricey so doubt they will go for that. Will tell them I have discussed it with others and concensus is it needs re-doing. Maybe I should convince them a fence is best, I don't mind fences lol

 

[Kent]

Vertical joints will always crack along the joint, no matter what is under the wall. I don't think anyone who builds a wall with vertical joints could or should use the word "builder" in anything they bodge.
Best thing is leave well alone if you not capable of complete re-build ground up and nothing here should / could be trusted