Colour Variation in Brickwork in new Property Just Purchased
Posted: Tue Feb 09, 2016 8:25 pm
I am currently in the middle of purchasing a new build property from a well respected national developer. I have exchanged contracts and am due to complete at the end of March. I have recently been to see my property which finally has a roof and part of the scaffolding has been removed so the brickwork is visible at last. This has exposed two areas of visibly darker brickwork where it looks like the the bricklayer has not mixed the batches he took the bricks from. I may be mistaken and the darker bricks are wet because they have recently been laid (approx. 2 weeks ago) but to me this is unsightly and I would like to know if it can be remedied.
I have attached two photos of my property so you can see the areas that I am concerned with, as well as a sample image of the brick being use (Ibstock Windsor).
IMG-20160209-WA15.jpg shows the front of the property with the darker area in the top left hand corner.
IMG-20160209-WA17.jpg shows the side of the property with the darker area extending around the window for several courses.
Please can you help? Does it look like the brickwork is wet and I am unnecessarily concerned or is there definitely a colour variation? If there is a variation is the darker colour a permitted variation of the brick used? From the sample image on the Ibstock website this does not appear to be possible because any variation would be lighter or redder and not darker as seen in the photos. However, if this is an expected variation, does it look like the bricklayer failed to follow the guidelines set out in the British Standard Code of Practise for use of Masonry BS5628 Part 3 to avoid the occurrence of 'banding'? Finally, can anything can be done to remedy the brickwork? Do I have a case to insist that the developer remedies the brickwork prior to completion? For reference none of the other properties being built with the same brick have this problem.
Thank you in advance for any assistance that you can provide.
I have attached two photos of my property so you can see the areas that I am concerned with, as well as a sample image of the brick being use (Ibstock Windsor).
IMG-20160209-WA15.jpg shows the front of the property with the darker area in the top left hand corner.
IMG-20160209-WA17.jpg shows the side of the property with the darker area extending around the window for several courses.
Please can you help? Does it look like the brickwork is wet and I am unnecessarily concerned or is there definitely a colour variation? If there is a variation is the darker colour a permitted variation of the brick used? From the sample image on the Ibstock website this does not appear to be possible because any variation would be lighter or redder and not darker as seen in the photos. However, if this is an expected variation, does it look like the bricklayer failed to follow the guidelines set out in the British Standard Code of Practise for use of Masonry BS5628 Part 3 to avoid the occurrence of 'banding'? Finally, can anything can be done to remedy the brickwork? Do I have a case to insist that the developer remedies the brickwork prior to completion? For reference none of the other properties being built with the same brick have this problem.
Thank you in advance for any assistance that you can provide.