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Author Topic: Mortar Falling From My Gable Wall  (Read 15205 times)

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Betty27

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Mortar Falling From My Gable Wall
« on: January 24, 2017, 10:47:02 am »
Hi,

I purchased my new house from Taylor Wimpey in August 2016.
In October the same year my neighbour informed me that some mortar was coming away from the gable end. I contacted NHBC but by the time they eventually came out to the property in December the problem was getting worse.

The NHBC surveyor estimated that the cost of repair would be below their minimum claim value of £1,500 but he thought it was a problem that had occurred during construction and said he would ask Taylor Wimpey to do the job free as a gesture of goodwill.

I then received a rather rude email from customer services who said that Taylor Wimpey would not carry out the repairs.
To say I am most disappointed with my response from Taylor Wimpey's customer services department would be an understatement.

I am distressed. This is clearly a problem with the construction and I would expect Taylor Wimpey to put it right as I don't want to claim on my insurance for poor building work.

I would be most grateful for your thoughts.


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Re: Mortar Falling From My Gable Wall
« Reply #1 on: January 24, 2017, 12:06:44 pm »
You are just six months into the first two years of your warranty when Taylor Wimpey are responsible for any defects.
You have reported this IN WRITING to Taylor Wimpey  which protects you for this defect  until it is properly resolved and fixed. (Not just for the 2 years)

Without a photo and knowing the extent of the problem, I cannot comment how serious this is and whether or not it is likely to fall below the £1,500 NHBC minimum claim value.

If there is a problem with the mortar mix being too weak (not enough cement) - and I know of several cases of this (one of which was a Taylor Wimpey home last year) - then the problem is serious and will only get worse.

At the very least, Taylor Wimpey should inspect the gable-end and other mortar joints.
You too can use a key to see if the mortar is easy scrapped out or crumbles. If it does this is bad!

One thing bearing in mind when you moved in, it is unlikely to be is frost damage as your home will have been started  in the spring.

Be aware that as with previous instances I have come across, the house builder, the NHBC and mortar manufacturer will all wriggle and join forces to avoid the expensive solution of rebuilding the brickwork because it will most likely mean the whole development would be similarly affected.
Worse, you internal walls may also have been built with weak mortar.

By the way this would come under "maintenance" and would be excluded under your home insurance.
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