Would a boundary wall be included in an NHBC guarantee remit??

[StevieP]

Our house is around 8 years old now and we have a parking area to the rear which is separated from the neighboring school playground by a standard brick wall.

The issue is that the wall has developed a couple of fairly substantial cracks - mostly down the mortar line but on a couple of the layers of bricks the crack has actually split the brick! (the wall still feels fairly stable - I can't seem to "rock" it but to be fair I've not put too much effort in for fear of it falling!)

I was wondering whether I'd be within my rights to get hold of the builder to put this right under the terms of the 10-year NHBC guarantee??

Another potential issue is that my dad tells me that a boundary wall should have built-in "pillars" (!?!?) that give a degree of flexibility in terms of the wall expanding and contracting - our wall has none of this which could explain the cracks!?!!? (not sure if this is right though!)

Any advice is appreciated as I don't want to leave it in case the wall collapses and, God-forbid, crushes either one of us or a school kid!!!!!

 

[Maccapacca]

You'd have to look at your policy as much has changed over the years and there's various levels of cover.

Regarding the construction there doesn't necessarily need to be piers depending on the height and how thick it is without. 1 1b wall won't need them but a 1/2b wall will. It should be broken up into panels though with movement joints that are filled with flexcell and then mastic. If it's not and there's movement or settlement which is perfectly normal you'll start seeing cracks that can snap bricks.

 

[billybob89]

Phone the builder and if no luck phone the nhbc

 

[StevieP]

The wall is roughly 5 and a half feet high and looks as though it's 2 bricks deep (well there is a single brick laid across-ways on the top row anyway)

Are there building regulations that say a wall of this height should have some "piers"??

Here is a pic of the worse of the two cracks!

I couldn't find my paperwork last night so I guess all I can do is give the builder a call and see what he says??

 

[blueboy2001]

That doesn't look to be in any imminent danger of collapse, there's probably a boulder under the footings which it's settled over.

A Building Control Officer once told me not to worry about cracks in structures until you can get your hand into it.