Friday, 10th May

Waiting for an inspection of the exterior walls as the render has cracked already.  However the system used was not the system specified and so Bekaert won't be able to say much about it - just that it is not their system.  Will get costings to put in their system. 

The Regional Sales Manager for Bekaert, Liz Holmes, was very helpful, and has advised us on the components to put in their system - which seems simple enough.

The original system would have been o.k if MTS had allowed for the thickness of insulation and screwed the mesh into the timber uprights, and not just into the OSB board, and put enough screws into the mesh to hold it solid.  

Because of this failure the whole lot will have to come off and be redone. 

The beautiful trim line, which would delineate various parts of the building and give it a beautiful crisp finish will have to be re-set as it is too close to the render to give it a drip line, and have sufficient render layers to prevent cracking so giving the render a guaranteed life of 20 years or so.

The Sales Manager of Firestone rubber was coming to check the roof, so John has brought in ladders for him to be able to get up there.  Must point out the bits he is to avoid standing on as there is only insulation and then fresh air into the house, no support, and only the Cellotex insulation over the void.  However, he has spoken to Kevin of MTS who has told him that the roof is not finished, so Stuart Laydburn is not coming to inspect the roof.  The only part that is not finished is where the trim goes over roof edge to provide a drip line, and this was a job that Kevin's team were going to carry out, (whilst he was on holiday), until we discovered the cracks in the render, and said we didn't want them to carry on with the work.

On Monday afternoon an installer from Ideal Combi who manufactured the windows, is coming to inspect the installation of the windows.

Beforehand we know that windows will all have to come out and be re installed.

The original builder has been sent a report compiled by the architect following his recent visit with the structural engineer and the builder, which set out all the specifications,BS, drawings, etc. which have not been followed.  Quite a list really.

I have contacted Rogue Traders............

Wait for more news.  

section where wall has cracked

the wall 

© Bekaert

Rendalath® is a unique BBA approved multi-layered reinforced render carrier system providing a purpose designed durable and composite substrate for applying a high quality, high strength low maintenance rendered finish to a range of building types.

Rendalath® is ideally suited to a number of different applications most of which can be defined under four main headings:

■ Timber or steel framed backgrounds
■ Solid backgrounds
■ Directly over existing problem backgrounds
■ Combined with a range of insulants for use as an External Wall Insulation (EWI) system

• Rendalath Installation guide