How to spot non-standard construction?

Davesnave

Thanks for the comprehensive reply above.

I used the terminology of the person I was replying to. I call them 'concrete blocks' when ordering them.

davidmcn

The apparent commercial presence in the building may be more likely to be a problem for lenders (office on the ground floor, and hair salon next door).

EachPenny

Davesnave wrote: »

Thanks for the comprehensive reply above.

I used the terminology of the person I was replying to. I call them 'concrete blocks' when ordering them.

Apologies, I meant to include the OP's question in my post as the information was really aimed at them - i.e. that when it comes to a mortgage application I wouldn't say 'breeze block' unless I knew that was the exact material, and even then I'd think twice. 'Concrete block' or CMU would be better terms to describe the construction material. Post amended to include the OP's question.

eddddy

Looking at streetview - it looks like it's the same as the houses next to it (it's even got the same protruding brick course between ground and first floor).

But... the elegant bow windows have been removed and replaced by flat windows - in a rather cheap and tatty way.

So the building would have started life as a pair of brick built Victorian or Edwardian semis - which would definitely be classed as standard construction.

Ogriv

Thanks - interesting to know that breeze blocks would be classed as brick. And yes, you're right about the commercial presence downstairs. Interesting set-up.

EachPenny

Ogriv wrote: »

Thanks - interesting to know that breeze blocks would be classed as brick

Being slightly pedantic (sorry), breeze blocks wouldn't be classed as brick, but both would be classed as standard masonry construction.

Without seeing behind the render is it difficult to be sure what the construction material is, conventional bricks would still be a likely candidate. If it really mattered then a small hole (a 'core') could be drilled to see what is underneath the render, but nobody would do that unless it was suspected the material could be one with a known serious problem.

The fact you could see outlines of big blocks under the render doesn't have to mean the wall is constructed of big blocks - you could just be seeing the outline of another layer of decorative render underneath the top layer.

For example, if you look on Streetview at the Thomson travel agent in Church Street it appears the frontage is constructed from large stone blocks, and similar large stone blocks are used on the corners of the building and between buildings. In reality this is probably an effect created using render, just shaped to look like stone blocks.

If you then rendered over this - say to make the building look more modern - then the slightly visible outline of the 'blocks' may give the impression that real stone (or concrete) blocks lie underneath. It is a bit like cosmetic surgery for buildings. There's no way of knowing exactly what you are looking at just by looking at it.