Determining whether the party wall is single or double brick

CalumFinnerty

Hi everyone,

I live in a 1910s semi-detached home. Our new neighbours gutted their side and rebuilt it completely.

They insiderted a steel girder into the Party Wall but it penetrated into our side of the Party Wall causing a bulge.

We are concerned because we suspect the Party Wall is only single brick rather than double brick.

The council stated this could be a fire hazard and did no sign it off.

However, our neighbour gave excuses when the council wanted to enter the property to investigate, for example, away working, etc. so they could not investigate.

Today we have been told the council has accepted photographic evidence instead of a site visit by a building control officer and that:

"I can advise that Building Control are in receipt of photographic evidence that satisfies our building regulation queries with regards to structure, fire and sound insulation to the party wall."

So, the council will now issue a completion certificate. Initially, the council was even prepared to accept his word that it was double brick until we noted we were in the process of court action against our neighbour for breach of the party wall agreement and he could not be trusted.

I strongly suspect that the Party Wall between the houses is single brick and not double brick.

The internal distance from my front door to the party wall is 37 inches in contrast the outside distance from my front door to the centre of the houses is 43 inches.

Is there a way to determine whether the party wall is single brick or double brick that does not involve removing plater, etc?

Thank you for any help.

m0t

Can you see the wall in the loft?

A 6" difference on your side would suggest a double brick wall as imperial bricks are 4" and there would be extra for plaster, wall coverings. If you measured to the centre line of the two houses then he will have a similar difference between his internal and external measurements.

FreeBear

Lift a floorboard and drill a small hole through a mortar joint. Go in ~110mm, and if you can see "daylight", it is only a single skin wall. Once finished with the hole, pump some filler in with a mastic gun.

CalumFinnerty

Thank you both for the advice. I'll get the report from the council and take it from there. Once again, thank  you

Doozergirl

What do you think the difference is in the  treatment of a single/double skinned wall to meet the building regulations and what do you think they haven't done to meet that?