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Wet brick? Is this normal? What is this?

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justry4n
justry4n Posts: 50 Forumite
in House buying, renting & selling
Hi there,
I'm currently purchasing this house, but have noticed the bottom couple layers of brick seem/look wet? What is this, is this normal for new builds?
https://ibb.co/nj3jMS
nj3jMS
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  • seashore22
    seashore22 Posts: 1,443 Forumite
    First Anniversary First Post Combo Breaker
    edited 11 February 2018 at 6:03PM
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    It looks like a decorative brick at the base. Hard to tell from a distance. Can't you get closer?

    Edit - I've zoomed in and the bricks do look a different colour. No idea if it's something to worry about, but we have a mark half way up our house which looks a bit like that. Our house has Bath stone cladding.
  • justry4n
    justry4n Posts: 50 Forumite
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    Thank you. It's definitely wet, or something. Unsure, if it's normal for a new build house to do this. I just don't want to spend my entire Mother's inheritance on a house, if it's just going to go wrong :(
  • Bluebonnie
    Bluebonnie Posts: 106 Forumite
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    These wet bricks are probably the ones under the damp proof course.
  • Bluebonnie
    Bluebonnie Posts: 106 Forumite
    First Anniversary Combo Breaker
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    At this time of year, it’s Normal for ALL houses to have wet bricks at the bottom of the wall because the bricks are sitting in wet ground, it’s not just new builds.
  • teamgb
    teamgb Posts: 118 Forumite
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    edited 11 February 2018 at 6:46PM
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    Ask the Builder for the name and manufacture of the brick. Then contact the manufacturer and request a technical sheet on the brick.

    You could also ask the manufacturer if the brick is suitable for use in this situation in writing.

    If you then have a problem( such as frost damage) you will have a good chance of making a claim.

    Not easy to tell from a photo but I think you are right to be concerned that the bricks have absorbed so much water.
  • Mossfarr
    Mossfarr Posts: 530 Forumite
    First Anniversary Combo Breaker Hung up my suit!
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    Have you looked around at the neighbouring houses? They may all look like that.
    I would be asking the builder for written assurances that all is ok, that way if there are any issues in the future you will have evidence that you queried it.
  • justry4n
    justry4n Posts: 50 Forumite
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    Thanks for the replies, here are so more close ups...
    https://ibb.co/c3t9MS

    https://ibb.co/iUqZo7
  • Tom99
    Tom99 Posts: 5,371 Forumite
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    [FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]Looks like damp below the DPM course with the air brick in the course above the DPM[/FONT]
  • Richard_Overton_2911
    Richard_Overton_2911 Posts: 201 Forumite
    edited 11 February 2018 at 9:18PM
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    Brick coarses below Dampcoarse so not a problem.

    Incidentally bricks are porus so the whole idea of a cavity between the outside skin of brickwork and the inside skin of blockword is to prevent moisture getting to the inside skin of blockwork.If you look at a close up of the air brick theres a small tube sticking out ,this is a weep pipe/weep hole which is designed to allow any moisture to run out of the cavity.

    Quite often above the windows ,in the brickwork you will see small plastic grilles which are again called "weep holes" designed so that any moisture in the cavity can run down the inside face of the outside skin of brickwork and run out..
  • Amanda_Cm
    Amanda_Cm Posts: 168 Forumite
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    Ask the construction company in writing. Did you touch them? Is it wet? Is too even to be damp really.
    Could be damp protective coat.
    Are there any remaining water in front of the door after rain?
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