Sample Reports

The following are excerpts taken from actual 'newly built house' reports written for some of our past clients. It gives an idea of the sort of information you can expect in a report as well as shows some of the defects we have discovered.

Poor Facebrick Joints
Some openings in the mortar beds and perp end joints have been closed up afterwards using a different colour of building sand. The face brickwork must be cleaned to remove mortar marks. Mortar patch work around the external plumbing pipes is shoddy.
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Window Frame not Plumb
The kitchen window was installed out of plumb. This poor workmanship will need to be rectified by breaking out the window frame, resetting it correctly, and repairing all the trades thereafter.
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Incorrect Rafter Joins
A load bearing rafter has been cut and re-joined with nails (only). This joint must be strengthened with two coach bolts 90mm long x 10mm diameter (M10).
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Poor Ridge Cappings
Most of the ridge cappings are applied with mortar that is too thick and the mortar has cracked. The mortar is weak and has crumbled and will allow water to enter the roof. All the ridge tiles will need to be removed and re-fixed. Tapered ridge tiles are designed to accommodate thermal stresses on the roof. Only the edges and the overlap need to be bedded, after DPC has been laid.
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Missing Expansion Joints
The boundary wall at the back of the property is built with face bricks and expansion joints have been provided in every second pillar. No expansion joints could be seen by the front plastered boundary wall and expansion cracks have already formed. The vertical crack is evidence of a possible joint that has been covered with plaster. The joints need to be opened or cut against the substrate (approx. 20mm deep and 10mm wide) and filled with a Poly-sulphide sealant. The plaster will need to be repaired and a joint cut with a jointing tool while the plaster is still workable. All the joints between the cappings on top of the walls need to be sealed with a UV resistant mastic sealer to prevent water ingress.
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Roof Valley Tiles
The valley's tiles are not neat and should be cut neatly in a straight line on both sides to form a gap of at least 50mm along the entire line of the valley to prevent debris (leaves, twigs etc.) clogging the valley and causing roof leaks.
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Galvanised Flashing Missing
The galvanised flashing by the roof on the west side over the staircase Fig. 7, has been sealed with silicone where the flashing was inserted in the wall. This is not acceptable as the silicone will fail. This flashing must be covered by a galvanised cover flashing and sealed with a polysulphide sealant. The roof on the east by the bedrooms Fig. 8 has no flashing at all. Galvanised flashing and cover flashing must be installed in accordance with building regulations. Once complete, the roof tiles will need to be cleaned of all debris, mortar and oxide stains.
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Water Ingress
The PVC spouts of the rainwater outlets have caused water ingress on the face of the wall on the north side due to back dripping (Fig. 2). The wall and the soffit of the window below are saturated and have caused plaster cracks and bubbling of the paint on the underside of the lintel. The damp has spread to the ceiling on the inside. The outlets will need to be re-installed at an angle and the damage to the plaster and ceiling repaired (Fig. 1).
Fig 1.	Fig 2.
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Incorrect Geyser Installation
A new Kwikot geyser has been installed in the roof cavity without a drip tray. The geyser was installed on two planks placed across two tie beams instead of on built-up internal walls or double tie beams as per building regulations. The weight of the geyser has caused one of the planks to deflect badly and this will need to be rectified urgently, as it is a safety hazard. Should the plank fail, there will be extensive damage to the ceiling and other consequent water damage due to snapping pipes (Fig 1 & 2). The sagging of the geyser has already put stress on the copper pipes at the joints, which may start to leak. Much stronger timber planks/bearers must be used. A drip tray must be installed to collect and discharge water through a pipe outlet. Most insurance companies reject damage claims relating to geysers if the geyser installation in not according to SANS 10254. The copper pipes are not secured to the rafters with clamps, which will cause them to vibrate and sag and possibly leak over time.
Fig 1.	Fig 2.
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