Brick (cont., pg. 4)

Things You Should Watch For

On another page, I write about how you can and should take an active role in seeing that your subcontractors don’t make avoidable mistakes.

Contractors, even the best ones, can and sometimes do make mistakes.

You don’t have to be an expert yourself to spot these mistakes and to get them corrected while it’s still easy to do so.

Here are some things you can double-check.

Remember, double-checking is all you are doing. You’re not telling him how to do his job, so don’t worry that you’re stepping out of line.

It’s your house.

The concrete at the bottom of the wall is a “brick ledge.” It supports the weight of the brick.

It is tied into the foundation and should have been poured at the same time as foundation concrete.

Make sure you have a brick ledge.

For crawlspace foundations, the brick will rest on concrete block, which is also part of the foundation.

“Weep holes” (right) allow for air flow and evaporation in the cavity behind the brick. Make sure your masons are putting them in.

Beware of the “mortar dam” in which excessive and sloppily applied mortar falls behind the brick into the cavity.

Enough of it can block air flow and negate the purpose of the weep hole.

Discuss this with your contractor before he begins.

brick weep holes

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Brick (cont., pg. 4)