non-standard constrcution

[Cogcog]

I wondred how 'non standard' the following is, which is a bungalow my outlaws are thing of buying. As there is no mortage involved the main concern is selling on should they decide to move later:

The bungalow i about 20 years old and is built with a cavity, with an inner skin of solid breeze blocks as far as I can tell and the outer skin is hand made blocks. The handmade blocks were made in a mould where the guy put chunks of local stone in the mould, and then topped up with concrete to create a cast stone/concrete facing block.

A few years ago the owner put up a large extension and replicated the outer blocks to match the existing ones (took him almost 2 years of casting blocks each weekend to have enough to build it!). He got all the building regs. pased so I assume the blocks are acceptable?

[Nuisance_Value]

If it's been passed by building control then I would imagine everything is fine. However for piece of mind (and to satisfy BC should they require it) the only way to be sure is to remove a block and have it crush tested for compressive strength in much the same way concrete is tested during a pour (a mould (or three or four) is taken from each pour, cured then sent away for compressive testing. It can also be done on site)

Ideally he should have made lots of spares (three or four from each batch) for this very thing and have copies of the results. If there is spares kicking around then you can satisfy yourself, if not then you would have to remove one (or several) and remake them in order to replace.

[JR]

The above is all very well in theory but I doubt that you'd be allowed to do it before purchase. Typically the vertical loads are carried by the inner leaf with the outer skin providing stiffening and water proofing. In this case employ the services of a structural engineer to assess the design of the bungalow and see how the structure is designed to work. As mentioned above, if you're lucky a suitable report will be in the Building Regs submission.

[Sam_68]

Nuisance_Value said:

...However for piece of mind (and to satisfy BC should they require it) the only way to be sure is to remove a block and have it crush tested for compressive strength in much the same way concrete is tested during a pour (a mould (or three or four) is taken from each pour, cured then sent away for compressive testing. It can also be done on site).

Bear in mind that the outer leaf of a cavity wall does not take any structural load. The wall plate (roof) and floors bear only on the internal leaf. The outer leaf only acts to stabilise the inner leaf (by means of wall ties) and carry its own minimal self-weight and wind loads.

It therefore doesn't need to be particularly strong.

I'd be more worried about long term weather resistance (frost damage/weathering) and ease of replacement.

[Laurel Green]

To be honest, a bungalow will have very little weight to carry, most being after very heavy snowfall.

[Sam_68]

Laurel Green said:

To be honest, a bungalow will have very little weight to carry, most being after very heavy snowfall.

...and that load is on the roof, so will be transmitted to the foundations by the inner leaf.

[Laurel Green]

Sam_68 said:

...and that load is on the roof, so will be transmitted to the foundations by the inner leaf.

BTW; didn't see you post, Sam.