Cracked / dislodged brickwork on internal wall - Advice

[tiching99]

Hi All - Been skulking around the forums for months but only now have had something to post so go easy on me please!

I took the architraves off an internal door frame and noticed that the plaster was (very) loose. Turns out the plaster was not only blown, it was 'hanging' in place. So I started to pry off some of the plaster only to be presented with a huge 'crack' in the corner of the wall. (Note there was no crack in the plaster, so the previous owner must have just plastered over).

Please see the pics. I call it a 'crack' (in quotation marks) as it doesn't look like the bricks have been tied-in/joined properly. The exposed part of the brickwork has a bit of 'give' in it, and actually rests on the joist! I suspect that further up the wall, the brick is probably tied in properly with the adjoining wall, but where the crack starts, a number bricks have come away now actually rests on the joist.

My questions are (hopefully) simple:
- Is this a sign of serious structural issues?
- What would be the remedy? A mate has suggested that bricks to the right of the door should be replaced with studwork (by a chippy).
- What trade would look at this? A brickie or a joiner/chippy (or other)?

I am only starting on my DIY journey and this is not something that I would attempt myself! Any advice is greatly appreciated!

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[ree]

Your mate is on the right track:
remove the door, and carefully take down the nib of loose brickwork from the top. Try not to disturb the door frame or the return wall.

Check that there is a lintel above the door, perhaps spanning into the wall on the right.

Check what is below the nib floor area.

The odds are that you will disturb the plaster on the other side of the loose nib - if so, just get on with it and later make good all round.

An on-site view would tell a chippy if its feasible to stud up and rehang the door (& plaster board) to the new studwork. I should imagine that it would work.
The studwork would probably have to be pinned to the sound brickwork.

 

[tiching99]

Thanks for the response.

When you say the 'nib', I presume you mean the small section of wall between the door and the corner (i.e. to the right of the door)?

If so, there is nothing under the nib of loose bricks - the whole stack of loose bricks rests on the joist itself. Looking at it now, I suspect that when the previous owner replaced the joist, he/she dislodged the brickwork. When he re-fitted the new joist, it looks like he's just stacked the bricks back on and wedged a piece of plywood to take up any slack.

Anyway, had a chippy round and he's said exactly as you've suggested:

- Remove door and lining
- Knock out loose bricks up to sound brick or (worst case) lintel
- Replace with studwork
- Replace door lining and re-hang door

I'd have to get someone else to plasterboard and skim.

£190 quoted, labour + materials. Sound about right?

Thanks again