I'm a building expert

Aug 10, 2023

BOTCHED building work riddling a new build has been exposed in a TikTok video.

The video shows the nightmare newbuild's wonky walls, fake air brick vents, and shocking pointing.

Home inspection company New Home Quality Control exposed the major flaws.

The video shows fake air bricks - which are used to ventilate parts of properties that can be susceptible to damp and mould.

The person in the video said: "Right so this is an air brick. It should be connected using a telescopic vent...

"But as we can see, it's connected to b***** all."

He went on to say that on further inspection, "the majority of air bricks hadn't been connected."

The video also goes on to show a dodgy bit of wood sticking out from under the window sill.

He also exposed the shocking pointing - when builders clean up the cement around bricks or fittings by smoothing it out.

The property boasts ill fitting pipes under the sink with huge gaps left around them.

He said: "We've got the old case of - if you can't see it, it doesn't matter, shocking."

One of the walls was even found to be completely wonky.

A ruler placed alongside the wall shows the skirting to be totally out of square.

He said: "Look at that. It's rough."

One TikTok user argued that air bricks should only be used to ventilate underneath wooden flooring and not a foundation.

But Building supply company Jewson said that they can be used throughout the property to avoid condensation and damp.

Jewson said air bricks can be used "anywhere where fresh air needs to be allowed to enter the property, from ground level right up to the roof."

Another user took issue with the video's air brick complaints, saying they don't actually need to be attached to any kind of ventilation duct behind.

But the National House Building Council (NHBC) said: "Air bricks should be ducted through cavities and be unobstructed."

One person commented on the video: "How do you even fix this stuff without ripping most of the house down?"

Another said: "I'd love to hear what they say when they have to come back and fix it. Absolutely shocking."

And one said: "I don't understand how this is allowed."

If you discover problems with fixtures and fittings in the first two years of living in a new build, you can contact the builder to get them fixed, according to Consumer Rights advice from Which?.

They also advise being persistent with complaints, contacting the New Homes Housing Ombudsman service, or the Independent Dispute Resolution Scheme in the event of a dispute.

Another new build worth £700,000 was recently left unfinished with more shocking building work.