The brickwork demonstrates poor workmanship
The brickwork demonstrates poor workmanship, including irregular and incomplete bed and perpend joints, excessive mortar voids and inadequate bedding around the wall ties. The ties appear to have been installed in the wrong orientation, with insufficient embedment and incomplete mortar encapsulation. This may compromise lateral restraint, wind-load transfer, water management and the long-term stability of the outer leaf. The affected brickwork should be dismantled and rebuilt using correctly orientated ties installed to the manufacturer’s specified spacing, embedment and mortar coverage.
- NCQLE reference
- NCQLE-2026-00005
- Quality topic
- Installation quality
- Lesson type
- Failure
- Evidence rating
- Documented
- Published
- 31 July 2026
- Last reviewed
- 31 July 2026
Evidence basis: Supported by reviewed project documentation. This learning is provided for professional consideration and does not replace project-specific competent advice, statutory duties or contractual requirements.
Context
During inspection of partially completed cavity-wall construction, the brickwork and wall ties remained exposed and could be examined before further work continued. The masonry showed poorly filled bed and perpend joints, while several wall ties appeared to be installed in the wrong orientation and inadequately embedded in the mortar. The installation did not demonstrate compliance with the approved wall-tie layout or manufacturer’s requirements for orientation, embedment and mortar encapsulation.
The transferable lesson
Wall ties are safety-critical structural components and must not be treated as incidental items during bricklaying. The correct tie type, orientation, spacing, embedment depth, alignment and full mortar encapsulation must be confirmed before subsequent courses are laid. Ties should never be pushed into finished joints or left resting in partially filled mortar beds. A benchmark panel, competent supervision and regular inspection hold points should be used to verify both brickwork quality and tie installation before the work becomes concealed.
Recommended action
Stop further bricklaying and inspect the affected elevation to establish the extent of incorrectly installed ties and defective mortar joints. Confirm the specified tie type, orientation, spacing and minimum embedment against the approved design and manufacturer’s instructions. Dismantle the affected brickwork back to sound construction and rebuild it with correctly positioned ties fully embedded in fresh mortar beds and with all bed and perpend joints properly filled. A competent supervisor should inspect and photograph the corrected work before construction continues. Where defects are extensive, obtain structural-engineer approval of the remedial strategy.
Limitations and application
The finding is based on the exposed area shown and does not confirm the condition of wall ties or mortar joints throughout the elevation. The correct orientation, embedment, spacing and fixing method depend on the approved structural design and the specific tie manufacturer’s instructions. Further opening-up and inspection may be required to establish the full extent of defective work. This lesson applies to cavity-wall and masonry-cladding construction, but any remedial wall-tie solution must be designed and approved for the particular wall build-up, cavity width, exposure conditions and imposed loads.