Bricklaying — chalk lines, stiffener columns, lintels and what disappears under the render

Unlike the concrete and steel work so far, no DPT or EIT standard specifically governs bricklaying. That means quality depends purely on what the designer drew and the order the tradespeople work in. The good news is that what you need to inspect on this page is visible to the naked eye…

• This page contains
• Chalk lines before bricklaying — the last minute when room sizes can still be changed
• Stiffener columns and lintels — the one thing to remember if you remember only one
• Stiffener columns and lintels — the figures drawings often leave out
• Water upstand under bathroom walls — the item most quietly left out
• Wall ties — small bars nobody sees once they're cut out
• Clay bricks and AAC blocks use opposite methods
• Clay bricklaying sequence — four figures you can check entirely yourself
• AAC block laying sequence — three things done the opposite way from clay bricks
• Two spots that make walls crack even when the bricklaying looks perfect
• The wall-to-floor joint — a termite route that can only be sealed now
• Timber door frames — set them straight now, or the door never closes properly
• Pipes embedded in walls — inspect now, or the wall has to be chiselled open
• What no Thai standard covers yet
• If the exterior walls are timber cladding rather than masonry — a completely different set of things to inspect
• Fixing and joining boards — two figures that decide how many years before this wall leaks