Brick footing with single brick at the top

Is this normal for a brick footing only uses a single brick at the top (left side of the photo)? I've usually seen like 2 or 3 bricks at the top for a decent surface area which the wooden beam sits on (right side of the photo).



I am planning to get a building inspection done

Thanks

 

The beam (bearer) is less than a brick wide, so more bricks wouldn’t help it be more stable. Packers have been used as well.

 

That looks bodgie. That's not to aussie standards.

There should be 4 bricks there to give the proper strength. Over time a single brick could deteriorate and crumble. Also the ant cap should be directly under the bearer.

I'm TAFE qualified brickie (Nirimba TAFE) and my old teacher would give me a slap with a trowel if I did something like that. (I don't work as a brickie due to the hard yakka and body aches).

 

I've always installed the 'ant cap' over the brick pier hence 'cap'. Ideally, no packing would be required under the bearer but in this case the pier is 1 brick course too low.

 

I question if the top course was damaged or it was a quicky solution to raise and level floors. The top brick seems painted and so do others on ground ? ie they were the top course. A rough fix (and the packers) when someone had releveled the floors ? Too tight to buy a dozen bricks ?

The cost to "fix" isnt probably monumental and may turn other buyers off. Worth specialised reinspection.

 

Wonder who signed off on that bit of work? lol

If that's part of an extension on the property I'd be wary of any other short cuts taken elsewhere.

That's a good idea to get a building report.

 

Thanks all for your perspectives.

I think it is all "original" as it's still a very small house / cottage. Possibly a repair or re-level during it's history. The main renovation was updating the bathroom and kitchen.

 

That's one of the cleanest crawl spaces I've seen in a long time. It'd be rare for the ground to have been left that clean when the place was built.

 

Normally a dumping ground. I knw that's what my tenants do

 

Surprised there's been no excavation done under there and a set of grow lights dangling from the joist.

 

Im loving the way the electricals have been clipped off/supported every so often
(Is code 450 or 600mm ?)