Defective expansion joint in clinker facade

An LED strip... the house shouldn't look like a shack at the fair...

Hello everyone,

I need to clarify once again that the position of the expansion joint in our specific case was determined by GU/bricklayers (with the option for us to place it to the left or right of the door). The expert only pointed out that, from his perspective, an expansion joint is absolutely necessary given the length of our wall. I have also attached a sketch of the current situation. You can also see that two of the four joints are really (almost) hidden behind downspouts.

Many thanks already for the ideas on how to somewhat mask the problem. I also think that we will first try something with color matching to the stones. But the whole issue is of course annoying, as the cladding was actually quite expensive. Therefore, I will bring up the costs for replacing the stones during the handover – even though that probably has little chance of success. Does anyone have a rough estimate of how high these costs could be?

Why did it end up being 4 joints at all? The recommendation is simply to equip walls of (I’ll just stick with the value) 14 meters and more with expansion joints. And of course, these don’t have to be, as already explained so nicely, inserted after 14m, but can be located anywhere as long as less than the recommended maximum of 14m remains on both sides. You have exactly 14m, so one joint per wall is sufficient, therefore a total of 2, no matter where.

So in your case it should also be enough right at the corner of the house (which probably represents the standard case). Or maybe a (floor-to-ceiling) window is suitable... and of course, as explained in post #20, without interrupting the bond.

Replacing the stones shouldn’t be such a big deal; you just carefully chisel them out, and with love, a feel for it, and a pointing trowel, in the end you won’t see anything of it. I would say that a reasonably experienced mason should be able to do it within 3-4 working days, so the whole thing should be completed for 1500-2000€ all in. Of course plus new expansion joints.

The expert only noted that, from his perspective, an expansion joint was absolutely necessary given the length of our wall.

An expert should refrain from such irresponsible charlatanism, whispering half-baked nonsense into the builder's ear. He should have told where expansion joints should have been planned.

that the position of the expansion joint in our specific case was determined by the general contractor/mason (with the option for us to place it to the left or right of the door).

Instead of somewhere to the left or right of the door—which in itself defines a completely pointless anchoring of a suitable position—one could have just as well chosen a position from the Buddhist church calendar or according to the position of the sun—the degree of senselessness would have been exactly the same. A "wildly" chiseled expansion joint afterward is foolishness and cannot be beautified in any way. This approach illustrates nothing more and nothing less than that the purpose of this institution was not understood.

Many thanks in advance for the ideas on how to somewhat mask the problem. I also think that we will first try something with a color adjustment to the stones.

There is nothing to mask, but simply to restore: all the senselessly split stones belong to be chiseled out and replaced, simply brought back to a pro rata status. Before grouting, a painter must come and airbrush the transitions to blur them, otherwise it will never be possible to achieve an invisible replacement (simply because of the range of color shades, unless perhaps one still has bricks from the same batch left over).

Replacing the stones shouldn’t really be such a big deal; you just carefully chisel them out, and with love, finesse, and a pointing trowel, in the end, nothing will be visible. I would say a reasonably experienced mason should manage that within 3-4 working days, so the whole thing should be completed for about 1500-2000€ all in. Naturally plus new expansion joints.

That effort should roughly apply per joint :-( and it doesn’t hurt if the mason happens to also be a gifted tile setter. An expansion joint is not a funny slit in a dress, but a planned break in a large-format component that belongs in a cleverly chosen spot. Cutting a notch somewhere afterward is no healing substitute but a completely pointless act of vandalism—and that is not to be painted over, but to be repaired.

Where do you see such gigantic effort there?

A surveyor should refrain from such irresponsible charlatanry, putting half-baked fleas in the builder's ear.

I think that's a bit exaggerated. You probably can't expect the general contractor to just cut open the facade somewhere.