Brick veneer over weatherboard

[Shano23]

Hi everyone

I am looking at a house which has a solid brick base and as I understand a brick veneer cladding for the main exterior. The agent has told me she thinks it has weatherboard underneath. It was the 'craze in the 70s and 80s' were her words and required less maintenance not having to paint etc...

Does anyone have any experience or knowledge of this cladding and whether it's safe or to avoid?

The place is up for auction so a builders report or moisture test is not ideal.

Cheers

[Viking]

Lots of that stuff used. Worst bit is that always looked ugly.

[Damap]

Funny enough I sold it when I was about 20. A guy called Ted, forget his last name introduced it to NZ. We even did it over brick houses. Clinker brick cladding and tudor were the most popular. We targeted weatherboard and hardiplank or weatherside style houses. I am not sure what the underlying board was it was cement board product. We never had any issues with quality or complaints that I recall but what it is like 30 years on I am not sure.
We did hundreds and hundreds of houses in Auckland, Whangarei and Hamilton.
John the builder may have come across it in more recent times he may comment hopefully

[Shano23]

thanks here's hoping

[jimO]

it was called C Brick i think and was probably used to cover rotten weatherboards, its not real bricks just a sheet with ugly brick veneer on it

[Shano23]

how would I find out if this is the case? (rotten weatherboards)

It's a property I want to buy and could turn into a great deal

[jimO]

the only way would be to remove the sheets. Check the facings around the windows for signs of rot or replacement, back in the 70s it was common to solid plaster over rotten weatherboards and when C Brick came out it would have been a cheaper alternative to plastering,

[Damap]

They are nailed on. Find a join and pull one part sheet off.

[Shano23]

They are nailed on. Find a join and pull one part sheet off.

the sticking point of this is it's an auction

What is the worst case scenario $$ wise? and what is the likelihood of this having issues?

cheers for the advice

[Damap]

OH impossible to say. We would target the scruffiest houses as the reclad was easy and cheap. So underneath could be absolutely anything. Worst case is weatherside so could need a complete reclad. Best case is perfectly good weatherboards that just need painting.

[reubmeister]

Would be keen for some extra thoughts here as well... I am looking at a place that is clad with vinyl (maybe Masada or Thermalock) over top of what looks like Weatherside.
Is this common? And if the original cladding is rubbish, what problems does this present?