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Screwed up bay unit

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[#1] Posted: 02/21/2007 - 6:40:27 PM
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I had a one year warranty inspection today. Believe it or not. the buyer has not yet moved in.

A bay unit that looks like it was cobbled together by day laborers is stuck onto the side of the house. I don't have an overall shot of it, but it's visible in a picture that I took to document the snow covered grounds.

The fascia is mounted out beyond the drip edge and the space between them is open to the interior. The only thing covering this opening is the shingles (that are cracking because of the lack of support).

The windows are obviously designed to be used with vinyl siding, not the boards that are there. The boards appear to be some sort of composite material. Some aren't even securely attached. Even though this setup has had a year to leak, I couldn't find stains anywhere.

I'm not sure what my recommendation should be. Tearing the thing off and starting over from scratch would be the ideal thing to do, but you know that's not going to happen, especially with the builders in this area being in a world of finacial hurt.

Any suggestions would be welcomed!


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Joe Hancaviz
Nazareth, PA
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Screwed up bay unit
[#2] Posted: 02/21/2007 - 7:21:23 PM
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There are signs that the whole thing is leaking, they just aren't visible behind the plastic.
Chad Fabry
StructureSmart Home Inspection Rochester, NY
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Screwed up bay unit
[#3] Posted: 02/21/2007 - 7:40:24 PM
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The framer was an idiot and the G.C. should have noticed that the roof detail doesn't jive with the roof detail at the eaves. The roof over that bumpout should have come down another 4 to 5 inches and had a small cornice detail so it matched the roof. Not as deep as the upper roof overhang, but the same idea. They can still salvage it by stripping the roof off the bumpout and redoing just the roof and cornice.

As for the windows, if they're designed to accept J-channels they're just plain WRONG in my never-humble opinion.

OT - OF!!!

M.

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Screwed up bay unit
[#4] Posted: 02/21/2007 - 7:40:28 PM
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You should feel very comfortable telling your folks the thing should be torn off. One year warranty is comical.

Kurt in Chicago

"If I smell it, it goes in the report".............Phillip Smith...2012


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Screwed up bay unit
[#5] Posted: 02/21/2007 - 7:51:18 PM
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Wait a minute! That is vinyl siding.

OK, now I'm trackin'. He wanted to use wood or MDF trim to give the windows a more authentic look with the vinyl siding, instead of the J-channels. There was an article in JLC about that about 4-5 years ago. You have to very carfully mill you trim so that it covers the siding and J-channels. I don't remember all of the article, 'cuz I hate the stuff and really didn't want to learn the technique, but if you do a search on the JLC site for something like, "Using MDF trim with vinyl siding" I think you'll find it in their archives. Go here: http://www.JLCOnline.com

ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!!

Mike

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Screwed up bay unit
[#6] Posted: 02/21/2007 - 10:00:55 PM
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Thanks for the (as always) quick replies.

Yeah, I think the roofline ought to be extended. I wonder if the owner is up to a fight with the builder.

Mike, I couldn't find the article that you remembered. I searched both online and on the CD's I have that go back to '86. I wasn't a wasted effort however, as I read a few really interesting articles including Builder Time Bombs from March 2000.

Whatever that article said, I'm sure it included installation details that weren't followed with this mess of an installation.

Joe Hancaviz
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Screwed up bay unit
[#7] Posted: 02/22/2007 - 12:12:55 AM
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Quote:Originally posted by Inspectorjoe

. . . The fascia is mounted out beyond the drip edge and the space between them is open to the interior. The only thing covering this opening is the shingles (that are cracking because of the lack of support).

Take some 6" coil stock, break it 1 inch in to match the pitch of the roof. Slip lengths of this flashing under the shingles so that the 1-inch leg hangs over the fascia. Presto - you've extended the roof.

Quote:The windows are obviously designed to be used with vinyl siding, not the boards that are there. The boards appear to be some sort of composite material. Some aren't even securely attached. Even though this setup has had a year to leak, I couldn't find stains anywhere.

Composition trim raises my hackles. I just don't trust the stuff.

Also, those windows are designed to direct water behind the siding. This works ok with vinyl siding, not with composition trim.

Clearly, the projecting wood trim along the bottom needs to be flashed.

Quote:I'm not sure what my recommendation should be. Tearing the thing off and starting over from scratch would be the ideal thing to do, but you know that's not going to happen, especially with the builders in this area being in a world of finacial hurt.

Any suggestions would be welcomed!

I don't see a need to tear it down. But if it were my house, those windows would come out and be replaced with something that I could successfully butt trim up to.

- Jim Katen, Oregon

Jim Katen, Oregon
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Screwed up bay unit
[#8] Posted: 02/22/2007 - 07:44:34 AM
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Sounds like a creative idea Jim,but will the flashing help support those shingles enough to keep them from cracking?
Bob.E
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Screwed up bay unit
[#9] Posted: 02/22/2007 - 08:29:35 AM
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Quote:Originally posted by chicago

Sounds like a creative idea Jim,but will the flashing help support those shingles enough to keep them from cracking?


Sure. Though you might need wider coil stock depending on how much of a gap there is up there.

- Jim Katen, Oregon

Jim Katen, Oregon
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