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Hi all,
Looking for some advice on next steps.
We had a new upvc window fitted to our basement in June last year that involved digging out a large section of earth, laying some stones in the base and bricking up the dug-out section (see photo 1).
However, in September we noticed mould, discolourations in the plaster and what looks like salt in various patches on the plaster surrounding the window (see photos 2-4). It's worth noting that these surfaces were at this moment mostly plumb, with a good space between the wall and the inner window frame, with the window opening easily.
When we had the painter come in to get the whole room prepped, he said it was likely to be damp related and he'd see if he could patch-up any gaps in the sealing on the outside of the window and then once the plaster dried out it should be fine... He got to work and had the whole room painted in a week, it looks fantastic, very pleased, yadda yadda yadda.
Anyway, we've been noticing the walls around the window frame slowly but surely bulging with cracks appearing in the plaster and small sections of paint flaking off. We had asked the cowboys responsible for this mess to come back and sort it a few months back but obviously they're still awash with funerals, dentists appointments and the like. This morning I had a proper look and took a few photos to try and get some idea of what to do (see photos below).
The walls are now bulging by between 10-15mm on each side directly by the frame, and the sill underneath is bulging by about 11mm in the centre, flattening out towards the corners. The window now no longer opens easily, and has cracked the plaster where it meets the wall when opening.
As you can see from the picture above, pebbles were laid, but are practically level with the window frame, and the builders threw the rest of their plaster/cement/grout over the pebbles, creating a lovely layer of mush. I'd imagine this is also affecting the waterproofing of the window frame, but any advice on this would be appreciated.
I'll follow up this post with a load of photos of the outside of the window.
My main questions are:
- Is this likely to be damp-related or are there possibly greater structural issues at play?
- Is this purely an issue relating to the plaster or could the brickwork be compromised from ingress of water?
- Can this be solved with a bit of elbow grease and diy, or should I try and get another set of builders in to fix the issue?
Also, I doubt this is on the cards with them disappearing into the wind, but if it's worth trying to pursue the old builders in any way, then any advice on how to do that would be massively appreciated.
Thanks all, I can take more photos as necessary but thought I'd prioritise with these as I can only have 10 in a post.
Thanks,
Oscar
Looking for some advice on next steps.
We had a new upvc window fitted to our basement in June last year that involved digging out a large section of earth, laying some stones in the base and bricking up the dug-out section (see photo 1).
However, in September we noticed mould, discolourations in the plaster and what looks like salt in various patches on the plaster surrounding the window (see photos 2-4). It's worth noting that these surfaces were at this moment mostly plumb, with a good space between the wall and the inner window frame, with the window opening easily.
When we had the painter come in to get the whole room prepped, he said it was likely to be damp related and he'd see if he could patch-up any gaps in the sealing on the outside of the window and then once the plaster dried out it should be fine... He got to work and had the whole room painted in a week, it looks fantastic, very pleased, yadda yadda yadda.
Anyway, we've been noticing the walls around the window frame slowly but surely bulging with cracks appearing in the plaster and small sections of paint flaking off. We had asked the cowboys responsible for this mess to come back and sort it a few months back but obviously they're still awash with funerals, dentists appointments and the like. This morning I had a proper look and took a few photos to try and get some idea of what to do (see photos below).
The walls are now bulging by between 10-15mm on each side directly by the frame, and the sill underneath is bulging by about 11mm in the centre, flattening out towards the corners. The window now no longer opens easily, and has cracked the plaster where it meets the wall when opening.
As you can see from the picture above, pebbles were laid, but are practically level with the window frame, and the builders threw the rest of their plaster/cement/grout over the pebbles, creating a lovely layer of mush. I'd imagine this is also affecting the waterproofing of the window frame, but any advice on this would be appreciated.
I'll follow up this post with a load of photos of the outside of the window.
My main questions are:
- Is this likely to be damp-related or are there possibly greater structural issues at play?
- Is this purely an issue relating to the plaster or could the brickwork be compromised from ingress of water?
- Can this be solved with a bit of elbow grease and diy, or should I try and get another set of builders in to fix the issue?
Also, I doubt this is on the cards with them disappearing into the wind, but if it's worth trying to pursue the old builders in any way, then any advice on how to do that would be massively appreciated.
Thanks all, I can take more photos as necessary but thought I'd prioritise with these as I can only have 10 in a post.
Thanks,
Oscar
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