Bay window help

[m0t]

I have just had an L shaped bay window replaced (rotten wood with UPVC) and during the install process I was told about the importance of the corner post because it carries a lot of the weight of the sloped roof structure above.

I've noticed today that the post they have used isn't in contact with the sill and floats above it (I can see the bottom of the aluminium tube inside). I had expected this to continue through the sill to the brickwork.

Am I being dense or have they done this wrong?

 

[crank39]

If it's a load bearing bay then you are correct and what they've done is wrong, they should of used a bay jacking pole which as you say continues through the cill and sits on the brickwork and not the cill, this is then wound up like a small acrow prop, a steel plate is also used above to stop the pole digging into the timber roof structure, post some photos

 

[m0t]

 

[crank39]

A picture of the bay above too please but it doesn't look good already, I'd also be concerned about the 25mm plastic trim under the cill, looks to me that the bay is too short and it's not sitting on the bricks, just being packed up with packers and the gap covered with the trim, the same could be said about the trim to the top, what's behind it and what's the roof structure sitting on.......ALARM BELLS!!!

Structure Ref. Approved Document A IntroductionLoading which states: Approved Document A supports Regulation A1 (1) The building shall be constructed so that the combined dead, imposed and wind loads are sustained and transmitted by it to the ground (a) (b) safely; andwithout causing such deflection or deformation of any part of the building, or such movement of the ground, as will impair the stability of any part of another building. (2) In assessing whether a buildi ng complies with subparagraph (1) regard shall be had to the imposed and wind loads to which it is likely to be subjected in the ordinary course of its use for the purpose for which it is intended. Guidance on Regulation A1 General guidance is provided th roughout the Approved Document but it is not particularly focused on replacement windows etc. The main areas of concern are related to: • • • • the installation of bay windows, the possibility that existing lintels might have their bearing areas reduced, changing an existing window into a doorway anything that affects the structural stability of the building which is consequent upon the installation of the replacement windows etc. Certass Guidance Bay windowsWhen installing replacement windows to ba ys it is essential that any structure above the bay (second floor construction or roof construction) is adequately supported. Just resting the roof or floor above on the window frames will not normally satisfy Part A unless the windows are designed to be l oadbearing. Acceptable solutions include: • • Lintels a separate structure to support the load structural steel posts at changes of direction which are tied or fixed down to dwarf walls etc.

 

[m0t]

I'll try to get photos of the bay above.

It is sat on bricks - the ones you can see in the picture are slips that are on 9cm of foam.

The actual wall is in line with the top of the windows, hopefully you can see from this old photo.

Front[1]

• m0t
• 24 Aug 2015

 

[ronniecabers]

The lack of the bay pole going through the cill is very alarming. I also wouldn't have thought it should be Aluminium ... all our Load bearing poles are Galvinised Steel ( I hate drilling them lol! ). and as Crank says it should be on the top of the wall , with a Bay Pole Jack. I see Cranks issue with the trim at the bottom , Why use a trim? Normally a bit of sealant is sufficient. I would just double check that the cill is on those bricks, but saying that , it will need to come out to do that Load Bearing post correctly

 

[crank39]

I tell you what they've done here, they've cut the legs off the old hardwood subframe and left the head in and fitted the new frame under the old frame hence the need to cloak it with trim to hide the hardwood

 

[m0t]

The lack of the bay pole going through the cill is very alarming. I also wouldn't have thought it should be Aluminium ... all our Load bearing poles are Galvinised Steel ( I hate drilling them lol! ). and as Crank says it should be on the top of the wall , with a Bay Pole Jack. I see Cranks issue with the trim at the bottom , Why use a trim? Normally a bit of sealant is sufficient. I would just double check that the cill is on those bricks, but saying that , it will need to come out to do that Load Bearing post correctly

The cill is sat on bricks at the back under the glass bit (I saw them putting this in). The bit at the front is just to hide the joint to the foam insulation / brick slips.

Not sure what the post is made of now. Just check the spec and the upper bay poles were listed as aluminium reinforced this one is just listed as reinforced corner post. The metal tube looks quite thick.

The thing that has really hacked me off is that after the first day they had installed the upper bay but hadn't put the front trim on the outside on. I reached round and could feel there was nothing but foam above the window (despite them having installed bay poles and bottom jacks). I made it clear that I had noticed this and wasn't happy that they had left the bay like that with no support. Their response was that they had intended to pack out the tops the next day. Apparently this has been done and they have photos to prove but I haven't seen them and now I'm concerned that bay is messed up as well.

Edit: this has made me angry and I feel like a right mug.

 

[crank39]

The foam in the upper bay squirted into any voids is good, the amount of installers that don't is shocking, if they've fitted jacking poles then they need to be on spreader plates top and bottom or are you suggesting there are no jacks and just foam was used

 

[m0t]

The foam in the upper bay squirted into any voids is good, the amount of installers that don't is shocking, if they've fitted jacking poles then they need to be on spreader plates top and bottom or are you suggesting there are no jacks and just foam was used

Originally there was just foam no spreader plates. Their excuse was they were putting them in the next day although they had taken down the acros and told me they just had a bit of trim to put on.

The next day they apparently put the correct packers and spreaders in after I complained and took photos to prove it (I am going to make sure they send those to me).

 

[crank39]

Gotcha, make sure the pics are of your property as well, my hunch is there's no jacks

 

[m0t]

 

[m0t]

So that's a photo of the upper bay and of the inside corner where that post is. The trim in the corner above the window looks wonky, that's not new - I first noticed it when I decorated almost 2 years ago so that's completely unrelated.

 

[crank39]

I'd want solid proof that they've fitted jacks upstairs and downstairs, for your own peace of mind I would suggest that you ask them to remove the trims and physically show you the jacks are in place, if they are then you would be willing to pay them half a days labour for their service engineer to refit the trims, if they're not then they want fitting at their expense otherwise you'll involve FENSA or CERTASS if they're with one of them

 

[m0t]

They are fensa registered.

I also paid my deposit on credit card so I have a few sticks to beat them with.