What should be under my Bifold Door?

[vaderag]

We've had a new Bifold Door installed and looking from outside under the weather step you can see it's basically propped onto wood and very little else there.

I'm concerned that with any heavy rainfall / cleaning of the patio that a lot of water is going to run under this and into the wall cavity... is this normal?

My assumption would be that mastic/silicone should be under there (or something!) to prevent run under, but the builder says that there shouldnt be anything there and it's done...

Can someone please advise?

 

[Brigade77]

I've very little experience of Bifolds personally, but as with any external door, simply putting it on wood simply will not do

Try to find out who manufactured the door & consult them, in the meantime there are several sources of good fitting info, heres one of 'em . . .https://www.aluminiumtradesupply.co.uk/bi-folding-doors/threshold-options-bifolding-doors/

 

[HERTS P&D]

Post some pictures.

Andy

 

[vaderag]

See pics below

You can just about see under the threshold to the wood underneath

 

[vaderag]

Post some pictures.

Andy

Just checking you saw the pics above - any thoughts?
Thanks

 

[Brigade77]

Just checking you saw the pics above - any thoughts?
Thanks

My first thought is that timber will swell this winter, the doors will then suffer opening/closing problems.

 

[crank39]

Fine for packing and getting the threshold level as you can't trust the course of bricks not to be up and down but really they needed to be plastic so they don't rot or swell, after that the gap needs to filled with mortar and be pointed off, it's awkward that the step is so close which is why it's been left but to say there shouldn't be anything there is wrong and he knows it, it's just difficult to point but that's not your problem, I guess now the only way to point it is with a mortar gun and some pipe

 

[vaderag]

Fine for packing and getting the threshold level as you can't trust the course of bricks not to be up and down but really they needed to be plastic so they don't rot or swell, after that the gap needs to filled with mortar and be pointed off, it's awkward that the step is so close which is why it's been left but to say there shouldn't be anything there is wrong and he knows it, it's just difficult to point but that's not your problem, I guess now the only way to point it is with a mortar gun and some pipe

Thanks - that's pretty much what I thought...
It is treated wood (for the record), but nevertheless I totally agree on it's own it's not enough - but at the moment it's my word against theirs.

How can I 'prove' I'm right?

Is this something that building control would have an issue with, is it worth bringing to their attention to get some backup?

 

[vaderag]

Thanks - that's pretty much what I thought...
It is treated wood (for the record), but nevertheless I totally agree on it's own it's not enough - but at the moment it's my word against theirs.

How can I 'prove' I'm right?

Is this something that building control would have an issue with, is it worth bringing to their attention to get some backup?

Anyone?

 

[foxhole]

Do the steps slope gently away from the door?

 

[vaderag]

Do the steps slope gently away from the door?

Not noticeably. They might, but i'll need to check

 

[vaderag]

Just bumping again - still looking for ammo to get them to fix it...

 

[crank39]

What more ammo do you need?

It should be filled in and not left open which could even let rodents in, try living with rats in your cavity keeping you awake at night

 

[Notch7]

but the builder says that there shouldnt be anything there and it's done...

Bulls hit.

Tell him to git his backside round and finish the job

It needs a bit of thin plywood to lay on the step -just enough to come up flush to the brick under the cill. Then a dollop of mortar on the plywood and pushed into the gap with the end of a suitable batten. Or a brickie might have a better way

Fiddly but doable.

 

[bobasd]

OP, do you have a solid floor - is the threshold frame partially sitting on the solid floor?
i ask because the plastic air vent seems to be too high for a suspended floor?
and, unless there's a cavity tray, what is the weep drain draining?
can you post a photo of inside showing the sill at floor level?

i cant see a DPC under the wood packer?
the sand and cement plinth might be bridging any DPC in the walls?
can you mark on the pic where your FFL is?

ffwiw: there are better ways of building the steps.
typically, the top riser should have been the same rise , say 7 -1/2", as the lower risers.