Bay Window Steel Supports

sundula

I am building house and there is a box bay off the kitchen. The builder got a steel frame made to support the roof.
The window man says he would prefer if the 2x steel poles ( 1 in each corner) were slightly moved a it would make it easier to fit windows - ie a better job. Builder is naturally not to happy about this because a. he has the cills cut and b. the roof is not resting on the poles and he doesnt want to mess it about.

I kind of agree with the builder because he has the work done and surely the window man can just work with the setup thats there and adapt his windows to suit.

Window man gave me a sample piece to show where their curved piece would fit to the window nice and tight. When i line this up to the steel poles it means the window sits right on the top lip of the cill ie. the piece on the bottom of the window doesnt drop out over the upturned part of cill like it should in just sits on the top ( if your following me)

Does anyone know what function the lip on the bottom of the window frame does ? Cause when i slide it out of the frame sits nice a flush on the cill.

Anyone know what im talking about or have any ideas ??

rooferPete

Hi,

The upstand at the back of the cill allows the window to be bedded in place and keeps it clear of cill allowing the water to flow off, it also prevents the water from soaking in behind the window.

The piece at the bottom of the window acts as a drip and allows any water to drain on to the cill and clear of the building.

If the drip is removed from the window any water (rain) will run down the window and track back on top of the cill causing dampness on the wall inside or draining into the cavity where it can do even more harm on timber frame building.

If you feel under the cill there should be a semi circular or "V" shaped rebate in the concrete where it overhangs the wall, the groove acts as a drip detail preventing water from tracking back under the cill and causin dampness in the wall.

From your description somebody was not reading the drawings.

.

kadman

rooferPete wrote:

Hi,



From your description somebody was not reading the drawings.

.

Ah ..the old , pass the buck syndrome. Yep Peter it does indeed sound like some one was asleep on the job.

If I am reading this correct, the window has to have its drip sitting on the concrete cill upstand in order for the plastic bay pole covers ( I assume we are talking pvc her...sounds like it ) to wrap around the poles.

If this is the case, it means one of two things. Either the poles are positioned too far in towards the room. Or the cills are positioned too far out towards the outside of the building.

If this is the case, and the cills are projecting about 3 " over the existing plaster work, then they cannot be moved inwards. This means that the only option is to move the poles.

In short it appears that it is the builders issue. How did he determine the position of the cills and the poles , without a sample of the window section to set both.

I assume I am correct in my assumption as I have come across this many times when I have been fitting both bay windows and conserveratories.

If the poles are not supporting the roof, and the cills are projecting the correct amount, then moving the poles is the best option.

kadman

rooferPete

Hi Sunula,

Is there any chance that the builder can cut a pvc pipe in half and fix the section to the steel ?

That should bring the post out far enough for the window man to fit his finishing detail to while still clearing the cill with the drip detail.

Failing that he can fit the windows as per good building practice and get two lengths of pvc coated metal to complete the joint at the posts, colour coated steel can be bought in most colours and folded to almost any shape incliuding a circle or semi circle.

If your windows are white or some other popular colours the same thing can be done with coated sheet aluminium.

.

kadman

Hi Rooferpete, Sundula,

If they are a pvc window section, then each side stile of each bay section needs a baypole adaptor to connect 2 sections together. This is where the poles come in. Unfortunately it sounds like they are in the wrong position.

If we fit the windows in the correct position on the cill, then the installer cannot connect to the pole in the proper manner. The bay pole adaptor is like a circular cut out , to fit around the pole, and only the proper size pole is going to fit that section. That is why the installer is reluctant to connect to any thing, other than the correct pole and adaptor arrangement. And I can fully understand this, because if the window leaks, he is responsible.

Any other arrangement does not allow him to use the adaptor gaskets to form a proper seal. I reckon unless he gets a signed release from problems that may occur with a different setup, other than the reccomended arrangement, he wont change it.

Any chance of a pic, and Rookad may come to the rescue, and give us the window section. It will be marked on the windows, or dimensions of the section.

kadman

sundula

thanks for advice, you have all read the situation correct. I dont really know how the builder decided to put the steel poles where he did. I guess once they were level and straight he just fit them.

I think best way out of it maybe to fit something else on to the poles - some form of flashing or pvc covering.

Thanks for advice

rooferPete

Hi,

As Kadman points out on a regular basis a lot of the detail drawings that are sent out today do not take on-site practical details into consideration.

There is a chance that the builder fitted the posts where they supported the roof best, (that would be practical) if the lines of communication between the window manufacturer and the builder were not clear.

I expect between the two of them they will come up with a practical solution.

.

sundula

Well poles were moved. Im very lucky with the builder really, i went to check the site Sat morning to find the poles had to be moved. So no quibble - well not till pay day maybe.

kadman

sundula wrote:

Well poles were moved. Im very lucky with the builder really, i went to check the site Sat morning to find the poles had to be moved. So no quibble - well not till pay day maybe.

Yeeeees...yeees...yes.

Kadman scores again, well maybe Rooferpete as well. :cool:

You think your builders bill will be a bigun,, Rooferpete, send the invoice quick.

Another job done,
Its ready to go,
Coz we be fast,
And the rest dont know,

Rookad, rookad, rookad.

Kadman