Fix Leaking Balconies Balcony Assessment

Transcription

1 Fix Leaking Balconies Balcony Assessment Customer Details: Mr May 45 Anystreet Melbourne Assessments Repairs Date of inspection: Conditions: Assessor: 26 June 2017 Dry Luke O'Neill Registered Builder DBL-C MBAV Member

2 Assessment Guidelines This is an assessment of balcony and elements as presented at time of inspection and is noninvasive, that is, we report on what we see and not what is buried or encased (such as substrates under tiles or timber studs under cladding). This means we may miss defective or failed items that simply cannot be visually inspected from the surface. As the report is designed to be accessible and provide a description of the balcony as it presented on the day, we view this assessment as a guide for repairs, a written opinion and is not suitable as an expert report as defined by VCAT. VCAT reports (Expert Opinions) are suitable as documentation to support court cases and demand more rigerous testing, often destructive and invasive works. This assessment is not written for this requirement. This report will identify design and construction of balcony and provide a cost effective remedy for repair. VCAT reports do not offer such recommendations. Our assessment are designed to be easy to read, to identify clearly what has caused the fault and what is required to fix it. To this end, the assessment solely concentrates on the balcony itself. What did we inspect? We looked at the surface of the balcony, walls and flashings abutting balcony (if they were accessible without ladders from balcony floor) floors abutting windows and sills that abut balcony, ceilings under balcony (if accessible) and balustrading and posts systems. Why are we suited to carry out Balcony Inspections? As registered builders, with carpentry trade qualifications, we have built and repaired balconies over three decades. The key to identifying why balconies have failed is an understanding of how the balcony was built and what has failed. This means we can identify what is required to repair the balcony. We also provide a scope of works and an estimate of the cost for the work to be undertaken to repair the fault, saving you having to deal with contractors who may not posses the skills to accurately diagnose the source of the problem or the means to recify the underlying fault. Australian Standards We will refer to AS (or previous versions) Waterproofing membranes for above ground use-part two design and installation which is the standard that applies to outdoor balconies. There are many others including for tiles (AS ) Framing (AS 1684 Non-Cyclonic), the National Construction Code 2016 or earlier and the Victorian Building Authority Guide to Standards and Tolerances 2015 or its previous versions. Copyright claimed on this assessment and reprinting or release in any form of this assessment in any medium is prohibited unless permission obtained from author. This means you may not print this report on the internet or publish on Facebook, etc without my express permission. Feel free to show to friends and enemies alike in the printed form or a copy to say, your builder but that s it.

3 Description Of Front Balcony 3.8m x 6.3m We inspected the balcony at 5pm with Kate and it was dry. Kate advises that balcony was gutted of tiles and screed and remmebraned and tiled approx 2 yrs ago. Approx age of building/balcony is 7.0 years old. Building walls to balcony a rendered EPS panels. Balcony is leaking into garage and at doorway above Ceiling is removed and we observed ply substrate with nails from ceramic underlay nailed to this. The substrate was tilted via packers to joists but believe a screed has been laid to sheeting. Balcony is open to sky. There are two doorways to balcony, both aluminum sliding with a 135mm upstand. Balcony surface was tiled 300mm x 300mm ceramic tiles with 4mm Cementous grout with screeded falls to single drain (trenchdrain) south west cnr Tiles in the main were sound with adeeque falls to drain. No skirting tiles with green acrylic membrane upturn visible on wall. Balustrade feet fitted to capped cutout of rendered EPS wall has been screwed through capping. Rear Balcony 3.7m x 2.1m Primarily leaking at doorway header (brick veneer cavity) NE CNR which has damaged MDF skirting and architraves. There is also damage to strip flooring below. There is also staining to plaster ceiling below doorway above. Balcony is open to sky with EPS rendered walls. The balcony has single fall to edge but currently is V shaped with negative falls from edge back to centre. There is a ext cnr at edge of parapet wall NE cnr which substrate must have been cut around above the doorway experiencing water ingress below. There is no skirting tile on wall and no sign of upturn of waterproof membrane on wall. The eave from A frame roof stops approx 75mm above tiled floor SW cnr. You can place your hand in here and feel a 20mm flashing above the tiles but behind this the cavity stud wall. Wind driven rain could easily access this cavity.

4 Balcony Condition Construction Timber framed construction with Ply sheeting Tiles In the main sound. Effloresces minor. No expansion joints Walls Walls are rendered EPS (on renovated section) Door Sliding aluminum door. Weep holes are clear. Upstand height is 40mm Drain Falls to edge Joists Hardwood

5 Summary Of Inspection and Recommendations Balcony membrane has failed at sheet joints. It is unknown what type of membrane was used though the use of poorly performing water based urethanes is usual. Substrate sheets are moving as evidenced by drummy tiles and loose grout due to exposure to water to both sheeting, screed and tile glue. Falls to edge are OK and with the roof over 2/3 rd of balcony, water leaking is confined to outer south and west end of balcony. Because CCS substrate is sound and can withstand water immersion, it does not need replacement but traditionally, would require tiles, screed and membrane removed and replaced. In this case we would recommend the removal of loose tiles (approx 12) the pouring in to removed tiles of a shrink modified screed and the fitting of trafficable membrane system to prepared tiles. Works would also ensure membrane system collars roof and balustrade post saddles and return over edge of flashing, keeping all rain water on the surface and directed to edge, bypassing failed membrane under tiles.

6 Scope Of Works Balcony Trafficable. 1. Fit drop sheets to floor inside as required. 2. Clean and prep grout and tiles. 3. Apply fillet of polyurethane to floor cnrs, top of skirts and under sills as needed. 4. Pour in fairing coat to grout lines 5. Scrabble grout feathering to smooth out. 6. Fit glass topped (Glimmer coat) 5 Step trafficable membrane to floor, skirting and base of saddles in customer selected color. 7. Remove all work associated debris. 8. Provide 10 year guarantee on waterproofing works 9. $???? INC GST

7 Defects and observations Defect 1: Extract from the Guide to standards and tolerances 2007 published by the Victorian Building Commission. Remedy: Waterproof the open Balcony above. Replace water damaged plasterboard and Defect 2: No movement joints provided as per : 2007 Ceramic tiles Guide to the installation of ceramic tiles. Extract in part from AS : Ceramic tiles Guide to the installation of ceramic tiles states in part Control joints to be installed in external floors where any dimension exceeds 4.5 m and should be evenly spaced at 4.5 m centers Remedy: Remove tiles and reinstall with control joints.

8 Site photos