Conservatory fitting issue

Davesnave

I'm not having much luck at present.

On and off through the year I've been preparing for the fitting of a new combined conservatory/porch, which was sold to us in January.

The specs were modified in September when the surveyor made his site visit prior to manufacture, but nothing was changed after that, except the price!

We agreed a number of changes, and in the absence of a written spec, I supplied an annotated final drawing based on the rather small ones sent to me by email.

The fitters turned-up last week and within a few hours they'd put in a sill which neither my builder nor I were happy with. It appears that the surveyor made an error, having the sill made as one piece, when there was a change of level clearly shown in the plans.

Their solution to this was to make a cut and the result is shown in the photo below:



As I understand it, the fitters intend to put an end cap over the cut end and "it will look fine." There was no discussion with me prior to him taking this decision.

picture share

The builder and myself have both queried this and said we're not happy, but the fitter has maintained that this is what had to be done: a different arrangement wouldn't shed water properly.

I feel I'm being blinded with science (or BS!) here, so I've put the picture up for commentsfrom those familiar with UPVC window fitting etc.

Meanwhile, the roof has gone on.....but there's another panel in the conservatory part that's Pete Tong as well, so we may be seeing the surveyor tomorrow.

Do we (can we) ask for a change here? Unlike the other item I've recently sought help with, I haven't paid for this yet!

What would you do?

Chanes

I would think what you have agreed and are paying for is what you should get. To be honest, what you have there may be finished with a plastic insert to smooth the line but it will look odd, bodged even.

I would not pay for what you have in that photo, I would want a new window sill putting in.

DaftyDuck

What was in the "annotated final drawing" you made? I'm always keener to let them state exactly what they are going to supply, and how it will fit, so there's no (or less ) confusion.

That doesn't look good to me, and it's in a high traffic area, and will get rubbed. A narrower fill might not shed water far from the brickwork, however.

There's a poor cut and fill just above that slice as well...

TheCyclingProgrammer

I wouldn't accept that at all. I would insist on a new sill if they want to get paid.

Davesnave

DaftyDuck wrote: »

What was in the "annotated final drawing" you made? I'm always keener to let them state exactly what they are going to supply, and how it will fit, so there's no (or less ) confusion.

In an ideal world, but the drawings I received were small and I had to blow them up and tweak just to get something half decent to work with.

This is the drawing:


And this text went with it:
Amendments to Conservatory Plan
(Handedness of windows as viewed from inside)
Porch with opening and non-opening fanlights for consistent appearance

1. Note proportions incorrect. Two windows, rather than one large one, will be needed to the left of the door.
2.The wall here matches the other walls in height.
3. Opening fanlight as shown. Not sure if an opening window is shown, but not needed.
4. Opening fanlight.
5.Non opening fanlight.
6.Opening fanlight.
7.Opening casement window, hinged left.
8. Cat flap to be supplied by us.

Main Conservatory
1. Roof framework in white UPVC.
2.Blue Celcius glass instead of originally specified clear.
3.Three roof vents in the positions shown.
4. Opening casement window, hinged on left.
5. Inward opening doors, as shown, with left door as first opener. (Change from original plan.)
6. All door fittings in brushed stainless steel, not chrome, yto mastch existing.

DaftyDuck

I'm wrong about a high traffic area at least - I had that as a door on the right, not a window.

I'm not sure how else to fix it, now it's built like that; I guess a small extra filler to the window on the right, to push the frame further right might have been better. But the way it's been done is far from satisfactory.

I suspect that, whatever remedy is found, there'll always be a discrepancy there. Whether you'll notice is another matter. I suspect others who haven't followed the build never would!

prosaver

thought it was next to a door, sorry

phil24_7

That looks poorly designed in my opinion. Having a window sill in front of a window would always look odd. If left in place you would see the end of it and would likely find it near impossible to keep clean, and having externally fitted glazing units in that window (why, has it been fitted back to front?) means that you either wouldn't have been able to fit an end cap, the glass or both!

I would have kept the sills the same height all the way around (is there a reason you didn't?) and would probably have had the top of the frames the same height all the way around with either a small window above (in the bit by the door and on the end next to it) or more likely a piece to match the triangle on the dogleg (the bit in black if you get what I mean?).

Where you go from here, I don't know, but that detailing needs serious consideration.

System

looking at the 3d, why didn't you just have a cill lining through all around?
its a really strange detail to step it up when the two return walls have lower windows - I cant think of anyway to make that a nice detail with a standard conservatory, what does the outside corner look like (between 2 and 5)?

prosaver

i think the brickwork wall in the corner is wrong as its too short. the
window frame in the corner should be fixed to the wall and then the sill would of been flush.

need to zoom ........................l

keith969

Davesnave wrote: »

In an ideal world, but the drawings I received were small and I had to blow them up and tweak just to get something half decent to work with.

This is the drawing:


And this text went with it:
Amendments to Conservatory Plan
(Handedness of windows as viewed from inside)
Porch with opening and non-opening fanlights for consistent appearance

1. Note proportions incorrect. Two windows, rather than one large one, will be needed to the left of the door.
2.The wall here matches the other walls in height.
3. Opening fanlight as shown. Not sure if an opening window is shown, but not needed.
4. Opening fanlight.
5.Non opening fanlight.
6.Opening fanlight.
7.Opening casement window, hinged left.
8. Cat flap to be supplied by us.

Main Conservatory
1. Roof framework in white UPVC.
2.Blue Celcius glass instead of originally specified clear.
3.Three roof vents in the positions shown.
4. Opening casement window, hinged on left.
5. Inward opening doors, as shown, with left door as first opener. (Change from original plan.)
6. All door fittings in brushed stainless steel, not chrome, yto mastch existing.

You probably don't want to hear this, but... if I'd seen that drawing I would have been rather worried about the change of level of brickwork at the two ends of the wall contains the door. Why have it in the first place? And if it was necessary, how would the sills join at the corner - there's no obvious way it can be made to look 'right'?