Window installation disaster

Niece and husband, saved up for some replacement windows, paid a true price for a good job
registered company holding FENSA and DGOS certs

They removed the twenty year old windows including frame, then sheeted up gaps, to return next day to fit glass units and seal

Unfortunately the landing window on the gable end, the wooden frame was also the Lintel
an hour after the company left the gable end has now almost collapsed
Well the initial row of bricks has dropped two inches the next row half the bricks have dropped an inch and so on up to row eight
They called the company, and the boss man states not their problem FENSA registered just means they can self access and comply that the windows meet the regulation standards

All the houses in the estate are built this way, wooden framed windows fitted when the height is achieved and used as Lintels

A dear replacement window it seems

OMG

Jack McH

 

Any installation problems should be covered by the DGCOS scheme.

 

Of course its their problem. They were hired to do a job that they claimed to be able to do, and they've caused damage in the process.

Even I, not a window or building expert in any way (until recently I didn't even know that the piece of wood was called a lintel but I knew what it did), know that often the window frame is holding up the brickwork.

I think the very first thing I'd do now is take loads of photos, and collect all the paperwork you have, and keep a written record of who you've spoken to, when, and what was said. Then I'd phone the trading standards dept at the council. If it was just a case of badly botched windows it would be a simple case of breach of the sale of goods act, but I'm not sure what the process is when its not the actual product that's been sold that is defective, but where they've damaged something else in the process. If it would cost less that £5000 to put right (and I have no idea how much it would cost) then the small claims procedure is an option.

https://www.moneyclaim.gov.uk/web/mcol/welcome

Something else I'd want to know if it was my house, is it safe to be in there at present? I.e. the whole wall isn't going to come down is it?

 

Blimey, have you run over another Luck Badger Jack?

Yes, they really shouldn't be trading if they can't deal with structural problems as simple as that.

Building control will probably want a steel lintel put in before any window goes back in so you might not want to alert them to the problem.

Insist that they get back now with acrow props and strongboys (a plate that attaches to the top of the acrow to support the brickwork, or the whole thing could come down.

Contact your buildings insurance folk as well, they might be able to help.

 

Last year when the company installing our fencing went through our sewer pipe they agreed to pay for the damage/repair, even though they didn't know how to fix it. The owner claimed it back on his Public Liability Insurance. If they are a legit company then they should have this and should have no problem with paying for the damage from it, even if you have to arrange the people to put it right yourself.

 

Never heard of anyone ripping out all your windows and leaving them like that, not even overnight.
They should have known there was no proper support for the brickwork above and done a runner before they took it out.
The house must be a bit old??

 

Right it is not mine but my Niece and Nephew 150 miles away
It was a puka registered firm in the North East who claim to be DGCOS and FENSA registered
They are saying FENSA and DGCOS just states the windows are of the required standard not the work carried out ?
I have advised them to seek legal advice and if necessary I will foot the legal bill
They are young and frightened, and my family down there are more or less broke
(Cancer and not worked for years, business closed, on benefits)

I advised them from above information given to get a builder soonest to shore up damage and check safety

Thanks all

Regards Jack McH

 

The house is about 40 years old I think, and built by one of the big name companies in the NE
I can not name them on here yet as I am unsure which of the big three it was

The whole estate is built the same, and considered posh houses in the area as private not council

Jack McH

 

Check on the DGCOS website if the installation company are really members of the scheme.
If they are then the quality of workmanship is covered not just the windows.
DGCOS offer free mediation in any dispute.

 

I belive FENSA only deal with complaints of non compliance with building regs regarding the replacement frames. i.e fire escape requirements & thermal efficiency.

 

Was not trying to comdem the house as such, was just thinking that it might have been old bearing in mind not many put windows in walls these days without a lintel of some kind.
Allowing a wooden window frame to take the loading of brick from above seems a bit odd even 40 yrs ago.

Council houses although often considered poorly built are in fact mostly well built as the councils like to look after their investments, "posh" houses are often built on the cheap, bearing in mind a building contractor will get away with any short cuts they can to make a profit.

 

There is a whole street in what is now the middle range end of town that is ex council houses. All private now. There was a great panic about 20 years ago when the council sold off the last few. They modernised them first to make them more saleable, and that included removed the old wooden framed single glazed windows with new UPVC double glazing.

The panic happened after the job was complete, when someone realised that the wooden frames of the large, main front windows were not just window frames, but they'd apparently been built with the lintel as part of the frame. If I remember the story correctly, it was only when cracks started to form in some of the houses that an expert was brought in. The plastic window frames were unable to take the weight of the brickwork and were starting to buckle apparently.

 

Not come across anything like that.
I have known concrete lintels to need replacing where some have rusted reinforcing and the concrete has cracked away from the face, that makes the replacement that bit harder.
Sometimes on very old properties you get a wooden beam acting as a lintel but it usually in addition to the window frame.