What ho one and all,

Here is a tale of woe, fortunately, not mine.

When I built towards the end of a private cul-de-sac, three other houses where lined up for the go-ahead.

As an aside, mine is a TF house with Warmcell insulation. Two of the others are standard brick/block builds, the third is a very modern design on a triangular plot with a tight footprint. They increased the floor area with a basement and built with SIPs.

It has all mod-cons; Cat 6 throughout (apparently not used as wi-fi is now the choice), MVHR, UFH, triple glazing, air source heating, solar panel on the roof, etc. Also balconies front and back, below which are the lounge and kitchen. The balconies are not particularly deep with low walls and the frameless glazing inserted into channels, embedded into the walls.

Similar to this but the channel set into the top of the wall so the ali was not visible. Whatever the actual structure was, it seems the project manager did not follow all the specified guidelines.

About one year ago, they had water dripping from a kitchen downlight. Could only be from the balcony as there are no potable water pipes in the vicinity. Could be from the UFH but the specific light has the balcony above.

X amount of research and experts with boroscopes and it was decided that rainwater was entering via the top of the dwarf wall where the glazing is, and not being drained where it should, so finding the easiest path, which was through the downlight. The temporary solution for the past year, was a sheet of plastic over the glazing and the top of the wall to prevent water entering.

The longer term solution is very expensive. Fortunately, they are just within the 10 year NHBC warranty. Extensive research for a builder and not surprisingly, no-one wants to do the job at a fixed price because, until the panels are removed, no-ones knows the extent of any damage. However, they managed to arrange an open-ended solution with the insurance company and as I write, the repair is proceeding.

Having removed the render board, it was found that many of the external SIP osb panels had totally rotted at the lowest edge.

The rear was not a problem as such, but since the construction was the same, it is also being repaired. The balcony and insulation was removed, a waterproof membrane laid, new insulation installed, wbpover the insutlation, then a resin waterproof layer onto which, the tiles are laid. Also, a very substantial steel angle beam fitted, providing a drip edge which previously did not exist, and into which, the fittings to support the new glass balustrade. Then new render board and re-rendered.

The front is similar, but different as the entire kitchen wall has three narrow windows. Those have been removed as have the badly rotten SIPS. New SIPS installed and windows replaced, the balcony will receive the same treatment as the rear, new render board and steels to support the glazing, which will no longer be attached directly to the walls.

But he woes do not end there!!! Part of the roof is zinc and part is flat with a 1m up stand. All the walls have a zinc capping, but no-one checked if there was cavity ventilation. Of course, there was not. So ventilation ducts are being added to the bottom of the walls and new capping will be fitted with ventilation gaps and a standoff to the wall to provide a drip edge, missing from the original.

Additionally, they have a small damp issue in the basement plant room, where water is seeping via the external emergency exit stairwell. Seems the original drainage ducting did not have any rodding points so has blocked with ten years of accumulated stuff.

And all of these problems are down to lack of oversight by the on-site project manager during the build.

When I last chatted with them. apparently, the current estimate is in excess of £150k. Lucky the insurance is paying.

Toodle pip

Scary story! The insurance company should sue and/or prosecute the project manager IMHO, assuming of course that there were clear architectural specifications and drawings.

Posted By: revor

Posted By: RexHaving removed the render board, it was found that many of the external SIP osb panels had totally rotted at the lowest edge.

A good reason for not using in construction particularly roofs. One day there will be a collapsed roof due to weight of snow on rotted osb from an unnoticed long term leak.

You mean a good reason to not use OSB in SIPs? What grade of OSB is used in SIPs? I'd have thought the architect would specify an appropriate grade. Where does the water come from to rot them? Is the OSB a drainage plane, or maybe bounce up from a hard surface externally?

Posted By: RexAll the walls have a zinc capping, but no-one checked if there was cavity ventilation.

Sorry, where's the cavity in a SIP wall?

Looks a nice house. Design over substance?

It is quite some time ago and I was just as observer as I was PM-ing my own build, but I think he was on-site most of the time, as well as actually doing hands-on work.

I'm sure the SIPs were all hunk-dory; believe they are from Kingspan so assume the OSB was correctly specced. But any timber product, unless it is teak, is susceptible to degradation if kept in damp/wet conditions. From what I could see of the removed panels and in some cases, just the lower sections of the OSB, it was grayish and de-laminating. While not necessarily a problem, it does reduce the structural integrity of the panel.

I cannot comment on the ability of the builder and his experience with SIPs, but the need for suitable drainage around windows and any opening, and the provision of cavity ventilation is kinda a given for any building. But what do I know.

<blockquote><cite>Posted By: Dominic Cooney</cite>Who on earth can afford £6,500 a month rent. Or am I missing something?
Also what is an "eat-in kitchen"? Is that a posh way of saying kitchen/diner?!?!</blockquote>



It's code for a kitchen where you DONT cook, you call "Fast foods" or in this case maybe Fortnum and Mason have it delivered and " Eat in.........Kitchen?

I have had to sort out troubles with glass balcony ballustrading. I here should be a packer that lifts the bottom s/s rail off the wall capping to allow water to drain/ flow away this was missed by all three of designer, builder and installer but was on the technical literature

Well, they already have a tenant. He has a self build somewhere near-by and has been experiencing very high water bills.

Apparently, they now have to excavate below his house to find and solve the problem and apparently his insurance company has said 'yes' to £6500 for the projected 10 month project.

I don't know what the specific problem was with my neighbour's balustrade, but most likely, something similar to what Tony suggested.

I think he means that the insurance company has agreed to pay the £6,500 per month rent, for 10 months while the work is done on the new tenant's own house, so £65,000 on rent alone.

Posted By: tonyI foresee insurance no longer being available for SIPs houses ………

It is already an issue. If installed properly, a SIP is no different to a TF panel, just the insulation is installed in the factory. If you don't get the cavity etc right in TF, you have the same issues.