Hausbau-Sanny
2020-10-15 18:06:10
- #1
Hello dear fellow house builders!
Since June this year, we have been building our house using timber frame construction. Due to Corona, we really had a lot of time and were present at every step of the work ourselves.
I have two concerns:
1.) Our windows were installed without tapes, only foamed in place. I know that this is not up to standard, we were absolutely misadvised here and have no warranty – please no sermons about how we could have done it better. I would just really appreciate it if you had some suggestions for solutions for us, what we can do now without having to tear all the windows out again? Inside, the walls are already all plastered and painted and the connections to the windows are made. Outside, we already have the primer coat applied.
Our wall construction is as follows:
From outside to inside
60mm Steico softwood fiberboard
20mm wood insulation from Steico
15mm OSB board (all joints bonded with tape)
40mm battens (for the installation level)
15mm OSB board
12mm drywall board
Why were we so badly advised? My father-in-law’s former work colleague started his own business and sells and installs windows. He is old school and both my father-in-law and he are firmly convinced that the house will become too airtight if you install the windows with tape. A friend of my father, who worked for a very well-known window company for a long time, shares the same opinion. Every company that has been on our construction site was shocked about why we only foamed the windows in. Everyone says the same thing: it used to be built less airtight. Everything was different before. Today, buildings are much more airtight. I am really at my wit’s end. My father-in-law helps us so much with the building but it is like talking to a wall. I begged to have the windows installed with tape – okay, that’s going too far now...
2.) Next week our front door will be installed. Currently, we do not have a Purenit base but a larch base that prevented the screed from running out. (Our foundation slab has concrete bases which are flame-treated and on which our timber frame house sits). My plan was to cut out the larch base and have the Purenit base installed properly according to standards. I also ordered this from the aforementioned window installer. Today I got a call from my father-in-law saying he sorted everything out and we do not need a Purenit base – the larch base is sufficient. Two hours earlier, the window installer told me how important the Purenit base is because it has 0% give and with the larch base it can happen that it gives way and the door no longer opens. I am just completely finished – it’s like talking to a wall. Yes, I know we are the builders, but when my husband called the window installer again after the conversation with my father-in-law, he said no no it’s fine with the larch base. Our front door costs 7,000€ and I don’t accept a “no no it’s fine” 180-degree change of opinion. Please, can anyone help me? How important is a Purenit base really? Do you have experience?
Thanks, I am grateful for any tips – this is our first house and I have tried to inform myself as best I can.
Best regards
Since June this year, we have been building our house using timber frame construction. Due to Corona, we really had a lot of time and were present at every step of the work ourselves.
I have two concerns:
1.) Our windows were installed without tapes, only foamed in place. I know that this is not up to standard, we were absolutely misadvised here and have no warranty – please no sermons about how we could have done it better. I would just really appreciate it if you had some suggestions for solutions for us, what we can do now without having to tear all the windows out again? Inside, the walls are already all plastered and painted and the connections to the windows are made. Outside, we already have the primer coat applied.
Our wall construction is as follows:
From outside to inside
60mm Steico softwood fiberboard
20mm wood insulation from Steico
15mm OSB board (all joints bonded with tape)
40mm battens (for the installation level)
15mm OSB board
12mm drywall board
Why were we so badly advised? My father-in-law’s former work colleague started his own business and sells and installs windows. He is old school and both my father-in-law and he are firmly convinced that the house will become too airtight if you install the windows with tape. A friend of my father, who worked for a very well-known window company for a long time, shares the same opinion. Every company that has been on our construction site was shocked about why we only foamed the windows in. Everyone says the same thing: it used to be built less airtight. Everything was different before. Today, buildings are much more airtight. I am really at my wit’s end. My father-in-law helps us so much with the building but it is like talking to a wall. I begged to have the windows installed with tape – okay, that’s going too far now...
2.) Next week our front door will be installed. Currently, we do not have a Purenit base but a larch base that prevented the screed from running out. (Our foundation slab has concrete bases which are flame-treated and on which our timber frame house sits). My plan was to cut out the larch base and have the Purenit base installed properly according to standards. I also ordered this from the aforementioned window installer. Today I got a call from my father-in-law saying he sorted everything out and we do not need a Purenit base – the larch base is sufficient. Two hours earlier, the window installer told me how important the Purenit base is because it has 0% give and with the larch base it can happen that it gives way and the door no longer opens. I am just completely finished – it’s like talking to a wall. Yes, I know we are the builders, but when my husband called the window installer again after the conversation with my father-in-law, he said no no it’s fine with the larch base. Our front door costs 7,000€ and I don’t accept a “no no it’s fine” 180-degree change of opinion. Please, can anyone help me? How important is a Purenit base really? Do you have experience?
Thanks, I am grateful for any tips – this is our first house and I have tried to inform myself as best I can.
Best regards