ᐅ Balcony support beam rotted after 9 years

Created on: 18 Nov 2017 10:19
R
Roswitha
Hello, we moved into our newly built prefabricated house in May 2008.
In 2012, the step plates and window sills were replaced because they did not meet EU standards. During this work, parts of the plaster were removed and rotted wood was sanded down. Upstairs, there is a small, narrow balcony supported by joists that extend from the house. These joists are now completely rotted. The balcony is no longer usable. Is this considered a hidden defect, and is there anything that can still be done? According to an expert report, the sealing tapes were installed too far inward. The expert was able to tear off one joist by hand because it was so rotten. What can we do now?
Best regards,
Roswitha
R
Roswitha
19 Nov 2017 14:54
It seems you did not understand me correctly. Where light and oxygen can reach, there is no rot. Metal covers were installed on the support beams. These have been drilled through multiple times due to planning errors and rework. We believe this was the cause. The decay penetrated beneath the metal covers.
B
baumann42
19 Nov 2017 15:04
This is YOUR HOUSE, YOU are responsible for the maintenance, please understand that....
R
Roswitha
19 Nov 2017 15:07
How could we have treated the beams under the metal covers?
B
baumann42
19 Nov 2017 17:26
Could you upload a photo so that everyone knows what it’s about?
K
Knallkörper
19 Nov 2017 17:58
That's why houses are best built using brick and concrete. Steel is also an option.
N
Nordlys
19 Nov 2017 18:45
Well, Roswitha, unfortunately, the work was not done professionally. Under a metal plate, you need to apply a tar coat on the wood, then a tar paper layer, and finally the metal on top, fixed with bolts. This is how they build ship bridges in hydraulic engineering, which are quite similar to a balcony.

Also, knallkörper is not entirely wrong. Even wood structures treated this way are vulnerable and, unfortunately, not permanently safe. Since the ban on genuine carbolineum based on waste oil, we have been facing this problem. Karsten