Hello dear forum,
The shell of the house is complete.
Only the roof tiles are missing. The battens have been exposed to bad weather for several days.
Will they dry out again, or should we expect possible damage?
And do the battens need to be dry before the tiles can be installed?
Also, we will not receive the keys to our house until handover.
We are allowed to visit during the day only if a contractor is on site,
but otherwise we have no access – so we cannot ventilate now or later.
How does the construction company keep the house dry then?
At the moment, all windows are tilted open day and night. Is that enough?
I would appreciate any answers... Best regards
The shell of the house is complete.
Only the roof tiles are missing. The battens have been exposed to bad weather for several days.
Will they dry out again, or should we expect possible damage?
And do the battens need to be dry before the tiles can be installed?
Also, we will not receive the keys to our house until handover.
We are allowed to visit during the day only if a contractor is on site,
but otherwise we have no access – so we cannot ventilate now or later.
How does the construction company keep the house dry then?
At the moment, all windows are tilted open day and night. Is that enough?
I would appreciate any answers... Best regards
In general, wet wood will dry out again, as long as it is not submerged in water. A bit of rain usually doesn’t cause much harm. However, it should be in the interest of your general contractor to keep everything as dry as possible. That’s why such areas are usually covered with plastic sheeting until the roof is installed.
Additionally, it depends on what kind of roof is planned. If it’s going to be a cold roof, it will usually dry out later through continuous ventilation. If the roof is going to be finished as a living space, everything needs to be dry beforehand.
It is completely within the contractor’s rights to deny you access to the house. It belongs to them until the handover is complete. For projects like this, I strongly recommend involving a building inspector for construction monitoring and acceptance. Otherwise, you might end up buying a “cat in the bag” once everything is finished. If screed is still being poured, a lot of water will enter the house. Then the space will either be heated intensively or expensive construction dryers will be used. In theory, the general contractor is obligated to deliver a dry house to you — how they achieve this is their responsibility.
Additionally, it depends on what kind of roof is planned. If it’s going to be a cold roof, it will usually dry out later through continuous ventilation. If the roof is going to be finished as a living space, everything needs to be dry beforehand.
It is completely within the contractor’s rights to deny you access to the house. It belongs to them until the handover is complete. For projects like this, I strongly recommend involving a building inspector for construction monitoring and acceptance. Otherwise, you might end up buying a “cat in the bag” once everything is finished. If screed is still being poured, a lot of water will enter the house. Then the space will either be heated intensively or expensive construction dryers will be used. In theory, the general contractor is obligated to deliver a dry house to you — how they achieve this is their responsibility.
Why does that reassure you? I don’t know what the weather is like where you are or how long the area will remain exposed. I was speaking in very general terms. You should simply have someone come by before the final inspection who can tell you whether it’s too damp or not. As a layperson, you won’t be able to judge that yourself.