Good morning,
I would like to ask for some advice. We had a prefabricated house built through a general contractor. We also had a balcony constructed, but at the time of selecting the finishes, we decided to install the balcony railing ourselves.
Unfortunately, the builder did not inform us that a mounting fixture would be necessary for securing the railing.
Now I am looking for companies to install the railing, but everyone refuses because it would require cutting into the façade and insulation to screw the railing onto the wooden beam, and no one wants to assume liability for the warranty. How should we approach this issue with the builder? Does the missing mounting fixture count as a construction defect?
Thank you very much for your opinions!
Tessa
I would like to ask for some advice. We had a prefabricated house built through a general contractor. We also had a balcony constructed, but at the time of selecting the finishes, we decided to install the balcony railing ourselves.
Unfortunately, the builder did not inform us that a mounting fixture would be necessary for securing the railing.
Now I am looking for companies to install the railing, but everyone refuses because it would require cutting into the façade and insulation to screw the railing onto the wooden beam, and no one wants to assume liability for the warranty. How should we approach this issue with the builder? Does the missing mounting fixture count as a construction defect?
Thank you very much for your opinions!
Tessa
As laypersons, we had no idea that a mounting device was required and were not informed about this. Consequently, no device was installed, and now no one wants to take responsibility for the warranty if the insulation has to be damaged to access the wooden beam. With a mounting device, it would not have been necessary to open up the facade and insulation. Additionally, the installation partner would not take care of the “closing up” afterwards. Therefore, fastening is only possible with significant additional effort.
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NatureSys31 Oct 2022 16:13Why don’t you simply attach the railing to the balcony instead of the facade?
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SaniererNRW12331 Oct 2022 16:23Tessa12 schrieb:
As laypeople, we had no idea that a mounting device was required for installation and were not informed about it. Let’s be honest: You tell the construction company, “Please let us install the railing ourselves.” What do you expect as a response? That the contractor will take over the design of your railing? How is he supposed to know what you want to build? Glass railing? Stainless steel on the balcony? Wood? Attachment to the facade? Mounted on the balcony? Mounted in front of the balcony? There are dozens of possibilities.
If you’re laypeople, at least ask beforehand and not only at the end. Get the builder or railing specialist involved early on.
Aside from that, I don’t really understand the problem. Photos or drawings help with understanding. If it’s so difficult to install a railing on a balcony, there must be a bigger issue or a special requirement behind it.
If you don’t have a construction manager, then you are the one responsible. You are adults, so the general contractor / building contractor doesn’t have to point out anything to you. However, they will have made up their own mind about it 🙄....
For further useful suggestions, pictures, drawings, or at least sketches are extremely helpful. Otherwise, people can only guess, which I consider a waste of time. So please provide comprehensive information, and then you will receive (more or less good) advice.
For further useful suggestions, pictures, drawings, or at least sketches are extremely helpful. Otherwise, people can only guess, which I consider a waste of time. So please provide comprehensive information, and then you will receive (more or less good) advice.
Well, as a layperson, I simply cannot know all the requirements for how everything must be constructed to ensure that everything works properly afterward. When I purchase a balcony, I assume that a railing can be installed. However, it seems that the wooden beam is too thin. It is also understandable that other companies do not want to offer a warranty for the insulation. My question was aimed at advice on how to deal with this issue now in order to find the best solution afterward.
The railing cannot be attached to the balcony either, because there is insulation and a zinc parapet here as well. This seems to be a difficult issue. Apparently, a major dismantling is necessary. But why build the balcony in the first place and not provide a warning that installation is impossible in this configuration?
The railing cannot be attached to the balcony either, because there is insulation and a zinc parapet here as well. This seems to be a difficult issue. Apparently, a major dismantling is necessary. But why build the balcony in the first place and not provide a warning that installation is impossible in this configuration?
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