Gap!

[trey]

My landlord (housing association) had the windows all replaced in the house a few months ago (taking out 70 year old sashes and installing uPVC double glazing), they were fitted into the original wood casing. I'm not certain if this is something the window company did through carelessness, but on the landing the top-most part of it appears to be coming away from the wall. It could have been like that for years, I never really looked very closely! This was reported to the landlord and they sent out a workman who filled the gap at the side with silicone sealant.

I am currently preparing to redecorate, and when stripping the wallpaper from above the window today I felt (too high to see as I was only on low steps and the ceilings/windows are very high) that the workman hadn't noticed the gap runs all the way across the top of the casing too. Since I'm in full flow with the hallway/stairs/landing I'm really not in the mood for getting the landlord to send workmen back out EVENTUALLY! (Unless you think this is a symptom of a severe problem)

I have silicone sealant and a caulking gun. Will this be suitable to just continue the sealing over the top?

Should I stuff the gap with something (what?) and then seal over that, or should I just fill the entire gap with the sealant?

Thanks!

 

[noseall]

some upvc companies just do not understand a solitary thing about the old sash windows.

it's heartbreaking to think they ripped out these old fellas and wacked in some placcy things without even doing it properly. and then used great gobs of silicone to repair.

if i remember correctly, the brickwork would be recessed internally to accommodate the weights and ropes. this recess would be finished with a timber frame and wood panelling. this framework will have been traumatised by the rip-out, no wonder it is not all that secure.

i guess you will have to try and make do, unless you are prepared to be patient. what does the landlord think?

 

[trey]

I'm going to try the silicone sealant, if I mess up too badly then I'll get on to the housing association repairs line again! It doesn't matter if it can't be painted over as the top of the casing is totally out of view so I wouldn't be bothering re-painting it anyway!

The housing association sent an inspector out to look at the damage before the repair - they didn't seem too annoyed at what had been done.

Yorkshire Windows also managed to *sever* the cable TV/broadband cable (the phone one was OK) under the front lawn by *throwing* the sashes straight from upstairs! I complained about that, and luckily a VirginMedia engineer fixed it without me having to pay them and chase Yorkshire Windows up to get the money back!

The recess where the weights were is still hollow, but covered with plastic panels - this means nobody on the estate can hang blinds as we've been informed the plastic can't support them! There is a 1" strip of the original wood before the plastic at the front of the window that it might be possible to hang a blind on though.

 

[timbalcombe]

shoddy isn't it. I really don't know how these people get away with it.
That recess should be bricked up an all sorts. I bet those windows don't meet Part P criteria.