Why would you leave a gap here?

[georgeca]

Hi all,

I have a landscaper currently installing my patio and I feel like he is bodging parts of the job, and I would like your opinions please! We have steps leading down from house to the patio, and the top step into the house has a gap of about 3 inches (See attached). Surely the slabs should be longer so they go underneath the sill from the door? Don't understand why there would be such a gap left there, if there is a logical reason please do let me know. I feel like it will just fill up with rain which would eventually damage the steps and leak into the house?

Thanks!

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

Maybe, to avoid bridging the damp course?

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

Hmm possibly, difficult to know now really. Though I would hazard they just screwed up the setting out of the steps, it looks like it could be infilled with some tile slips fairly easily. Speak to them.

 

[georgeca]

Hmm possibly, difficult to know now really. Though I would hazard they just screwed up the setting out of the steps, it looks like it could be infilled with some tile slips fairly easily. Speak to them.

I will be speaking with them in the morning, but just wanted some other opinions so I have some knowledge heading into what will likely be bit of an arguement. It seems they simply cut the slabs in half, which is why they are too short

 

[aveatry]

Maybe he is providing you a buffer for when you replace the knackered doors and sill - you should thank him. Im sorry but I think you should get that sorted before you pay anyone for a nice patio.

 

[georgeca]

Maybe he is providing you a buffer for when you replace the knackered doors and sill - you should thank him. Im sorry but I think you should get that sorted before you pay anyone for a nice patio.

Very helpful thanks! The landscaper knows very well that the doors are being replaced later this month, as we spoke about this prior to the job being done. Not going to thank him for leaving a 3 inch gap that a new sill won't be able to cover?

So whats the point of your comment exactly? Are you saying I shouldn't pay for the patio job until after the doors are done? Am I not allowed to get multiple jobs done on the house i just bought at once? Or are you just trying to be cute?

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

Maybe he is providing you a buffer for when you replace the knackered doors and sill - you should thank him. Im sorry but I think you should get that sorted before you pay anyone for a nice patio.

Oh do me a favour!

 

[Why Not Indeed]

Or are you just trying to be cute?

Chill out. When I saw the state of the that sill, I thought something pretty similar. I would have sorted the door frame first, then the patio.

 

[Koolpc]

He definitely should have gone under that sill. He can still keep away from bridging any damp course.

I would tell him that is not acceptable..

 

[georgeca]

Chill out. When I saw the state of the that sill, I thought something pretty similar. I would have sorted the door frame first, then the patio.

I am chill, it's a genuine question as to how is the comment helpful? I can't go back in time to change which job gets worked on first. I moved into the house and the decking had collapsed making the garden not accessible, so I decided to prioritise that job a few weeks ahead of replacing a door frame...

 

[georgeca]

He definitely should have gone under that sill. He can still keep away from bridging any damp course.

I would tell him that is not acceptable..

This is what I was thinking too, there's room to go under the sill and still not be bridged. Isn't the point of a sill to cover transitions like this and to prevent water from entering gaps?

 

[aveatry]

Very helpful thanks! The landscaper knows very well that the doors are being replaced later this month, as we spoke about this prior to the job being done. Not going to thank him for leaving a 3 inch gap that a new sill won't be able to cover?

So whats the point of your comment exactly? Are you saying I shouldn't pay for the patio job until after the doors are done? Am I not allowed to get multiple jobs done on the house i just bought at once? Or are you just trying to be cute?

Sorry yes please dont get all bent out of shape here. I know its not helpful when some smart arse comes on with stupid comments and I was a bit harsh but you say the landscaper knows about the doors being redone and the sill being replaced soon so perhaps he was leaving you room to do this without having to mess up everything he has done.
If the doors are being replaced later this month then if it were me I would of done the doors first then the patio as ther is not much difference in completion and it is done in a better order.
looking at your wooden sill now if you have a modern upvc or aluminian one for bifold then I think the sill will be wider than it is now and there will effectively be no gap seen like there is now.
But also there are DPC considerations that may need to be thought of too here.