[color=#141414]We own a home with a 5' x 7' pad at the threshold to the front door. Leading up to it is a narrow concrete path about 18" wide. Over time a large root from a nearby tree has compromised the pad and path by growing directly under the point where the pad and path meet, lifting both. The result is that when it rains the water pools towards the door, and during a typical central Florida afternoon downpour the door and framework get a lot of splash - it got so bad that the framework rotted badly and I had to replace the entire frame.[/color] [color=#141414]We have tried and tried to find someone to break up and replace the pad and small section of the compromised path, but after weeks of leaving messages and sending out emails had to give up - it was either too small a job for pro concrete companies, or we couldn't find any reputable handymen willing to do the job - I literally wrote to dozens of people and received next to no replies. The one person who responded gave us the runaround for two weeks just getting to the house until we finally gave up. So basically it's down to me doing the job. I can do almost anything within the house from top to bottom, but working with concrete at this level is not something I've ever done other than setting fence posts in place. I have worked on concrete gangs at major constructions sites like dams, but that's an entirely different kettle of fish![/color] [color=#141414]I've watched a slew of clips on how to do it, and I think I can manage it, but I have a couple of points I need clarification on. Firstly, some people seem to suggest that I don't need to put in mesh or rebar for a 4" pad that's just being used for a threshold - what's the opinion on that? I'm happy either way - I just want to do the job properly. The biggest concern though is rain. It's monsoon season in central Florida, which means that most afternoons we typically get a major downpour for a few hours. I've been waiting for a window of opportunity for the last couple of weeks, but the forecasts have been pretty abysmal. This week is a perfect example, with more than 50% chance of thunderstorm activity through to Wednesday, then 30% chance of rain activity for Thursday and Friday. I'm particularity concerned about it because the area in question is in a corner of the roof overhang, and even though there's a gutter in place it does get some leaks, and in a really heavy downpour the water is too much to handle and it turns into a waterfall. I thought I could perhaps cover it all with plastic, but I read that plastic can adhere to cement, plus I'm wondering if the water runoff could seep back underneath and compromise the concrete. Is there a way round this, or do I simply wait it out until I get a suitable window of opportunity with the weather?[/color]

5 years ago my mom moved into a house of this model. hers doesnt have the bushes in front. the tall green one is blocking the electric meter/gas panel etc. about 2 years ago enough people were finding issues once they replaced their windows that the HOA made a pronouncement that anyone that sold needed to warn new owners of potential structural issues. many people have chimney issues in the rear of the house. so far my mom doesnt. but the lower front office windows have something bizarre going on she says after rains theres actual dirt inside the windowsill that came in from the outside. also the front 25% of the carpet in the one corner is soaking wet. it started off as just a little part but now has grown to that 25% of the room. i told her to run fans. these homes are on slabs. she called state farm about the water in the offfice and they said it was groundwater coming in and thats not covered. she is getting a new roof this year as there was hail damage last year but she doesnt want it installed in winter. im glad state farm at least covered that. she said theres no water on the 2nd floor bedroom up front, windows are dry. carpet is dry. yet at least 40% of the people in the area have spend a ton of money getting the front and back of the home sided. the HOA agreed stucco is too much and approved a certain siding. my mom cannot afford to do this as it's probably 25 to 30K to hvae done. she has seen other homes in the area be sided but she never got into the nitty gritty of exactly what the issues have been. just that there was water in the other peoples offices/carpets or chimneys. i just am not sure how to proceed to spend the least money to get the repair needed, who do you call that you can trust isnt just trying to sell you something. if you call the siding guy they will say everyone else got siding and it cured the issue. i hvae no doubt it did, but was it really necessary? i dont get why she just cant pay for the lower part of the house to get dug out. waterproofed, then stucco applied to just the lower few feet of the home. i even suggested just replace the windows 'today' and see if they see any issues. what i dont want to happen is they install new windows then maybe those somehow get 'in the way' if she needs the entire front of the house done legitimately. i know zero about stucco. is it possible that the stucco isnt keeping the water out and thus the house really does need to be totally sided? can i assume that getting it sided will 100% make the home water proof. what is making just the front corner of the office carpet get wet? my theory is if the stucco was bad up top, the entire 2nd floor would have water issues/mold etc just like the 1st floor office does. what im really looking for is what trade do you hire to independently tell you these things? also i'm sure they are gonna say that office interior wall needs ripped out. which will upset her greatly. but is that the right way to diagnose this? also probaby totally unrelated. is she has a leak in the garage where the electric panel is. to the right of that tall bush is where the meter is and im assuming the new roof will take care of that leak. i just now even wonder if a new roof will somehow help that front office not get water in. i believe she did have caulking put in around the front windows but part of me wonders if theres just a water issue with the windows. but then she told me the entire HOA wouldnt have this pronouncement if it was just windows. [img]https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.doityourselft.com-vbulletin/791x577/hawthorne_example_house_ae4cc0f27265dc7f0da981dd030fec3547a283ec.png[/img]