I am buying this new construction that lay dormant for two years before being finished. Inspector found moisture and wood rot on framing at the top of basement wall below the bay window. The roof of the bay window appears to have trim not properly sealed. There is also a roof overhang that allows water to drip down the right wall of the bay window. There appears to be no moisture on the sheet rock of the inside wall of the bay window itself. It appears that the water is leaking from the roof down through the wall to the basement. What should I tell the contractor to look for? Is there flashing required where the bay roof meets the siding? I know that is required for brick, but I am unsure what needs to be done for cement siding. Thanks and Merry Xmas.

p.s. I tried to upload pix...can I from by computer or does it only allow from URL?

 

upload pics to a website then link to the URL.

 

House Pics - a set on Flickr

Here are some pics. Thx.

 

It's spelled "Christmas". Anyway. It looks as if the bay was hastily installed and finished. Note the frieze board doesn't wrap on the right side, and it appears to have been pieced at some point. Note, also the last course under the frieze board are cantered, indicating a repair or poor initial installation. Yes, there should be flashing across the top and step flashing down the sides of the bay just like any other roof line. If your contractor is worth his salt, he will know what to do. Let us know how it goes.

 

Chandler:

I added one more picture I just took in the rain. I marked the drip areas showing how the upper roof overhang streams down the wall and on to the bay window roof. Does the gutter abutting the siding of the roof overhang need to be caulked? Or what should be done to prevent the water from just streaming down the wall whenever it rains?

Thanks a lot and Merry Christmas.

All sizes | Rain Pic | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

 

The step flashing on the roof above the gutter would need to be examined to ensure it's done correctly. The biggest thing it is probably lacking is a kickout flashing at the very bottom course of shingles that will direct water toward the gutter so that it doesn't go down the gap between the gutter and the siding. (go to google images and search for "kickout flashing") Judging by all the caulking there I wonder if there is a bigger problem though. The only way to know for sure would be to remove quite a bit of siding around the garage roof, and maybe even the 2nd story corner to ensure that all those corners are flashed properly. And I doubt the contractor would be too excited to do that. But installing the kickout flashing over the gutter would be #1 in my book, along with the things Chandler mentioned on the bay itself.

 

Thank you both so much! I have forwarded your responses to the contractor who will have someone out this week to look at the problems.