Repair concreate around window

[Cubba27]

I'm looking for some advice on how to repair crumbling concreate around the frame of a single glazed window. My aim is to stabilise the area to allow for a new UPVC window to be installed making the outhouse water tight so I can fit it with utilities. The outhouse is brick built with a flat roof made from concreate and rebar. Is this possible or will more structural repairs need to be undertaken?

 

[KenGMac]

Cubba27, good evening.

Notice that this is your first post here, welcome.

The Concrete looks like it was cast in the late WW2 era or shortly thereafter??

The images posted are really good, in one of them it appears that there is a solid piece of "something" in there it may be a packer of timber???
meaning that the roof structure was spanning the window opening, and to make up the gap between the window and the soffit of the concrete roof slab???

As for the spalled off concrete and the cement external patching, there is a very, very high probability that the face of the concrete above the window has been lost because of corrosion in the reinforcing bars embedded in the concrete roof slab.

Back in the day, it was not fully understood that the reinforcing had to be set back from the exposed surface of the concrete, if not the reinforcing would rust, the rust expanded and forced off the face of the concrete.

As for repair? all depends on how bad the area of missing concrete is, that area behind the cement render??

Can you come back and confirm what is directly above the window? is it a piece of timber?

Ken

 

[Cubba27]

Hello and Thanks.

Just to give you a general idea of the type of property we have. The property was built circa 1948 - 1950 and is of non-traditional construction known as Cussins modified (steel framed). So you're right on the build date.

As for the window and the surrounding area, I can see it appears to be just the wooden frame itself which would have original met the concrete roof at the top of the frame so no packing material that I can see. In fact the broken piece of concrete can be removed from above the frame and it is completely loose.

I would prefer to repair this if possible or at the very most stop if from getting any worse and get the structure water tight until I can afford a more permanent solution. We don't want to be ploughing money it to it as we're thinking about extending and combining the kitchen and out house as one.

Below I've included some more photos which appears to show what you suggested with the rebar showing signs of corrosion. Hopefully they will build a clearer picture.

Cheers