Water ingress at foot of bifold doors - help please

[glider26]

Hi,

Following a kitchen extension in 2021 (previous owners), there is water ingress through the foot of bifold doors (see attached photos). It looks like the patio fall outside is good (water drains away from building) but the sill fall is the wrong way around! (see pic with spirit level). I also note a line of clear silicone sealant (now peeling away) inside the frame where water was seeping in, implying this issue has been tackled before (not in a way I would, not indoors). A very rudimentary line of planks on the outside sill inclined correctly and under the seals for most of the length of the window appeared to keep water from seeping in during 18 hours of non-stop rain yesterday (See pic). I mean it has been 100% dry inside since.

I have a building inspection certificate for the work. Should this have passed a building inspection without rectification? Worth contacting council?
I do not (yet) have details of the building contractor who carried out the work. Even if I do find out who it was, would I have any recourse for rectification?
What work is required to make this right?

Cheers.

 

[blup]

No redress against installer and would you want them back? Check the sellers replies to the solicitors enquiries, theres something about water/flooding which might help.

 

[blup]

Can you post pics showing the bi fold doors open with detail of the profile and the temporary battens removed.

 

[glider26]

No redress against installer and would you want them back? Check the sellers replies to the solicitors enquiries, theres something about water/flooding which might help.

I take your point. I had checked the property information form and there’s nothing declared about flooding or insurance claims. See below.

As an aside, is the (degraded) clear sealant on the inside (the one I refer to in my OP) standard part of installation or a later ineffective attempt at fixing the issue?

 

[glider26]

Can you post pics showing the bi fold doors open with detail of the profile and the temporary battens removed.

Will do, please check back Friday lunchtime (not home until Thu eve).

 

[blup]

There’s a section in the legal inquiries that requires disclosure of documentation which must surely include a recent contract with a builder even if the price sensitive bits are excluded

 

[blup]

Will do, please check back Friday lunchtime (not home until Thu eve).

Just @ my user name.

 

[blup]

It looks like a drainage issue as the chill has been buried flush with the external ground level. Was there drainage installed?

 

[glider26]

It looks like a drainage issue as the chill has been buried flush with the external ground level. Was there drainage installed?

Doesn’t look like it. The bifolds now sit where the wall + door used to be, with presumably at the time a DPC and door step 150mm+ from ground. I think they placed the bifold and did nothing re drainage. Nothing in the property information form re contact with builder post work completion.

 

[blup]

It must be possible to retro fit drainage albeit with a bit of work, provided the weathered threshold parts are still available if replacements are needed

 

[glider26]

It must be possible to retro fit drainage albeit with a bit of work, provided the weathered threshold parts are still available if replacements are needed

Thanks, but tbh, and as per my initial post, drainage doesn’t seem to be the problem as the patio falls away from the building. During the non-stop rain we had earlier this week, there was no water accumulating against the building. The issue appears (to me) to be the sill being either flat or falling slightly towards window frame, and so I’m looking for a solution to that. Happy to be corrected and will supply picture of frame when able.

Plot twist, the builder has sadly recently died so any redress will be self-funded. At least that’s clear.

 

[blup]

Looks like the rain is getting between the cill and threshold, maybe the cill was over packed by the installer, and this deformed it. Packing it out with silicone may be the cheapest option.

 

[glider26]

Here are a few more pics, as promised. As you can see, there is enough of a gap outside to fit in a piece of pizza box cardboard (from inside as well). @blup

 

[ronniecabers]

Well it looks like it might be a face drain system... pour some water in the threshold and see where it drains out , might be by that black block you an see in your fourth pic ( with the pizza box in it ) if so , just remove the caps, seal where the cill meets the door frame and refit the caps making sure they aren't blocked by the new silicone. If you don't see any water come out then I suspect it may drain out in the bottom front edge of the cill ( I know some Ali suppliers do it that way ) in which case you can still seal where the cill meets the bottom of the door frame