Octagon window damaged by siding contractor

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tedkord
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Joined: Mon Jun 01, 2015 12:38 am

Octagon window damaged by siding contractor

#1 Post by tedkord »

I had siding installed last week, including capping everything but the porch posts. I was very happy with the job thry did. The day after they finished, we noticed the octagon window on our porch was cracked in two places.

I contacted them with a picture of the cracks, and they agreed to fix it no questions asked. The same crew that had done the siding showed up three days later (on a Sunday). I left them to their work, confident because they'd done a nice job so far.

It turns out they took out the double pane and replaced it with a single. They then didn't put the outside molding back up, but simply bent aluminum capping to fit to the glass. To me, the caulk looks messy, and on the inside you can see the outside caulk uneven with the frame and can see behind the aluminum they put on. They also chipped a piece of the interior molding off. And last, the exterior aluminum has a nail head sticking out of each face with white caulk dabbed on it.

There is a question here. Two actually. First, am I being too picky (I'm attaching pictures)? Is the job good enough? Secondly, if I'm not being unreasonable, what is a reasonable remedy? Would I be out of line to suggest that if I buy a replacement window, they install it and rewrap it? I'm thinking instead of the plain glass I've got, maybe I could get something with a pattern or stained glass look.

You have to zoom in a bit to see? Sorry, photography isn't a strong suit of mine.
Attachments
16.jpeg
This is the view from inside where I can see behind the exterior aluminum because it doesn't line up.
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23.jpeg
This is the chipped interior molding.
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25.jpeg
This is the exterior, which has no wood under it.
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Last edited by tedkord on Wed Aug 19, 2015 4:38 am, edited 2 times in total.

tedkord
Posts: 10
Joined: Mon Jun 01, 2015 12:38 am

Re: Octagon window damaged by siding contractor

#2 Post by tedkord »

Here is a picture I sent them of the crack. It shows how the exterior was wrapped prior, which I was very happy with. I liked how it was fitted to the wood and framed with the green J-channel(?).
Attachments
28.jpeg
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masterext
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Location: Window Pro-Serves All of Northern New Jersey. Bergen, Morris, Union, Essex, Passaic, Sussex Counties

Re: Octagon window damaged by siding contractor

#3 Post by masterext »

Its quite possible that before the siding was installed tbere was a very small stress crack that may not have been visible. The vibration from nailing the siding could have caused the crack to enlarge. Some companies actually have disclaimers about that potential issue.

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Delaware Mike
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Re: Octagon window damaged by siding contractor

#4 Post by Delaware Mike »

Jim,

I still need to stop by to grab the after shots of the window portion of your project. I can give you several options while there if desired. I have an account with an outstanding octagonal manufacturer. Their exterior brickmold is cellular PVC and I have pictures and an address of one that I just did last year over in Mullica Hill.

That capping and caulking is completely unacceptable, but fixable.

masterext
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Re: Octagon window damaged by siding contractor

#5 Post by masterext »

Mike
You talking about Intex ? They are in that area and custom make pvc trim.

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Delaware Mike
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Re: Octagon window damaged by siding contractor

#6 Post by Delaware Mike »

Paul,

I use Signature Door for octagonals.

masterext
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Re: Octagon window damaged by siding contractor

#7 Post by masterext »

The place i am referring to make some real nice pvc trim. They are on the blackhorse pike down that way.

tedkord
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Re: Octagon window damaged by siding contractor

#8 Post by tedkord »

Delaware Mike wrote:Jim,

I still need to stop by to grab the after shots of the window portion of your project. I can give you several options while there if desired. I have an account with an outstanding octagonal manufacturer. Their exterior brickmold is cellular PVC and I have pictures and an address of one that I just did last year over in Mullica Hill.

That capping and caulking is completely unacceptable, but fixable.
Thanks for the offer. I did want to replace the whole window with something nicer, but they're not willing to work with me on that. They say they've already ordered the correct glass and will restore it to original. I guess that's good enough, they're fixing the issue. I'm not done trying, though.

Mike, did you get a good look at it when you stopped by? Am I being unreasonable, or is it as bad as I think? If I can get them to agree to me buying a new window, I'd prefer to have you put it in. If so, what's reasonable to ask? I know most of the cost should be borne by me, but I think they should pay a small portion. Would half your labor charge be excessive, with me paying the cost of the new window and the other half labor?

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Delaware Mike
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Re: Octagon window damaged by siding contractor

#9 Post by Delaware Mike »

Jim,

It doesn't look bad from the view from the street. However, up close it doesn't blend with the finish work to the rest of the house. They took off wrapped smooth aluminum that had a free hand brick mold bend to the profile of the capping and replaced it with simple box bend and jumped the j-channel and just terminated the inside return to the glass and sealed with white silicone. That looks bad up close and even worse from the inside.

If they rip the capping off, drop in a double-glazed octagonal IG unit, and install some exterior stops and then cap via the same brick mold profile as removed originally, you will be good to go. I never really inspected that unit when we were there since it wasn't on our list to mess with. I can't remember the interior or exterior stop configuration?

I would be happy to bend up a length of PVC coated striated white trim coil in my siding brake utilizing my Van Mark Trim Former to capture the brick mold millwork profile and leave it at the house for them. It's all of 5 minutes of my time and we have so many scrap pieces of this stuff that the cost is irrelevant. I wouldn't know the dimensions to perform the bends without exposure of the brick molding and exterior stops. The return to the sheathing should be about 1.25" and the inside return is 1". The face is 2". However, there should be a stop to bend around that would be like 1/2" to 9/16" x about 3/4"?

I'd be hesitant to advise them at this point as the crew leader put me in my place when I suggested a method of attaching standard 3/4" j-channel to your new construction 800dx flanges with 1/4" stainless zip screws that provides the tightest, cleanest looking without roll-off gaps, and fastest method. He dissed me and told me that he's been doing this for 20-years and has installed every window every made. I guess thats why he nailed the j-channel over those beefy flanges and experienced j-channel roll-off and had to caulk the j-channel to the window to hide the gaps. It doesn't look bad, but that took longer than with what I tried to tell him.

I'd be glad to help you in any way that I can. I may be able to take off the top miter cap and get my dimensions, put it back on and them just leave like a 7' length of trim formed metal for them to put the 33.50 degree miters and fit?

tedkord
Posts: 10
Joined: Mon Jun 01, 2015 12:38 am

Re: Octagon window damaged by siding contractor

#10 Post by tedkord »

The first thing I noticed was the caulk around the windows, and thought about your discussion with them. But it looked good, so I wasn't concerned.

I told them very specifically I don't want the same crew working the next repair as I don't think they know what they're doing with windows, so you wouldn't need to worry about being put in your place by him again. Ha.

They actually argued with me that these guys have done hundreds of windows and are experts, to which I replied that was even worse, because that meant they intentionally cut corners and it made me wonder what corners they cut on the siding job. Regardless, I told them I didn't want them back.

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