Hello! I'm not sure if I've posted this in the right place, but I'll give it a try and see.
We are currently undertaking a major renovation of one floor of a three-story house. To create space for cabinets in the new kitchen, we decided to close up a window in the current kitchen. When I tore down the panel on the outside, I discovered to my horror that under the "new" panel, the previous owner had nailed fiberboard against the old panel, then laid tar paper on and then the "new" panel directly on top. So, without any air gap in between. Additionally, all the drip edges are aligned with the trim, over the windows. About 70 cm from the bottom was really damp and the top of the window frame was... Rotten...=(. Now I'm wondering if this should be considered a latent defect??? Two sides of the house have been done this way... Grateful for any answers.
Best regards, Billy
We are currently undertaking a major renovation of one floor of a three-story house. To create space for cabinets in the new kitchen, we decided to close up a window in the current kitchen. When I tore down the panel on the outside, I discovered to my horror that under the "new" panel, the previous owner had nailed fiberboard against the old panel, then laid tar paper on and then the "new" panel directly on top. So, without any air gap in between. Additionally, all the drip edges are aligned with the trim, over the windows. About 70 cm from the bottom was really damp and the top of the window frame was... Rotten...=(. Now I'm wondering if this should be considered a latent defect??? Two sides of the house have been done this way... Grateful for any answers.Best regards, Billy
Questions about hidden defects often fall under Law.
But in any case. The answer is usually the same. Hidden defects are those that cannot be discovered without destructive examination and that one has no reason to suspect due to the building method or age of the house.
That is, if it could be inferred that a new panel has been made on the house, maybe it should have been investigated a bit more. The thing with the drip strips sounds like something that is definitely visible from the outside and might have given you a hint that not everything was in order. If there is tretex between the panels, it feels as if the work was done quite a long time ago, which also relates back to what can be expected given the age of the house.
Did you hire an inspector in connection with the purchase? What did they say about the facade?
But in any case. The answer is usually the same. Hidden defects are those that cannot be discovered without destructive examination and that one has no reason to suspect due to the building method or age of the house.
That is, if it could be inferred that a new panel has been made on the house, maybe it should have been investigated a bit more. The thing with the drip strips sounds like something that is definitely visible from the outside and might have given you a hint that not everything was in order. If there is tretex between the panels, it feels as if the work was done quite a long time ago, which also relates back to what can be expected given the age of the house.
Did you hire an inspector in connection with the purchase? What did they say about the facade?
Yes, we had a surveyor during the purchase, and I've had a bit of contact with him now. He himself thought it was obviously a hidden defect, but I want to hear what others say. During the survey, he didn't say anything; the only thing mentioned in the papers is that the house was re-paneled in 1994. We bought the house in 2003, so it was already a few years old, plus it was already in need of repainting (during the survey). As I wrote earlier, two of the sides are made with an air gap. Hmmm... This is tricky.
/Billy
/Billy