13/04/2024
Been quiet on here of late. Always busy busy in the background. Proud to be supporting MasterFitter Windows in their latest project at SGC Camberley. Its a funny old world how the specialists in the industry collaborate to sort out the serious issues left from the previous installers that just "throw" the products in with blatant disregard to ensuring the most basics of window installation (Weather Tightness) is considered. Fenestrology was commissioned by another industry Expert Witness to undertake a glazing survey of a high class residential apartment block in the town centre of Camberley. This was pre pandemic, road Closures, two high reach truck mounted Cherry Pickers loaded with Myself and Arron. The remit to check every single glazed unit for specification. The original installation entity was to provide Fenestration that could provide 40 decibel protection given the town centre location. Tests were showing only a 22 decibel protection. Certain units had been changed for 10mm glass, still not giving anything like the protection and overloading the PVCu window system so much so the screws were pulling out of the frames and distorting profiles. It was glaringly obvious that we were witnessing serious issues. 2 years later we were back undertaking a full Expert Witness Fenestration installation condition survey. Many of the apartments had serious water ingress directly under the penthouse floors. Patios taken up and remediated time and again. At the same time a Roofing Expert Report was undertaken. Conclusions from the experts reccomends new roof design, new Fenestration design. Fast forward to Summer 2023 - a £1M scaffold tent starts to be erected so that Roofing can be stripped back and re designed. Fenestration can be removed and replaced. Arron and Masterfitter became the Contractor of choice and the technical survey got underway. Specialist 80mm Aluminium frames, a heat soaked toughened acoustic glazed unit and trickle vents made to measure in Belgium sat on specialist Aluminium pressings / trays. Masterfitter and Fenestrology designed an Acoustic installation detail, acoustic foams and sealants, Compriband, Abs and solid rubber packers and sealed through frame sleeved window anchors - achieved a staggering 38 dB [ on one elevation] 43 dB on another. You would probably not believe it if I advised that whilst there obviously was water ingress through the roof I am of the opinion that 75% of water ingress to lower penthouse floors were due to p**s poor (sorry) installation, 0% attention to any form of sealing, bedding or damming Mis measured frames, dry fitting junctions, none robust frame sealing, no frame packing coupled with zero consideration to the glazing. So the Insurance Co is in it to the hilt, over £1M on Scaff, £.7M on Fenestration, God only knows how much on Roofing, administration, Legals etc It absolutely grinds my gears - Throw windows in and eventually it will come back to bite you on the bum. ? Anyway as I set out Fenestrology providing the Project Management and Technical Survey of this large project supporting MasterFitter Windows with the Supply & Technical installation.
Collaboration of 3 industry specialist entities. Photos taken over the different stages.
