Leaking windows / doors - flashing installed incorrectly?

[Cbrauer]

I have a newly constructed pole barn that we paid a contractor to build for us. Unfortunately, every window and weather-facing door is leaking. First it was only one window, and we called the contractor to fix it. He messed with it a bit, but there were no visible changes and told me that it is normal for them to leak because they're exposed to rain. Ummm... Right.

Weather got worse and now our leak has many friends. I caulked around the exterior of all the frames, and the leaks are slightly less prolific but very much a concern since we want to insulate and finish the interior wall.

I'm attaching pics of the top and bottom corners of a window. Showed some friends and they are convinced the windows / trim aren't installed correctly. Wondering if we should take these out and re-install. I'm handy-ish but hey, I hired a contractor so I wouldn't have to do this stuff.

And while our contactor has been very willing to come back out to help (we had to do three repairs before we passed final because they didn't follow the plans), I have a feeling that would be a waste of time.

So does this look noticably wrong? Would you take it out and install it differently or with different flashing/ trim?

 

[BillK]

Looks terribly wrong to me but I am not a window installer. Do you know the manufacturer of the windows ? Iwould call them or if they have a web site go there and see if they show installation instructions. I am pretty sure the inner flange should be behind the metal siding but I am not 100% sure how they go on a metal building.

How about a picture of the inside ??

 

[Kaizen]

wtf. that should be flashed and counterflashed. Are the ribs of the metal siding touching the outer flange?
Go watch some R&R builders on youtube. They are doing a series right now and probably has what they do in great detail. Do you know what flashing looks like? Windows are designed to have rain on the outside of that outer flange. this install creates a river behind it.

 

[danfromsyr]

looks like they made a U-channel around the window. and glued it behind/under the siding with silicone.

 

[D45]

Wrong, very wrong

Where's the flashing? Did they just cut a hole and put in the window in place with some clear silicon?

 

[BillK]

I just entered "how to install windows in metal building" in Google and there a plenty of things to look at. Maybe you could suggest that to your contractor ??

 

[Walkers]

Way wrong. The guy is an idiot.

 

[FMB4]

Welcome aboard Cb. That said, I agree with above that your windows are not installed properly, or that they may not be designed for such a building. Meanwhile, I'd find another contractor.

 

[gmcgeo]

I'm afraid if you call your contractor back all he would do is put more silicone around it

 

[Dumber than lumber]

Way wrong. The guy is an idiot.

To the OP
What do the yelp! reviews show for your builder? That is horrific. IMO

 

[kj_mustang]

My windows are just like those. They are made with an inner flange and the outer J channel trim. One of mine leaked a little when first built because it faced in the direction of the strong winds. I silicone sealed it on the outside before doing any of my insulation work to the inside of the building. i never saw it leak after that.

 

[Cbrauer]

Yeah, I'm done with this contractor. Now after watching some videos on framing a window I am not impressed with the interior either. I found a pic I took of a window before siding went on. Can see there is no flashing. Did he ever even nail in the bottom? No idea.

The window sticks out pretty far from the nail flange, farther than the metal siding and trim. I talked to a local window company and they suspect the contractors ordered the wrong thing in the first place. Scheduled them to come take a look - if that's the case I'll be bugging the contractor again for new windows. But I probably won't let him install them.

Meanwhile, the two-month old doorframe has water damage to where it looks like it's been there ten years.

The good news is that from here out I'm doing everything myself. I've been spending a lot of time on this forum

 

[Bucko]

I would be asking the inspector if he would of passed that **** if it was for his house. I guess because it was a barn and likely Friday at 4:30 he didn't care. You are never going to keep that from leaking.

 

[Cbrauer]

Bucko, the inspector had bigger structural details to fail the building on and probably didn't even notice the windows. After the second inspection failure, I had to sit down with the inspector and draw diagrams for the contractor to follow because he literally couldn't understand the plans. We got the permit to build in May and finally passed inspection in November. It's a 40x50' unfinished pole barn.

Guess who went with the cheapest bid and has regrets.

 

[Viper98912]

So....where is the flashing? Because I don't see it. Your siding doesn't look cut that tight to the window, so we should at least some sliver of foil somewhere.

The bigger PITA you're going to have IMO is pulling off the large verticals of siding to get back underneath and flash it. I don't know how your siding pieces overlap, but that could potentially be a big PITA. And since it looks like there's no sill plate flashing on the bottom of the window, you really should take out the window first, clean up all the silicone, put on the bottom pan flashing, then put the window back in, then flash the top and sides, and then put the siding back on.

I also don't see any shims on the inside of your window. Was it shimmed in place and the windows opened/closed before it was nailed or screwed into the framing to make sure the window works smoothly?

Ugh.

 

[FredWanaker]

I am not a metal siding guy but it would seem to me that if there are any panel joints that sit on top of the window, water that gets into the joints would run down and come out inside the windows. Normally I would think the seams would carry that water to the bottom of the panels. but since the window interferes with that, it would be the source of a big leak.

 

[Bucko]

Bucko, the inspector had bigger structural details to fail the building on and probably didn't even notice the windows. After the second inspection failure, I had to sit down with the inspector and draw diagrams for the contractor to follow because he literally couldn't understand the plans. We got the permit to build in May and finally passed inspection in November. It's a 40x50' unfinished pole barn.

Guess who went with the cheapest bid and has regrets.

Sorry your having so many headaches with poor workmanship on your dream shop. Dont beat your up on going with the lowest bid, even some of the best contractors can **** the bed and go downhill.
You said you have a window company coming out, have you contacted the building manufacturer? They may have a particular way or sell a product that is made for that style building.

 

[Bretny]

New construction with a J channel like KJ Mustang posted are the way to go...for any siding type.

Cawlk should never be a primary source of waterproofing.

 

[mikedodge]

It looks like they didn't use the right kind of window. On mine the window frames are flat to the wall. That looks like it was supposed to be built up with trim or boxed in with flashing around it and not have that big ugly gap.

 

[TMcCay]

If the contractor had that much of a problem passing inspection his license should be pulled. He couldn't get the doors or windows right I can imagine what else he did wrong.

 

[Awag]

That's a typical pole barn window install. If you want a water tight pole barn don't put any holes in it. If you put flashing around the window where is the water going to go? It's still going inside because you don't have the plywood and house rap on a pole barn to direct the water to the ground. Pole barns aren't intended to be finished buildings. They are a cheap shelter to protect your equipment and livestock.