Why is the top of my window leaking?

When you have water leaking in the top of your first floor windows, and you have second floor windows above with a vinyl siding exterior, there is a pretty good chance, your window and siding contractors made some serious errors in the installation of the exterior cladding on your home. We'll walk you step-by-step through diagnosing this common home problem, and show you the solution for how to resolve it. It's not just done, It's #CopeBUILT​!
When we're finished, you'll be PROUD to say,
- "𝗜𝘁'𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗗𝗼𝗻𝗲, 𝗶𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐬 #𝗖𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗕𝗨𝗜𝗟𝗧!" - -
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[@jamezason]

I feel like a siding expert now and I’ve never done any siding. Great video and lots of knowledge shared here

[@CopeBUILT]

Glad to hear it! There are lots of jobs in the trades that remain unfilled! If you find this fun, perhaps it could be a new career path! Find a good contractor with a great reputation, get hired, and most will teach you everything they know! We have over 21 hours of content in 375 videos here on our channel... College courses are only 18 credit hours! Bing Watch US and you'll learn a LOT! We hope you've LIKED the video and subscribed to our channel. Our summer interns are hard at work editing all of our footage from the last 6 months. More content coming out every week!

[@KentHenry8]

Now I have several layering issues to check for on my leaking bedroom window. Thanks for sharing this.

[@CopeBUILT]

We are happy to help! Thanks for your comment, and for subscribing!!

[@snavile]

Thanks for great step by step walkthrough of the fix

[@CopeBUILT]

Glad it helped

[@dmonteiro1788]

This is the first video that has actually figured out exactly where my windows are leaking from!!! Why no one else that has come to give an estimate could come up with this fix? Layering must by incorrect? I have single-pane double hung wood windows with triple track storms/screen...natural cedars on exterior...I want a row or two of shingles removed, see what's under and repair...Can't get anyone to do this! Wish I could buy you a plane ticket and have you fly up to R.I. ! :) I will show the next contractor your video and hope they'll agree with you! Thanks again!

[@CopeBUILT]

Hi Deb... Thank you for taking the time to call our office! You made our day! We have put countless hours into trying to produce valuable educational content, and it means the world to us to know that we're helping homeowners outside of our local area. We're so sorry to hear that you're having this problem both with your home, and with contractors who won't do what's required to help correct it. In an ideal situation, yes a contractor could simply remove two courses of cedar shingle, or simply cut a straight line 3 and 1/2 in above the window with plans to fill it with a piece of trim later and a z-shaped drip cap. They can fix the layers, maybe add some aluminum or tyvek to bridge any gaps and put it back together... But if they get the shakes off, And there's no house wrap behind the shakes, and no tar paper... Then what we they do? I have seen houses where windows were nailed directly to the plywood sheathing, and the siding installed over it with no house wrap. kzbin.info/www/bejne/r3PGnmSBgLmsmaM One solution may be to take a small sander to the OSB or plywood above the window to remove any loose debris, and the vac off the dust, then loosen the nail fin at the top of the window, squirt some adhesive sealant behind it, and nail it back on, and then use either zip sheathing tape or another polybutyl window tape product to tape that nail fin onto the OSB sheathing where it was cleaned with the sander. Here's a video showing some step flashing on a roof and how that integrates with the house wrap... And the theory with your window is going to be similar... And that we want that metal flashing or nail fin continuous for the house rep to come land on top of... kzbin.info/www/bejne/m4aTiXtqj6plrrM Please follow up with us once you are able to take steps to get this addressed. Would love to know what your contractor thought about the video and whether or not this was helpful in resolving your issue several states away. Of course we love to invite you to subscribe to our channel for more great tips every week on maintaining and improving your Forever Home. -Drew Cope, Dad-preneur-

[@dmonteiro1788]

So, a company came over today and just tried to push vinyl window replacement...and if I want wood frame Harvey windows would cost 1800 per window! or the life of me, I cannot find a regular old~school contractor to remove some shingles and trouble shoot...I don't need new windows, just someone to find where the rain is leaking in...It would cost me alot less, Drew, to fly you up to R.I. than it will to buy 2 new windows! Will keep you posted! Deb@@CopeBUILT

[@CopeBUILT]

Even if they install a replacement window in the opening, my comments above still apply.... What if there is no water resistant barrier / house wrap / tar paper under those cedar shakes? How will they waterproof the opening? The truth is, they won't. They'll squirt adhesive goo in there, which will last for 18 to 60 months in the elements and UV Sun Rays until it breaks down from exposure and then it will leak again. If no HouseWrap exists, then I might try some Prosoco Fluid Applied Membrane to seal the window flange to the sheathing of the house, but if you don't have house-wrap, then you probably have even bigger issues with water damaged sheathing that will lead to needing to remove and replace the cedar shake to make those repairs... so lets hope there is house-wrap in place. Here's a blog article and two additional videos that talk about the difference between Replacement verses New Construction windows... and proper installation and sealing methods... www.copebuilt.com/general-contractor/kennett-square-pa/blog.aspx?ID=1064&Title=Replacement%20vs%20New%20Construction%20Windows:%20The%20Essential%20Guide I hear HVAC techs tell me all the time... "these new young kids in the trades... they aren't learning how to fix things. They teach them more sales skills than they do actual diagnostic and repair techniques. There is a certain skill to trouble shooting and learning to isolate problems and run tests and control for all the variables to find the true source of the problem before you start part swapping. Us old guys can still repair copper heat exchangers with a torch, but a lot of these young tradesmen can barely use a pro-press crimp gun properly, or a pex setup... so forget about glue fittings or solder & flux. They train these kids to look for a problem that can justify selling a replacement unit, rather than invest the time to find the actual, and probably simple problem that is causing the unit not to fire." Sadly, we're seeing the same thing with "Window companies" and other trade-specific firms. Look for an mature, experienced craftsman with a small business, rather than a big flashy renovation company. You are looking for a Bob Villa, a Norm Abrams, or one of the other guys from This Old House... That's the generation who has the mindset and the skillset to solve your issue with the window. My hope is, as we grow, to hire some of these younger tradesmen, and train them up in the old-school ways... we'll see. -- Drew Cope, Dad-Prenure

[@dmonteiro1788]

So, just to follow~up! My brother~in~law gave us the name of someone he knows that re-built his bulk-head..OK..so no harm-no foul! Let's try! OMG! Finally we have found someone (in his late 40's) that actually takes pride in his work and took the time to stand there and try to diagnose as opposed to "sell". Got on a ladder at the most leaky window...Looked, scraped then asked for the hose! Let's mimic a rainstorm (well not that much pressure) and see if we can figure out! Sure enough, the caulking above my triple-track storm was almost completely gone leaving some open gaps! He scraped all the bad debris out of the 4 windows that had leaky issues, re-caulked, re-nailed loose pieces, (and scraped out the clear silicone that my husbands' (ahem) carpenter friend put in between the natural shingles above the window! Aaaaaaahhhh! which did not work, by the way! Anyway, we had a moderate rain 2 days following, and thankfully, they seemed OK! It's raining again now so fingers crossed! He actually said let's try the least expensive and least invasive way first and if it doesn't work we can re-visit it! (Elliott Fox Contractor and Fine Carpentry, East Providence, R.I.) website shows some of his work! Hope you approve....... So now, next project...scrape and re-paint white sills (as needed) and re-stain/poly window stools as needed,,,My yearly maintenance project! Again, thanks for listening to my long-winded rant, but most of all, thanks for all YOU do! Without this video, I would still be in limbo...I bet there are many people, like me, that your video's have helped/inspired! I'm just the most talkative! :) ~Deb Monteiro

[@CopeBUILT]

That's so great to hear! We're excited for you!! Thank you for keeping us posted on your progress! We love hearing success stories of how we've helped solve difficult and challenging home problems. --Drew--

[@bmeggs19]

Thanks for making this video. You explained everything clearly and made it easy to understand. Great Job

[@CopeBUILT]

BMeggs! Thanks for connecting with us. I'm glad you found it helpful. Our goal is to help take the mystery out of home-repairs and contractor selection bu arming you with the information you need to ask the right questions before hiring someone claiming to be a contractor or home improvement professional. If you haven't subscribed, please consider this your personal invitation. Our college intern is back with us for winter break and is working diligently to get us caught up on editing the backlog of videos we've recorded the past few months. We should be back on schedule, releasing 2 to 3 new home improvement videos every week, very very soon. Thanks again for your comment!

[@zx10rpower17]

I’m having water leak behind the Tyvek paper. Right below a 2nd story window 😡. Thanks for taking the time to make this good video. Stay safe out there!

[@CopeBUILT]

Pretty good chance they failed to get the layers right... perhaps the tyvek is on TOP of the that lower nail fin, rather than under it and inside the jamb. It's really important to properly waterproof the jamb pan either with Tape or a Fluid applied membrane. Here are some other videos that show how a window SHOULD be installed.... kzbin.info/www/bejne/hYqye5h-bK2HoZY If you haven't subscribed to our channel yet, we'd love to invite you to do that now. We are producing new videos every week to help you repair, maintain, and improve YOUR Forever Home. Please reply and let us know where you are watching from!

[@zx10rpower17]

@@CopeBUILT thanks for the reply. I’m in Illinois. Northwest burbs of Chicago.

[@Rich-hm9ux]

This is such an excellent video! This guy explains things so well!

[@CopeBUILT]

Hey Rich, thanks so much for your feedback and encouragement! We'd love to know how you heard about us or what brought you to our channel. Are you having a hard time with windows leaking at your home? or perhaps you are a contractor? Please take a minute and click the LIKE button and also subscribe to our channel. that' helps youtube know you found our content valuable and they will share our videos with more people. Thanks!

[@maryquintero247]

Thank you very much for this information. I went to your website, and love the work you have done.

[@CopeBUILT]

Thank you for your kind complement! We strive to put accessible information out there for homeowners and contractors so that everyone is more educated about the trades.

[@larrycrookshanks1646]

As a roofing contractor for the last 50 years I have been repairing the same type of problem. The siders don't care . They get paid to hurry and get to the next job. It doesn't take that much longer to install the metal piece at the lower corners so that the water will exit over the top of the siding lock edge. You can also use ice shield. It also happens with windows above bay window roofs.

[@CopeBUILT]

YUP... and then you get the call because "the roof is leaking," when in reality, it wasn't your roof, but the window above. That being said... Who installs the window? Is it the framers? Did the framers tack up a piece of tyvek, or wrap the house, before they put the window in? As a GC, part of my goal is to RAISE THE STANDARD for every trade and contractor who serves our clients on one of our contracts, and that means bringing the latest in Building Science and Best Practices to bear on our jobs... but I can't get there, until we educate the consumers, and those who consider hiring us, as to why its worth paying a few dollars more, to have it done right the first time, so that they protect their investment in their forever home! Thanks for your comment Larry. If you haven't subscribed, consider this your personal invitation. We love constructive feedback from other professionals in the trades who can help all of us become better at what we do! --Drew--

[@kimreed3679]

this video was exactly what I needed.

[@CopeBUILT]

Glad to hear it helped! We will soon be offering our Home Field Advantage program for clients who live outside of our service area. Learn more about that at www.HomeFieldAdvantage.pro - and stay tuned for our new website coming soon to that domain in a few weeks.

[@HaleyShaffer-f6v]

Wish you were in CA!

[@user-mc6we5ln1w]

Excellent work. Much nicer would be to add the porch across the entire front. Love spending other peoples money! But it would add much value to the home. The code was very lax to not cover the whole home with tar paper back then.

[@johannamiller527]

Thanks so much with this video! Do you have any suggestions for how to find a contractor in my area (Washington DC suburbs) who can do a similarly thorough job on my home? Most of them seem to want to slap some silicone on the outside of the house and call it a day.

[@CopeBUILT]

Sadly, it's going to be a meticulous process to ask friends for recommendations, check with local networking groups, chamber of commerce, BNI groups and keep asking for someone who applies a Belt AND suspenders approach to waterproofing the exterior of your home. Ask the question on you FB page and ask friends to help connect you with their network.

[@ramonramirez9929]

thats awesome job; thank you for your time and explanation

[@CopeBUILT]

I'm glad you found it helpful. What project are you working on?

[@ricodeguzman5338]

Thank you for this informative video. I wish you guys were in FL. I think this is what is wrong with my 6 y/o home. The front office windows literally rains on the inside every time it’s hurricane season. Only thing is we have stucco exteriors in FL. Any idea how much a job like this will cost me?

[@CopeBUILT]

Thank you for your question! Sadly no, I can't speak to cost... The market is different in every region... But I would suspect you'll find someone skilled for $75 to $180 an hour, Plus any trip fees and administrative cost... If they've got a great reputation, it wouldn't shock me to see an estimate north of $2,000 to take it apart and diagnose it and figure out how to fix it and put it back together... And that's with vinyl siding... With stucco, you need to check out one of our other playlists, that deals with a persistent week a customer is having where the roof met the gable wall.... At the very least, someone's going to cut around the window three and a half inches to get in a new head flashing and then possibly add a piece of PVC trim board to fill the void... Or they could potentially put stucco back... But the bigger question is whether or not the original stucco installation included a proper drainage cavity / rain screen.... And a water resistant barrier or house wrap to protect the plywood or OSB sheathing... THE JOB WILL BE MUCH HARDER if the drainage plane and the WRB are not in place... So much so that they may put a disclaimer in their contract saying that if they don't find those provisions behind the stucco, they won't be able to warranty the work. For liability reasons, many stucco contractors refuse to do localized repairs and will only warranty their work if they work corner to corner and ground to gutter... So they own the entire wall and they know that they've done it correctly... And they can't be blamed for somebody else's prior mistake. This is also covered in our other stucco playlist in the last video where I interview a stucco expert. Hope this helps. Please subscribe to our channel for more great content

[@kellydavis3108]

We had this exact issue. Same solution

[@CopeBUILT]

Glad to hear you found our content helpful. Thanks for you input. Hopefully your comment helps encourage other homeowners with similar home leak symptoms.

[@dougrogers956]

This information is all well and good but my window is completely sealed with Silicone, Flex tape and a Gutter installed above the window. It worked great for a couple of years but suddenly is leaking again. Why?? Any opinions why I still leak after being completely leak free for a couple years but leaking again? This problem is driving me crazy.

[@CopeBUILT]

Rule Number 1... Water Runs Downhill... Gravity works 100% of the time... unless you create a dam, which causes water to pool up and back up the hill. 2 inches of standing water in a pool, creates a horizontal hydraulic load similar to a 35 mph wind. If you've got that window well sealed... and the house wrap above the window layered properly... and a gutter... then you need to go up and look at the roof. The water is coming in from above somewhere.

[@mcshreddy7125]

Thanks so much for making this video. I'm a home owner and I think I have this exact problem (except my siding is cement board). Do you think this is something a homeowner could DIY? I am in Oakland CA and it's been difficult finding someone to take this small job.

[@CopeBUILT]

Thanks for your question McShreddy! I can't say whether one homeowner could do this, where another could not... but here are some considerations... some pre-req's to handle this repair. -- Do you have good balance? -- Are you comfortable on a ladder? -- Are you comfortable with heights? -- Do you have (or are you willing to acquire) the tools & materials required? -- Do you have sufficient personal time, and a multi-day window of favorable weather, in case you hit a snag in the process? -- How will you handle the situation if you find extensive water damage to the sheathing? -- if you had an accident during the project, do you have sufficient health insurance and life insurance in place to assist you and your family through the recovery time? Even with a YES to all of the above, our video here does not cover all the situations you MAY run into while trying to address this leak. Do you have a local expert or construction friend you can call, or send some photos or a video to, if you get stuck, or have a question mid-project? That would be how I would help one of my kids think through the process of trying to decide whether to handle their problem DIY.... or to hire a professional. I would also suggest they watch other videos from other contractors on this subject like @The Build Show to get other ideas of how to tackle this. Hope this helps! Please subscribe to our channel for more great home tips and to let KZbin know you find our content valuable! --Drew Cope, Dad-prenure

[@davothegreat9990]

I have the same issue but a brick house. Double story. Ground floor window leaks with heavy rain, but the window directly above doesn't. Brickie replaced a couple of rows of bricks where the weep hole is located and replaced the moisture barrier associated with it. This weep hole brick row location is a few rows of bricks above the window. Unfortunately, even after all this work, water still gets in above the window frame! Now back to square one as the brickie and plumber said they're at a lose how water is still getting through after all the work done. Please remember the window directly above doesn't leak and have a metal sheeted gable roof. Cheers

[@CopeBUILT]

Hi Davo... The best advice I can offer you based on your description of the symptoms, is not really my advice. I want you to go and learn from The godfather of modern building science... Dr Joe.... He does a whole session on hydrostatic pressure and what can go wrong in the drainage cavity behind a brick facade... The critical part is about 24 and 1/2 minutes into this video. But you might want to watch the 5 or 10 minutes before and after the section fully understand the concept... Joe Lstiburek talks about this in some of his building science videos. kzbin.info/www/bejne/qJbQZoqee86crbc

[@rohitshankar158]

Could you please tell me if you could fix such scenario.

[@CopeBUILT]

If you have a problem with hydrostatic pressure building up behind brick due to poor installation as detailed by Joe Lstiburek in this lecture from the 24 to the 26 minute mark kzbin.info/www/bejne/qJbQZoqee86crbc - then you have two options in my option... (1) Remove the brick and make corrections (2) Apply a masonry sealant to the brick and prevent water from absorbing into the reservoir cladding. If you have a stone, brick or stucco exterior we have another video in the editing pipeline talking about spraying a masonry waterproofing product on stone to stop a mystery leak, that only occurred after prolonged rain storms. Here's a link to the raw unedited footage from that project which might give you some ideas... photos.app.goo.gl/VVsmGfjTDzi64Z3U8 - If you have stucco, we typically apply Luxon XP paint from Sherwin Williams. Please subscribe to our channel so that you get notified when those videos get published.

[@davothegreat9990]

@@CopeBUILT issue all fixed. Brickie found the bricks were hard up against the brick lintel. They found as water past through the brick during heavy rain the water was dripping behind the lintel instead of between the lintel and the brick. All they did was hit the lintel back half an inch and create a gap now no more issues. This issue was ongoing for ages before someone finally worked it out by cutting a large section plasterboard above the window and water testing the entire area....😮😮

[@rohitshankar158]

@@CopeBUILT Thank you so much for this information. I have subscribed your channel and got notification the moment you replied to my query. I have absolutely same issue. There is a leak above my main floor window only if wind blows rain towards this side. Not otherwise. The mason changed the set of bricks immediately above the window and replaced the black sheet within. However, in the last windy rain there was a leak again. I am in Toronto and we have freezing temperatures and snow every winter. Could you please suggest a good brick sealant to stop this mystery leak that can withstand extreme temperature changes?

[@TheSeasonalShopper]

Nice job. Do you ever see mold in these situations?

[@CopeBUILT]

That's a great question. For the most part, clients have not asked us to go tearing apart interior trim looking for problems.... And if they are lucky, these were one time events that suddenly leaked and they called us to fix it promptly. However, it's possible a little bit of water was leaking in during every rain storm and only showed up during the heaviest of rain. In that situation, mold is a possibility. My understanding is that mold requires a couple of things to grow. A substrate to grow on, water, and a dark warm place. Once we take away the water, I don't think it's going to grow or spread that much. And it's contained behind the wall, which means there's nothing to spread the mold spores around until such time as someone doesn't renovation. So I typically don't stress out about it unless a client has has asthma or severe allergies. I typically ask these questions and if they respond in the negative, we don't take it any further. I do have two clients who are very sensitive and we absolutely always go overboard for them when it comes to these types of concerns. I am far more concerned about whether the OSB or plywood sheathing on the exterior of the house still has the rigidity to do its job... Then I will do about whether or not it's turned a little black on the outside or whether there might be some small amount of mold hidden within the walls. There are several companies out there who make an awful lot of money scaring people about the potential health hazards. I personally have a friend who is misdiagnosed with having Crohn's disease, which later turned out to be the result of living in a heavily contaminated mold-filled house.... So I'm not cavalier about this concern, but I also try to address it in moderation helping a client to weigh the risk reward ratio of doing a lot of exploratory demolition to look for what may or may not be there. One client was very concerned about the possibility of mold in the water is upstairs bedroom where they experience the water leak in the window below, and we drilled two 5-in holes through the bedroom wall to do an inspection and then we patched the drywall and painted it When we found nothing. Every homeowner has a different risk tolerance and a different budget and we try to work with each accordingly

[@Laptops1781]

Would this apply to sliding glass doors too? I have 6 month old sliding glass door that's leaking from the top corner

[@CopeBUILT]

Hi Mike, thanks for your comment and question! Yes, the principles are similar... but please allow me to point you to a specific video from our Door's Playlist where we solved a door leak for a client, which was leaking (from the top) and water damage was showing up at the flooring. Here you go! video of how to flash and shingle lap the layers on the top of sliding glass patio door... kzbin.info/www/bejne/f5zYlnqojJmgadU Here's a second video that may also be helpful, although it was recorded before we had our new wind-screen microphone, so the audio is crunchy in places.... This home had huge fypon trim that wasn't flashed correctly and caused a number of leaks. kzbin.info/www/bejne/ipWviZald9NlnMU Hope this helps.... if you haven't already subscribed, we hope you'll consider doing so!! www.KZbin.com/CopeBUILT/?sub_confirmation=1 -- Drew --

[@johnnywang206]

It’s sad that there are people who are trained to build a house and they have no idea what they are doing.

[@CopeBUILT]

Sadly, that is a common theme in the comments across all the videos on our channel... It is our hope that we can educate homeowners and help level the playing field for them against the crooked Con-artists who call themselves contractors... Both through the videos here on our channel and through our homeowner renovation coaching program.... www.HomeFieldAdvantage.pro And if we're lucky, perhaps a couple of contractors will wash these as well and maybe they'll learn a thing or two that will help them better serve their clients.

[@theresasmith9094]

Great video we think this is the issue our son is having with his new home. Is there a temporary fix you can recommend since the construction company can't do the job for several months? Thank you!

[@CopeBUILT]

Find a different contractor or do it yourself if you feel comfortable with that. You could cover the entire front of your house with a tarp, but that's not really a solution. You have to take apart the siding under the upper windows and move that water OUT... and you need to take apart the siding at the top of the bottom windows, and get the layers right. There is no shortcut. I'm sorry :-(

[@gary79973]

When replacing existing windows on a house with vinyl siding, do you usually recommend a "replacement" insert window with capping or reinstallation of a "new construction" window with flanges?

[@CopeBUILT]

GREAT question, Gary!! I WISH more homeowners would consider this. I'm going to apologize in advance for the upcoming rant. This is a hot topic for me and I'm passionate about trying to communicate what I feel is the right answer. Buckle up Dorothy here we go :-) I have some "Rip Off Report" warning videos in the queue where a discount "as seen on tv" replacement window company came through, CUT off all the old nail fins... inserted a replacement window, held it in place with spray foam, added wide capping j-channel on the outside to hide the foam... and left. There is NO water resistant barrier (WRB) in this approach. And the Air Seal of the Spray foam will eventually fail as the foam separates from the wood framing... Bad... horrible... awful... and a TOTAL RIP OFF! Here's a link to the raw unedited footage.. photos.app.goo.gl/TmUtbgA5oyb7yDW48 There are only TWO applications where we use fin-less "replacement" vinyl windows. (1) When you have an old home, with old wood window jambs which are still in serviceable condition, perhaps in stone or stucco or cement block walls and you just want to remove the sashes, cap the wood, and install that replacement window in the existing wood jambs. (2) When you are recessing a window in the middle of the throat of a thick wall and there is nothing to attach the nail fin to. in ALL other instances, we almost ALWAYS recommend using a "New Construction" window or patio door WITH a nail fin. The nail fin gives us a place to put adhesive sealant to connect the window to the wall, and continue the WRB in a continuous fashion. The nail fin gives us a flashing layer that we can tape to the OSB at the top, and lap the house-wrap over. The nail fin also makes it pretty difficult to "warp" the frame while fastening it. Replacement windows are often screwed to the Rough Opening through the sash jambs and overtighting screws can pull the frame out of square. I like the nail fin because it helps us create a nice drainage cavity, using the back-dam and air-seal approach, moving the air control layer to the INSIDE of the wall assembly at the window jamb, and adding shims to the lower fin, gives us the possibility of draining and drying that part of the assembly to the outside. yes, it costs more to remove the siding around each door and window to be replaced, and you have to be careful to size your windows, so that you are at least the same size or larger, so that your siding covers when you put it back up... however, its a SUPERIOR way to protect your Forever Home. I'm not sure I believe in karma per-se, but i do believe in the law of sowing and reaping. Even if I was selling a house, I wouldn't take the shortcut of a cheap low quality replacement window, when I have the option to remove the siding and install a New Construction window with the integrated nail fin using the latest in building science construction techniques to protect that home. And my hope is that any property I ever buy, would be taken care of at least as well by the prior owners who sell it to me. Even with an Egress window... where we are going to be cutting into a block basement wall or poured cement, we prefer to cut an oversized hole... install pressure treated lumber to create jambs for our Rough Opening... cap and seal those jambs with house-wrap and aluminum, and then install a window with a nail fin when available... and then cover the nail fin with PVC Trim Boards from AZEK or Versatex and their cortex screws with white plugs to hide the fasteners. Not everyone does it this way... but not everyone is focused on protecting your Forever Home. This approach costs more... and we loose plenty of window jobs to "lower bidders" with inferior installation methods... but I can't, in good conscious, install a window using a technique that i KNOW will fail in 5 to 10 years or less. When we're finished with it... I want our clients to be PROUD to say, "It's not just done... it was #CopeBUILT." Gary, seriously... thanks again for asking this question... Maybe I should ask our web team to turn this into a blog post. Great Question!! Hope you found some value in this response. Please subscribe for more great videos being released each week :-) -- Drew Cope, Dad-preneur --

[@gary79973]

@@CopeBUILT that is a great answer to a great question you truly know your business now I have another one for you...

[@gary79973]

What do you do with stucco windows do you drill them out and add new construction windows or do you recommend capping.... Asking for a friend

[@CopeBUILT]

If its a Vinyl window in a Stucco clad house, it would be an ESPECIALLY BAD idea to just cut the nail fin, and slip in a replacement window. The shingle-lapped waterproofing flashing layers with a drainage cavity rain-screen behind is absolutely ESSENTIAL to protecting your forever home. Maybe, you can work some aluminum head flashing back up behind the old layers, cutting V's below each nail still in the old fin, but I wouldn't stake my reputation as a contractor on that kind of fix. There are two approaches, each with varying degrees of cost, risk and liability. A stucco guy who is worried about his insurance is going to tell you, "No can do. Rip off the stucco on the whole face of the house, corner to corner, ground to sky, replace the windows, and then install new exterior cladding... whether stucco or siding or james hardie." That way, they OWN that wall, and they know that they have done everything correctly, and they can warranty their work. And this approach is not cheap. But it is the best (assuming you have a reputable knowledgeable contractor) for ensuring that all the flashing layers are correct, and any wood damage has been replaced while the wall was open. The cheaper band-aid approach is to use your angle grinder with a diamond blade (follow all safety protocols) and cut a straight line through the stucco, 3-1/2 inches from the edge of the window, paradelle to the window, on all 4 sides. DO NOT penetrate through the expanded metal mesh. Just cut the surface layer. Then use a masonry chisel, and carefully remove the stucco.... work the wire mesh free... chip away at the scratch coat left behind. Carefully pull the wire mesh away. Carefully peal back the tar paper or other water resistant barrier (and if you don't find any kind of a WRB, that is REALLY REALLY BAD and the whole wall probably needs to come down on a wood framed and sheathed house). Remove the nails from the nail fin, remove the window, use a fluid applied membrane to protect the jamb and face of the rough opening, install the window, add more fluid applied... and then reinstall the layers you removed. If you don't want to apply new stucco, grab some 1x4 or 5/4 x4 PVC trim boards, and trim out the window in AZEK or VERSATEX. Here is one video on patching stucco... kzbin.info/www/bejne/a4m5Zn6KZs2Kqpo and we have another one in the pipeline where the client had a sliding egress window in a basement window well, which leaked BAD... I mean really bad. The seals were garbage! and it had a stucco exterior. Here is a sneak peak at two RAW unedited videos that addressed exactly what you are asking about. photos.app.goo.gl/VPsVUrGeEW8tTAC66 At the end of the second video, you'll see that we have our expanded wire mess back in place, and ready to re-stucco over the new window nailing fin. Hope this helps!

[@CopeBUILT]

Here's a link to the raw unedited footage of our upcoming rip-off report.... photos.app.goo.gl/TmUtbgA5oyb7yDW48

[@smphoto]

I have a similar problem above a glass sliding door. The house has a brick facade. The water only comes in when the east wind blows the rain against that side of the house. It leaks in the wall under the trim above the door. It does not leak if there is no wind. The house was build in 1992. It leaked for many years, so we had the glass door replaced with a new one in 2018. The replacement door installation did not solve the leaking problem, although we did not notice the leak again until 2020. We had all of the window sills replaces with new stone ones in 2021, including the sill on the 2nd story widnow above the door. The previous sills needed replacing, as there were made of brick and were disintegrating. Do you have any advice on the type of contractor I need to help fix this problem?

[@CopeBUILT]

Step one is to educate yourself on the process of getting the flashing layers correct, and specifically the head flashing of the windows... & doors... Brick is a porous material and water is going to get behind it. Hopefully it was installed with an air gap behind it to allow for drainage and drying and when the doors and windows are installed, that air gap needs to be maintained to give the water a path to daylight. This playlist will give you a little bit of a master class on that concept... And I will include a second follow-up comment to Joe lestebrik's class, specifically an area on brick. kzbin.info/aero/PLHM_Hinmgh2In7R4suJcYVCk3xD4Sugj-

[@CopeBUILT]

Here another conversation specifically about brick, queued up to the portion of the video where he explains what happens if you get too much mortar between the brick and the sheathing on the wall. kzbin.info/www/bejne/qJbQZoqee86crbc

[@CopeBUILT]

Here are some raw unedited videos of a customer who had Stone in the front of their house that we applied a masonry penetrating sealer to in order to stop her water leak. I consider this to be a bit of a last resort... But short of removing her windows and some of the stone in the front of her house, I didn't have another way to fix this. So the penetrating sealer was cheaper and less risky than taking down the stone. (May not play on an Apple, iPad or iPhone device due to animosity between Apple and Google). photos.app.goo.gl/A7UQoi7EhX8mYdpq8

[@GusMcCrae01]

Great information. Question, does the homeowner's insurance policy cover payment for this type of repair? And, what is the approximate cost to fix this type of problem on 1 or 2 windows?

[@CopeBUILT]

Great question... here's a link to two articles with some videos that talk about what insurance will and will not cover... www.copebuilt.com/general-contractor/kennett-square-pa/blog.aspx?CategoryID=1023&CategoryName=Insurance:%20Is%20this%20Covered? Every policy is different, but Generally speaking a homeowner's policy will cover sudden and accidental damage... like a frozen pipe that bursts... but not a long slow degradation over time, like a roof leak you weren't aware of. In this case, they might cover the repair and repainting of any resulting drywall damage on the inside if this was a sudden leak that occured doing a massive rain storm event... but the likely would not pay the labor to fix the cause of the leak which was the exterior siding and flashing... and some policies are now excluding damage caused by improper building methods, which this could have fallen under. WIth insurance, what you don't say, can be as important as what you do say, if you don't want your claim denied. Read the articles I linked and talk to a public adjuster to learn more...

[@mayurgolatgaonkar8278]

Thanks. How much did you charge for this job? We have exact same issue in washington.

[@snowps1]

How much was this job? I'm having the same issue.

[@CopeBUILT]

Hi Chris, thank you for your question. Generally, a mystery leak this will get quoted at Time & Materials. We will estimate it at 2 guys for 1/2 a day, to 2 guys a full day. As we get it apart and we find our smoking guns, that will educate us as to what additional steps might be required based on our experience, and how many other windows we should look at. In this case, the customer was only have problems with two windows, so this was the only area of the house we addressed on this visit. If you would like an estimate for a project at your home, and you live in our service area along the route 1 corridor in Southern Chester County, PA from Nottingham to Chadds Ford, you can send a message to us at www.CopeBUILT.com/fbMessenger or call our office 484-748-0008, option 2, ext 2 and our staff will be happy to assist you. Please take a couple of wide-shot photos of the outside of your home, and send those to us, so that we can get a visual sense of where your problem is, and what it will take for our team to solve it. You may enjoy other videos in our "exterior water leaks" playlist. I'll include a link below. kzbin.info/aero/PLHM_Hinmgh2In7R4suJcYVCk3xD4Sugj- We look forward to serving you soon.

[@daaneel]

Had a contractor replace some windows on a stucco house. One of the windows is leaking. Any explanation why? Can you tell me the correct process for replacing windows in a stucco house? Where does the nail fin attach to? Does it go behind the stucco?

[@CopeBUILT]

When you cut out a window, I like to cut an extra 3-1/2" of stucco around the window, so that I can cleanly get the nail fin out. Then I want to slip some Z-Flashing up behind the Water Resistant Barrier behind the rain screen or drainage plane behind the stucco, to bring the water out, and then I trim the window with 1x3 PVC trim boards.... You have to get the flashing layers correct. If the window isn't sealed to the wall properly, and the layers are in the wrong sequence, or the top nail fin isn't tucked behind the WRB, you are screwed! I'm going to give you 5 links... Here are two raw unedited videos and some photos from a window replacement in stucco... -- photos.app.goo.gl/wajBj42SVky6aXaB7 This shows you some Z-Flashing behind James Hardy Board, bringing the water out to the front... the principles carry to stucco as well.. -- kzbin.info/www/bejne/enfVhK2Egb11mqs -- kzbin.info/www/bejne/pZjdeYVse9qnsM0 -- kzbin.info/www/bejne/qKvKqqWnbZ2Vf9U Here is a playlist on exterior water leaks -- kzbin.info/aero/PLHM_Hinmgh2In7R4suJcYVCk3xD4Sugj- Here is a playlist on proper window installation (9 through 13) -- kzbin.info/aero/PLHM_Hinmgh2IcJ1aX-RRUXcGV9Wl6hHRr Here is a playlist on some various stucco repairs we have done -- kzbin.info/aero/PLHM_Hinmgh2JffqMrFjk627km8o20KKr2 Here's a rip-off report warning from a real install performed by a hack-job con-artist advertising "as seen on tv" window replacement services. -- kzbin.info/www/bejne/mWHVeX59hNR_nKc I'm going to give you a college education on this topic in less than 3 hours time, for free, if you were to watch every video. If you take the time to watch the content in those playlists, and you are a mechanically inclined, you'll likely be able to describe to your your contractor exactly how you want it fixed... or at least be able to ask some REALLY intelligent questions so when you hire the next guy, you'll know who knows what they are doing... and who are idiots just out there ripping people off and damaging homes with their ignorance. Please subscribe to our channel for more helpful content on maintaining, improving, and Protecting YOUR Forever Home.

[@daaneel]

@@CopeBUILT thanks I watched the videos but I have no way to know if the flashing is in the correct order without ripping it apart! I am getting a leak from the hole on the inside of the window that you put the screw in (on the top inside frame of the window). Any idea how water could get back there?

[@CopeBUILT]

the only reason to run a screw from inside the window sash channel, through the jam, and into the rough opening framing lumber, would be if your installer chose a "replacement style" window without a nail fin. "new construction" style windows with a nail fin, do not require screws through the jambs. This blog article explains more about the difference between New Construction windows and Vinyl Replacement windows... www.copebuilt.com/general-contractor/kennett-square-pa/blog.aspx?ID=1064&Title=Replacement%20vs%20New%20Construction%20Windows:%20The%20Essential%20Guide As in the Rip-Off report video on that blog post, which I also linked in my first reply to you above, i explain why you don't want to use a replacement window in a new install application. I only use replacement windows when I have an existing wood window frame, which I can install aluminum capping on, before putting in the replacement window, inside that old wood jamb. Sadly, without ripping it apart, you aren't likely going to able to determine the cause of the leak. You could try flooding various areas of the exterior above the window with a garden hose.... hitting each spot, for 10 minutes at a time, before trying the next one, because sometimes it just takes that long for the water to get in.... working with your first area at the bottom, and then sequentially moving up the face, 10 minutes at a time. Then potentially, you could apply a vapor permeable "sealant" like Luxon XP paint for stucco... however, if water enters the wall assembly above where you apply the sealant, it could still leak into the house. All of this is just a band-aid, a temporary fix. The right answer is to go back to the contractor and tell him you want him to stand behind his work, to take it apart and fix it. If he refuses, then hire someone else to take it apart, fix the layers or install a proper new construction window, and then put it back together. And if the contractor screwed up, document then whole thing, and then go have a conversation with him or take him to court. (Not Legal Advice - consult an attorney to understand your rights, and the consumer protection laws in your state.) The problem could be further up the wall... something your contractor didn't touch... but if he got his flashing layers correct, and the original builders had the proper house wrap and flashing and water resistant barriers in place, then the water from above, shouldn't be getting in... BUT... if the original builder screwed up... if there was no house wrap, then even if the new window is properly flashed to the sheathing, water from above could be getting behind the sheathing and into the window that way, and it would not be the fault of your window installer... Though I find this unlikely if the old window wasn't leaking, and you didn't get any leaks until the new window was installed. Did they just install 1 window? or more than 1? How many guys were working? Was one guy good, and one guy not good? If more than one window was replaced, and you discover improper methods were used, do all the windows need to be taken apart and checked? Hope this helps.

[@daaneel]

@@CopeBUILT thank you so much for the very good information. The windows were installed by a contractor and was done by my dad so I don’t have any good solid info on how it was done. My dad tried to get in touch with the guy who installed it but he’s not picking up his phone and is MIA. I believe they installed multiple windows plus a sliding patio door. But only one of the windows are leaking. I don’t think there is an issue with water leaking behind the stucco from above since the stucco and roof is in pretty good condition. (This is a condo unit so the exterior and roof is maintained in good condition) I had a window guy come and look at it and he said that on half of the pvc trim of the window on top is missing silicone sealant. I’m going to have him remove and replace the sealant to get me through the rest of this winter and reassess the situation in the summer. However thank you very much. Now I can properly understand what the issue could be and have a much more intelligent conversation with any contractor if we decide to remove the trim and peel back the stucco to see what’s really going

[@SamSam-ih6nt]

How would one go about inspecting this type of repair on....stucco

[@CopeBUILT]

Sam... often, its best to hire a stucco inspection professional to do the evaluation... and our preference is to avoid the conflict of interest.... the inspector should not also be an installer or remediator of stucco products. Keep the two professions separate. See Part 9 of our stucco playlist for details on this... kzbin.info/aero/PLHM_Hinmgh2JffqMrFjk627km8o20KKr2 If the inspector finds "soft wood" or high moisture content around a window, you won't know the cause until you cut open the stucco. Please checkout our stucco playlist for details from other projects. In part 9, Jeremy talks about why he doesn't like to do "localized repairs" however, we have found some select stucco professionals who will cut 3, 6, or 12 inches around the outside of a window, remove the material, get down to the flashing layer, and then determine how to best make a repair, or determine if more material needs to be removed. In the case of just 3 inches, sometimes they will install AZEK or Versatex back in the void, rather than try to match the stucco texture. Other times, they will make repairs and then apply new stucco. We should be releasing a video later this year of a window we replaced in stucco, and we decided on a Fluid Applied Membrane to seal the new window to the old flashing layers, prior to applying a new coat of stucco to the area. In that case, the stucco wasn't the original problem. The window itself was a low-grade garbage window, that leaked water through the seal every time it rained. Stucco was in good shape, and we didn't find any signs of damage. Moreover, the stucco was over a poured masonry wall at the basement level, in the window we were replacing. We might not have gotten away with that up higher on the house. Every situation is different. Bottom line, you are going to have to cut it open to find out. If you haven't subscribed, please consider this your personal invitation. Our college intern is back with us for winter break and is working diligently to get us caught up on editing the backlog of videos we've recorded the past few months. We should be back on schedule, releasing 2 to 3 new home improvement videos every week, very very soon. Thanks for your question!

[@brendanodonnell6419]

I’ve had repair a made in outside and I’ve still got water coming in. Question: at what point do you look at the issue being inside the house - I.e. that the windows wasn’t sealed inside properly as well.? And if that’s the case does that mean the windows should come out or replaced To ensure it gets done properly?

[@CopeBUILT]

Brendan, if you check out our window playlist, and also the exterior facelift renovation playlist, we cover in-depth methods of how a window should be installed, including a proper pan, and waterproofing the rough opening. We assume that 10% of all window frames leak from the factory, and that 30 to 40% will eventually crack and leak. So we want the rough opening to be waterproof, and designed to shed water to the exterior with proper drainage and drying provisions combined with back-daming and air-sealing the inside of the Rough Opening to the window. If you have vinyl siding, the layers are "easy" to correct and get right. Time consuming, but easy. If you have a stone, brick or stucco exterior, then you may have to look at applying a sealant to the outside. We have another video in the editing pipeline talking about spraying a masonry waterproofing product on stone to stop a mystery leak, that only occurred after prolong rain storms. Here's a link to the raw unedited footage from that project which might give you some ideas... photos.app.goo.gl/VVsmGfjTDzi64Z3U8 Please subscribe to our channel so that you get notified when those videos get published. With brick, if you have globs of mortar that feel into the drainage plane between the brick and the sheathing, this can form a cup, and funnel water into the home through hydrostatic pressure. Joe Lstiburek talks about this in some of his building science videos. For example in this lecture from the 24 to the 26 minute mark will demonstrate the principle... kzbin.info/www/bejne/qJbQZoqee86crbc

[@LouLpz-v6e]

How much did you charge for that repair?

[@CopeBUILT]

Two skilled guys, a days labor... that starts around $2200 around here... Plus some incidentals.

[@Notsofatgurljess]

I’m having this same problem I know this that this video is 2yrs old and the economy has changed. How much minimum would you charge for this job now?

[@RogerDuly]

Oxford down the street from Hockessin, Del?

[@CopeBUILT]

Yes. Hello Neighbor! Welcome to our channel. We are licensed in DE and NCC as GC5534. How can we help? Note: We don't serve city of newark and city of wilmington due to separate licensing requirements, and simply not enough demand for our services in those areas to justify that added paperwork, red-tape, and expense. Same for Maryland. Generally speaking, we consider Kirkwood highway to be the southern limit of our service area.

[@kothb123]

What if this is exactly the problem, but the bottom floor is brick?

[@CopeBUILT]

Modern best practices for brick wall call for a 1-in drainage cavity between the back side of the brick and what ever the sheathing product is on the building... That way, as the brick mason is laying his courses of block and mortar falls down behind the brick, it's less likely to create a cup that could trap water in a small pool on the wall and allow it to soak into the interior wall assembly. However, if the brick was installed with only a half inch gap, or the bricklayer was especially sloppy with the mortar falling down into that drainage cavity, they could easily have formed a small pool back behind the wall, that as water migrates through the porous brick, or enters the brick drainage cavity from somewhere above, it could get trapped in that pool and then get pushed through the sheathing above the window... As far as keeping your cost down, the first thing I would look at would be your second floor windows, punched openings, other places of penetration, and wherever the flashing should be uninsure that everything on the second floor is as it should be to help prevent water from getting into that drainage cavity.... If everything is perfect up above, then your water must be migrating through the brick or getting in at the window head itself.... Would it make sense to apply a sealant to the exterior of the brick? Every situation is different... Can you remove a layer of brick above the window and try to fix the flashing at the window head to bring water out to the exterior? You may wind up removing a significant portion of brick above the window in order to truly solve this but, but perhaps you can start with a selective removal above the window, using a grinder to cut out the mortar... It's a sucky situation to say the least, and there are no easy answers as we don't have x-ray vision.... Perhaps the first place to start troubleshooting is to begin with a garden hose... Heavily spray one area of the wall for 15 to 25 minutes right at the window header.... If you don't get any leaks, then move your garden hose up about a foot or two and continue for another 15 to 25 minutes..... All the while having someone inside watching for leaks... Continue this progression as you work your way up the wall, and to the second floor until you get the garden hose somewhere, that causes water to start showing up inside... Once you narrow it down, let everything dry out, and then hit that final spot again and see if you can reproduce the results... This backup troubleshooting step is just to make sure that it didn't take the water from down below an hour to get in while you were making your way up the wall with the hose.... Once you've completed your garden hose test, that will point in the direction as to where you should start your diagnostic work.... Hope this helps. Please subscribe to our channel to stay tuned to all of our upcoming videos to help you improve and maintain your forever home!

[@kothb123]

@@CopeBUILT thank you so much for such a detailed response! Very helpful. I don't really do subscriptions as the algorithm changes what it shows me, but in this instance I believe your help was well worth a sub!

[@CopeBUILT]

How did you make out with your brick issue? We have some new video links that may provide additional details... f you have a stone, brick or stucco exterior, then you may have to look at applying a sealant to the outside. We have another video in the editing pipeline talking about spraying a masonry waterproofing product on stone to stop a mystery leak, that only occurred after prolonged rain storms. Here's a link to the raw unedited footage from that project which might give you some ideas... photos.app.goo.gl/VVsmGfjTDzi64Z3U8 If you have Stucco, we use a vapor permeable paint called Luxon XP from Sherwin Williams. With brick, if you have globs of mortar that feel into the drainage plane between the brick and the sheathing, this can form a cup, and funnel water into the home through hydrostatic pressure. Joe Lstiburek talks about this in some of his building science videos. For example in this lecture from the 24 to the 26 minute mark will demonstrate the principle... kzbin.info/www/bejne/qJbQZoqee86crbc Please subscribe to our channel so that you get notified when those videos get published.

[@latoyamcfadden3199]

My current issue and I cant find anyone to fix...😩😩😩

[@CopeBUILT]

We can appreciate that situation Latoya... but at least now, you are armed with the information to ensure that when you do find someone to hire to handle this, you won't get ripped off by someone who doesn't know what they are doing.

[@dmonteiro1788]

sad, but my issue also...Everyone wants to replace rather than repair windows :( good luck!

[@CopeBUILT]

unfortunately, those of use with the Skills to repair things are in an older generation, and more of us are retiring every year. America took the trades out of the public high schools, and the younger people taking jobs in the trades haven't been given the opportunity to learn through trial and error... to learn how to diagnose a problem and think through possible causes, ways to test those theories, and find the root issue and then develop a plan to correct those issues. They can pass a test, but not think on their feet. It's easy for a company to hand an HVAC tech a trouble shooting flow chart, but what if a situation isn't covered by the chart? That's when they teach them to sell a new system. New systems install "the same way every time." Its repeatable steps. And sadly, a lot of installers don't know how to do the calculations, and why they need to the calculations to properly size units. The same is true in windows. They don't teach the new kids how to remove siding, fix water barriers, install windows, trim windows, and reinstall siding. Intead, they cut the nail fins with a vibe tool, and add aluminum capping to "hide" the hack job, because they can be faster, and charge less per window, compared to having a proper, professional, installation. Window life is mostly determined by the seals in the multi-pane system. Frames can crack 10 to 30% of the time depending on manufacturer, and the care of the installer, but that is why we waterproof the rough opening and provide provisions for drainage and drying to the exterior. More details about that over in our windows playlist.

[@mayurgolatgaonkar8278]

Very rookie question: Why didn't you remove just the siding above the window, trim and flashing and then the same fix? Why was it required to remove all the sidings

[@CopeBUILT]

I suspect you and I have a different definition for what we mean when we say "all the siding." There are times when I have stripped off the entire front of a house because we recognize that when we had problems with one window, we had the same problem with all the windows, and that there was no house wrap, which was required to allow us to properly layer stuff... Unless we want to switch to a fluid applied flashing method. On this video, we took off the siding above the first floor windows, below the second floor windows, so that we could install proper house wrap and flashing tucked up underneath the bottom nail fin of the upper windows... We don't want to allow water to have any path to get into the house and we need the proper layers to keep moving water to the outside

[@harlemknight120]

Having the same issue, do you work in York, PA. 17402?

[@CopeBUILT]

Sadly, York is probably a 90 minute drive for our team. We could make the trip if you're willing to pay for the travel time and expenses. You want to search for an siding and exterior contractor, or perhaps a window / door contractor in your area, and ask them some pointed questions about how they flash a new construction window and integrate it into the water resistant barrier (WRB) aka House Wrap / tyvek. The info in our video should be enough to help you discern who is legit and who is going to take your money and fail to fix the problem. We have a blog article on how to screen a contractor... You'll find this article and others under the category "tips for hiring a contractor" to be helpful in your search.... www.copebuilt.com/general-contractor/kennett-square-pa/blog.aspx?ID=1026&Title=4%20Questions%20to%20ask%20BEFORE%20hiring%20a%20Contractor If you haven't done so already, please subscribe to our channel for more great tips on maintaining & improving your Forever Home so you are educated when it comes time to interview a contractor for work at your home. We put out new content 2 to 3 times a week, and your subscription helps encourage youtube to share our videos with more people just like you :-)

[@harlemknight120]

@@CopeBUILT Thank you so much, for taking the time to respond.

[@JoeHan268]

How much roughly would something like that cost to repair?

[@CopeBUILT]

Great question, and the obvious answer is, "it depends." Are we talking about 1 window, or a failure to install them correctly that requires fixing this on ALL the windows on the house? Is house wrap there, but just used wrong, or is it missing all togther? Are we on the first floor, or the second floor? What is the ground and shrubs and access like? How close can we park the trucks to the work site? How much time will be spend carrying equipment back and forth? This project was two guys, for a day. In Chester County PA, you can get a chuck-in-a-truck no-name contractor or Dan-in-a-unmarked-van for $35 to $80 per hour. You can get a reputable company for $90 to $150 per man hour... and that fee covers the guy's labor, office staff, insurance, overhead, etc. Chester County is in the top 25 wealthiest counties in the United States. There are LOTS of places with a lower cost of living, and where contracted labor is cheaper to come by. So like I said, it Depends. :-) Historically, most of our repairs like this start around $1500 and could easily go up to $5000 if we get into drywall repairs... but the average is probably $2200 to $2500 to address 1 to 3 windows in the same vicinity, in that we can pull off siding in one area of the home and make corrections to 1, 2 or 3 windows in that immediate area, and then reinstall the vinyl siding.

[@JoeHan268]

@@CopeBUILT Yeah definitely. 1 window needs new cut out and flashing facing south. That one failed. Thanks for reply.

[@AngryTango]

Everything is So damn cheaply made

[@CopeBUILT]

it's simple to get it right... And it's simple to get it wrong...

[@dlucks174]

You did not address the top of the window

[@CopeBUILT]

Hi D Lucks... I'm not sure I understand your statement. We diagnosed how the water was getting in... due to improper flashing. We corrected the flashing layers, and stopped the leak. The only else we could have done, was applied a fresh coat of white paint to the extension jambs inside the top of the window... or the homeowner could do that... but it may not even have been stained that badly. The client simply wanted us to stop the water from getting in. If you'd like to give us more details about your concerns, we can try to explain further.

[@nickoshana2246]

Wind noise detracts from video.

[@CopeBUILT]

Thanks Nick, we completely agree... that's why we purchased a RODE Micro shotgun mic with a deadcat windscreen and mounted it on a Movo PR-1 Smartphone Grip. This has allowed our team to dramatically improve the audio quality on all videos recorded after April 15th, 2021. We hope you'll subscribe and stick with us for our more recent content! Thank you for your feedback!