A Guide to Navigating Leaky Condo Repairs in Vancouver

As many of you already know, beginning in the 1980s, Vancouver began encountering a series of leaky condo buildings. Several different problems converged to make this a big problem for certain types of condos, and unfortunately, some of them still need repair today.

In today’s blog, we are going to talk about what went wrong then and how these condos need to be fixed today.

Then

Briefly, builders were cutting corners. Developers were using the quick and dirty method of construction without paying careful attention to how roofs were installed and how stucco was applied. It did not take long before all of those low-rise condo buildings started to have problems.

Now

Now we fix it. In order to fix it, the following parts of the building need to be assessed:

Roofs

Were they installed correctly? Have they passed their service life? Are tiles missing? Is underlayment missing? Typically, those that are going to assess what the problem is will start at the top and work down. Are there gutters? Do the gutters functions as they should? Do gutters need replacing?

Windows and Doors

Do they need replacing? Is water coming in around windows or doors. Are they installed correctly?

Chimneys

Is the chimney flashing correctly installed? Does it need replacing. Does the chimney have a cover or cap?

Stucco

Most of the buildings with problems had stucco. There is nothing inherently wrong with stucco—if it is installed correctly as part of a system. So, what does the stucco look like? How was it installed? Are there signs of mildew and cracking.

So, in order to repair a leaky condo, experts need to evaluate all of the above, and that is not all, but it is a good start. After a careful assessment of the above, and the ventilation of the building, then a plan of attack can be drawn up to fix the leaky condo once and for all.  

We are experts on building envelope restoration and would be happy to discuss the newest technology that we use on the Lower Mainland to maximize the longevity of your building. Please feel free to contact us at (778) 881-2877. 

Westerly Restoration provides building envelope and restoration services in Vancouver, BC, and throughout the lower mainland.

If you have any questions about this article or would like to talk to us about building envelopes or restoration, please call us at (778) 881-2877 or use the convenient form on our Contact page.