Bailey Pegasus water ingress, cost??

[Mandarin]

A friend of ours bought a 2010 Pegasus a year ago (privately) and has it on a year round pitch. Its now developed a leak over the offside front window, with a bit of rot above and below.
Someone else is helping her make it watertight temporarily and I'm helping her find a local repairer.
She's had a rough time lately and is strapped for cash, does anyone have any idea how much a basic repair could cost? She not interested in making it as new, just watertight and solid.

I know its going to be pretty variable but any rough guestimates would help.

 

[Mr Plodd]

That is simply an impossible question to answer as it depends on just how far the rot has extended. The biggest factor is of course time, I would suggest she/you contact an AWS engineer and ask them to have a look and give an estimate. Anything else woukd be sheer guesswork.

 

[JRT]

I'm afraid Mr. Plod is correct.

The repair could cost anything from a couple of hundred to four figures. It may be possible to simply seal up the source of the leak but that risks storing up even more serious issues in the future.

 

[otherclive]

I had a nine year old Bailey leak around the nearside front window and it was the seal. It cost £200 in 2014 in an AWS independent workshop. Fortunately there was minimal damage by damp as it was caught early as I checked the van every three months. So the interior was allowed to dry naturally.

 

[Woodentop]

Model and year of caravan would help?

 

[trevormonty]

There are paint on flexible sealants available, shotgun approach but should seal roof joins. Windows seals may need a different approach. Alternatively buy caravan cover. These won't fix rot but should stop it getting worst.

 

[Hutch]

Model and year of caravan would help?

Bailey Pegasus, in the title, year. ???

 

[Mandarin]

Bailey Pegasus, in the title, year. ???

Sorry its 2010, now added that to my original post. So I believe not alutech construction?

 

[ProfJohnL]

There are paint on flexible sealants available, shotgun approach but should seal roof joins. Windows seals may need a different approach. Alternatively buy caravan cover. These won't fix rot but should stop it getting worst.

Once rot has taken hold it will continue to start to affect other nearby materials for some time even after the original leak has been fixed.

Stopping a leak and forgetting the repair is never a sensible thing to do.

 

[RogerL]

Sorry its 2010, now added that to my original post. So I believe not alutech construction?

AFAIK the Pegaus sub-brand was introduced at the same time as Alutech, ie it does have Alutech construction.

 

[Mel]

If your friend is strapped for cash, then she is going to need to start with a minimum repair to stop it getting worse. Any remedial work will need to come as and when she can afford it. It is difficult to know what that minimum repair is, so the best thing is to get quotes from more than one repairer. Two as a minimum, three if possible . As it is well out of warranty it would not necessarily need to be an AWS service engineer provided whoever it is comes well recommended. Avoid dealerships as they will generally be more expensive.
Roughy Whereabouts is her van? Folks on here may be able to recommend people that cover that part of the country.
Mel

 

[Mandarin]

If your friend is strapped for cash, then she is going to need to start with a minimum repair to stop it getting worse. Any remedial work will need to come as and when she can afford it. It is difficult to know what that minimum repair is, so the best thing is to get quotes from more than one repairer. Two as a minimum, three if possible . As it is well out of warranty it would not necessarily need to be an AWS service engineer provided whoever it is comes well recommended. Avoid dealerships as they will generally be more expensive.
Roughy Whereabouts is her van? Folks on here may be able to recommend people that cover that part of the country.
Mel

Works being done this week by a neighbour who's just sealing it to stop more water ingress. Then she can get some quotes.

The van's near Norwich.

 

[Dustydog]

Is the ingress through the upper window rail or through the actual window seal?
Repairing the top rail on site is possible but the drying out process is the most important. How bad is the internal visible damage plus the damp readings?

 

[Mandarin]

Its through the top rail, the window seals seem fine.

The visible damage looks quite bad with a lot of staining under the window, and there's soft patches above the window on the inside.
I didn't have my damp meter with me but will try it next opportunity.

Not knowing much about construction that surprised me if its an alutech van.

 

[Mandarin]

Ok, final update. Turns out its 2009 and pre alutech, so wooden frame construction and absolutely rotten through. Above an below the windows. Also all front windows are all delaminated.
So a very expensive repair and not worth it, it was almost certainly a write off when she bought it based on advice by an expert 'friend'. So as its going to be permanently sited and in lovely condition inside another neighbour on site will make the front watertight and it will be used for as long as possible, and then probably sold off at a huge loss.

Thanks for all the input.

 

[otherclive]

Sorry to hear of the outcome. Two very effective sealant tapes are Rooflock and Eternabond. Videos on YouTube

 

[Buckman]

Ok, final update. Turns out its 2009 and pre alutech, so wooden frame construction and absolutely rotten through. Above an below the windows. Also all front windows are all delaminated.
So a very expensive repair and not worth it, it was almost certainly a write off when she bought it based on advice by an expert 'friend'. So as its going to be permanently sited and in lovely condition inside another neighbour on site will make the front watertight and it will be used for as long as possible, and then probably sold off at a huge loss.

Thanks for all the input.

The concern here is damp and mould. Are they aware that mould spores are dangerous to the human respiratory system.

 

[Mel]

The concern here is damp and mould. Are they aware that mould spores are dangerous to the human respiratory system.

Good ventilation whilst the van dries out coupled with treatment of surfaces with bleach based mould removal spray would help to minimise the risks.
Mel

 

[Dustydog]

Ok, final update. Turns out its 2009 and pre alutech, so wooden frame construction and absolutely rotten through. Above an below the windows. Also all front windows are all delaminated.
So a very expensive repair and not worth it, it was almost certainly a write off when she bought it based on advice by an expert 'friend'. So as its going to be permanently sited and in lovely condition inside another neighbour on site will make the front watertight and it will be used for as long as possible, and then probably sold off at a huge loss.

Thanks for all the input.

🙀🙀what a shame.
Removing the three windows and top rail is not too difficult. However I guess the damage is too far gone for drying out needing new timbers?
I know the horse has bolted but do you know when the last pre purchase damp reading was done?

 

[Mandarin]

Thanks for all the input. The fear is that if the windows come out juat for re-sealing the wood is so rotten it.may be impossible to put them back without a total re-build.

However the weekend may have produced a solution. We have a local farmer on site with space in a barn where it can dry out. He also has a caravan he's happy to lend in the interim. We also have a boatbuilder with good carpentry skils, also someone who had a career in caravan construction.
Working together they have offered to replace the rot etc for cost of materials and re-build the front.

There are truly some wonderful people about in this world.

 

[Hutch]

Thanks for all the input. The fear is that if the windows come out juat for re-sealing the wood is so rotten it.may be impossible to put them back without a total re-build.

However the weekend may have produced a solution. We have a local farmer on site with space in a barn where it can dry out. He also has a caravan he's happy to lend in the interim. We also have a boatbuilder with good carpentry skils, also someone who had a career in caravan construction.
Working together they have offered to replace the rot etc for cost of materials and re-build the front.

There are truly some wonderful people about in this world.

Wow, what a fantastic result, hope it all goes well. Maybe a few photos. ?