What’s your opinion of this repair job? New to caravanning and don’t want to unfair… but need advice for experienced people on what I should do ?

[Tommyscaravan]

Hi thanks for looking… back ground to situation. I brought a yr 2000 bailey 516 discovery in September 2020 - condition was emasculate / zero damp / all original parts / one owner / stored undercover in barn all its life , very lucky to find it. I stored it in fully secure 1000 caravan storage site, got a full service (everything's perfect), join caravan club and get insurance etc. Wife was heavily pregnant so planned on using it in 2021. In January 2021 on checking caravan I see the “neighbouring” van at the storage site has damaged my awning rail and seals when they had driven out of their “space” - meet with with the owner and showed him damage , he 100% accepted responsibility.

He asked if rather than going through insurance I would be happy to get the (permanent/ professional ) on site caravan repair shop to fix it and he would pay them direct. As he is my caravan storage “neighbour” and it seemed reasonable I agreed.

it is now 6 months later and it’s only just been repair ..reason for such a long delay ?? Covid and being able to source parts apparently and that they couldn’t source a replacement rail / seals etc in full length ? I had asked that the van be repaired to how it was before .. with a full rails and seals etc .. not chop and fix etc. Last month the repair shop said the best they could do (if I wanted to use it this summer) was use a piece of left over rail and join it “ I wouldn’t-be able to tell the difference “.. well it’s been fixed … and you can tell the difference…

Im asking those of you who have been caravanning for years if this is a good repair / standard of repair you would accept on a 2000 caravan where original / replacement parts etc would be hard to source? If I had gone through insurance would I have got any better / more than this ??

I’m not looking to slag this guys work off, or am I saying it’s a bad job … as I’ve nothing to compare it to …. Other than the factory finish (20 year old factory finish) that the caravan previously had … I just hoping someone on here can say either A) that’s a completely acceptable level of repair with the age of the caravan , parts needed etc the level of finish will never be as good as before , chalk it up to one of those annoying things in life and move on, going through insurance wouldn’t have got you a better result / standard of work etc. Or B) if you had gone through insurance etc the level of finish and amount of work (as in they would have replaced the entire rail and all damaged parts etc ) would have been better, the repair works are not to the standard you would expect.

Any help / advice would be greatly appreciated- we are completely new to caravanning and I just want to know what “should be expected “ for repair works etc .

ultimately so long as it’s water proof and we can now use the awning that’s all that matters… but wanted to ask people’s opinions.

have included some photos of the damage before and after repair.

*edit .. it looks like only the aluminium rail was repaired … but the “rubber / plastic” component wasn’t replaced ?But the cracked part has been filled with a clear sealant …

 

[otherclive]

Sorry to hear of the mishap and welcome to the Forum. A member on here has a Senator circa 2008, and he recently posted that awning rail for that caravan isn't available. So it's not certain that an insurance repairer would have been able to source any awning rail parts either. Another member had problems with a repair to a front high level window. The insurer did not take responsibility for the repairs, only that they would deal with the claim. Caravans aren't like cars when it comes to repairs, you generally have to sort it out yourself, and the insurer pays the claim. So you would have still potentially had been faced with a repair the wasn't as good as the original.

But your before and after don't look at all good and the repair is a bodge. I wouldn't have paid. A specialist caravan repairer would have made a far better job of it, although possibly at a price that would have seen the caravan BER'd.

 

[Ern]

I can see 8 pics all showing a damaged rail., but no pic of a repaired rail.

 

[Damian]

I , like Ern can see no repair , just a damaged awning rail.
If any of the pics I see are supposed to be the finished article then I am dumbfounded and most certainly would not get your on site workshop to ever touch my van again.

If the original profile awning rail is not available then a complete new rail should be fitted.
It may not match the other side but that is not really a problem as such.

 

[audiorob]

Like others I would struggle to see that anything at all has been done - I scrolled through the pictures expecting there to be a before/after sequence but can see no progression at all. Even if a rail is not available there seems to be no attempt to straighten the section or conceal the damage. Not acceptable!

 

[Beachball]

Like everyone says i have look at all eight pictures showing a damage rail where the one picture that the repaired rail has been done.

 

[Tommyscaravan]

Sorry to hear of the mishap and welcome to the Forum. A member on here has a Senator circa 2008, and he recently posted that awning rail for that caravan isn't available. So it's not certain that an insurance repairer would have been able to source any awning rail parts either. Another member had problems with a repair to a front high level window. The insurer did not take responsibility for the repairs, only that they would deal with the claim. Caravans aren't like cars when it comes to repairs, you generally have to sort it out yourself, and the insurer pays the claim. So you would have still potentially had been faced with a repair the wasn't as good as the original.

But your before and after don't look at all good and the repair is a bodge. I wouldn't have paid. A specialist caravan repairer would have made a far better job of it, although possibly at a price that would have seen the caravan BER'd.

Thank you for taking the time to reply and the information- I have update the photos do
It now shows before and after …. Still a bodge ?

 

[Tommyscaravan]

I can see 8 pics all showing a damaged rail., but no pic of a repaired rail.

I can see 8 pics all showing a damaged rail., but no pic of a repaired rail.

hi , sorry my mistake have updated the photos. - appreciate you taking a look

 

[Tommyscaravan]

I , like Ern can see no repair , just a damaged waning rail.
If any of the pics I see are supposed to be the finished article then I am dumbfounded and most certainly would not get your on site workshop to ever touch my van again.

If the original profile awning rail is not available then a complete new rail should be fitted.
It may not match the other side but that is not really a problem as such.

Hi thanks for taking the time to look …. I have updated the photos now to show the works. Thanks for the suggestion that the entire rail could have been replaced with a “new one” rather than trying to find the exact matching original one … this does make sense … assuming you would just look for one that best matches the profile of my van ?? This was never suggested to me (sounds obvious) now you say it … was just told since January “all the suppliers are struggling due to Covid and everyone I ask says that can’t supply a rail for the van” … I did my own research and found beakers that had a baileys 516 discovery in their yards, but the two I found both said (in what at the time sounded reasonable ) that they can’t transport and entire rail without it being damaged or any guarantee it won’t be damaged in transport …. Can’t believe I didn’t think to suggest just putting a completely new rail on …. More that a bit annoyed this wasn’t suggested to me (assuming that can be done on my van)

 

[Tommyscaravan]

Like others I would struggle to see that anything at all has been done - I scrolled through the pictures expecting there to be a before/after sequence but can see no progression at all. Even if a rail is not available there seems to be no attempt to straighten the section or conceal the damage. Not acceptable!

Sorry , I have updated the photos now … thank you for looking and taking the time to respond

 

[Tommyscaravan]

Like everyone says i have look at all eight pictures showing a damage rail where the one picture that the repaired rail has been done.

Sorry - error when uploading photos … have updated them now … thank you for taking the time to look

 

[Damian]

Having now seen the updated photos it makes things a lot clearer, and the repair is not too bad to be fair, but I would replace the herzim infill strip as that helps keep water out of the rail where the screws are.

Regarding used rails form breakers, it is highly unlikely that they could get one to you in good condition, they are very fragile and bend very easily when you dont want them to, hence why they will not guarantee a good delivery.

It seems that everyone is blaming every delay in everything on the Covid situation, which is understandable , but also in play is where the rails are made and with Brexit the extra problems transport face with delays, paperwork and customs duty.

 

[Tommyscaravan]

Having now seen the updated photos it makes things a lot clearer, and the repair is not too bad to be fair, but I would replace the herzim infill strip as that helps keep water out of the rail where the screws are.

Regarding used rails form breakers, it is highly unlikely that they could get one to you in good condition, they are very fragile and bend very easily when you dont want them to, hence why they will not guarantee a good delivery.

It seems that everyone is blaming every delay in everything on the Covid situation, which is understandable , but also in play is where the rails are made and with Brexit the extra problems transport face with delays, paperwork and customs duty.

Thank you for guidance/ opinion…. Everyone told me the caravan community was great … and so far it all seems true (everyone so far has been great) ! Thanks for the herzim strip reference - will go back and ask for That to be done (as seems like it should have been … and assuming it can be replaced with generic. Strip?…) glad to hear repair looks ok … I wasn’t looking to bad mouth / insult their work .. just had no point of reference to go off. The van had incredibly low moisture readings when we had it serviced… 3% if I recall (all over) so just want to make sure this doesn’t / didn’t become a week point in the future . Thanks again for the advice

 

[audiorob]

Now the photos have been corrected we can indeed see before and after with the awning rail in much better shape afterwards. You can buy the infill 'herzim' strip on ebay, depending on dimensions from 99p a metre, so to replace the whole strip would neaten up the job which perhaps your neighbour would pay for anyway. Over time the strip can get sticky and discoloured so it's a matter of carefully fitting the replacement with a small plastic spatula and this is easier if the roll has been warmed in a bucket of water prior to fitting - taking care not to stretch it as you go along. Better still if it's done for you - and good luck!
Presumably a similar job was needed on the ?rear of the offending caravan - so perhaps you can compare notes?

 

[Ern]

I agree with the others that it's not a bad effort at doing a really tricky repair. If the Herzim strip is replaced all the way round skillfully it would look better, and probably acceptable on a 10yr old caravan.

 

[otherclive]

The repair looks good considering the starting point and availability of new materials. Insert some new H strip and for a 20 year old caravan it should last you a good few years of hood usage.

 

[Jcloughie]

I still have difficulty deciding which pictures are the after ones! It worries me that they did not bother replacing the herzim strip. A very easy and cheap job to do. To me this shows a lack of care or pride. It would worry me that the same lack of care would have been used in the main part of the repair.

John

 

[Tommyscaravan]

Now the photos have been corrected we can indeed see before and after with the awning rail in much better shape afterwards. You can buy the infill 'herzim' strip on ebay, depending on dimensions from 99p a metre, so to replace the whole strip would neaten up the job which perhaps your neighbour would pay for anyway. Over time the strip can get sticky and discoloured so it's a matter of carefully fitting the replacement with a small plastic spatula and this is easier if the roll has been warmed in a bucket of water prior to fitting - taking care not to stretch it as you go along. Better still if it's done for you - and good luck!
Presumably a similar job was needed on the ?rear of the offending caravan - so perhaps you can compare notes?

Thanks for taking the time to read and respond , much appreciated. I will speak to the repair chap RE the Herzim strip and see if they will do it / can do it . Seems like the sort of job , that if you have done it 100 times before would be simple .. but tricky if it’s your first time. The owner of the “offending” van appears to have done a diy fix on his …using a lot…. A lot of white sealant which unfortunately has not worked (great big gapping cracks / holes still visible) .. I should consider myself “ lucky “ in a way .. the damage (miraculously) to our van was minimal… his was actually quite substantial

 

[Damian]

I still have difficulty seeing deciding which pictures are the after ones!

Really !!!
The top 4 pictures are before, the lower 3 are the repair, which clearly shows no rail damage but still has the old Herzim strip in place, which I have commented on previously.

 

[Tommyscaravan]

I agree with the others that it's not a bad effort at doing a really tricky repair. If the Herzim strip is replaced all the way round skillfully it would look better, and probably acceptable on a 10yr old caravan.

Thank you , van in 20 years old .. if it looks like a 10 year old can to you I’m happy 😃 - will look at the Herzim strip 👍🏻

 

[Ern]

In the opening post you said it was a 2010 model, so I assumed it was 10 (should have said 11) years old. No problem either way as it looks good.

 

[Tommyscaravan]

I still have difficulty seeing deciding which pictures are the after ones! It worries me that they did not bother replacing the herzim strip. A very easy and cheap job to do. To me this shows a lack of care or pride. It would worry me that the same lack of care would have been used in the main part of the repair.

John

Thanks for taking the time to read and respond to my post , I have update my original photos as my original post was missing the after shots… my initial reaction to the works was very similar to yours ..but I have 0 experience with caravan repair , which is why I came on here (which I am very glad I did) and. It seems like apart from the Herzim strip most people are saying it is a “fair repair” …. Not to dismiss your comments at all or seem ungreatful for your help / opinions, as I say this was my initial reaction to see the works when I saw them … I think so long as I can get the Herzim strip replaced (and the work remains water tight) I’m going to be “happy” with the job and put it behind me … it’s ever that or loss energy and time on something I can fix / isn’t going to get better the more I keep looking at it … but I will get a moisture reading around the area and keep checking it to make sure the “fix” is water tight

 

[Jcloughie]

Really !!!
The top 4 pictures are before, the lower 3 are the repair, which clearly shows no rail damage but still has the old Herzim strip in place, which I have commented on previously.

I see that as well. But I have difficulty seeing that, meaning it is not clear and obvious. It could be argued that the repairer attempted to try to match the original in appearance. Personally, I would have liked to see a full repair which gave me confidence in the ability of the repairer. And to see the butt joint lined up and the gap continuous and parallel. For me, this does not. In fact the gap looks closed at the bottom.




And as I said, not replacing the strip makes me question the authority given to the repairer. ie. Were they asked to keep the cost to a minimum at the expense of a professional job. As you said in post #4, there are more expensive alternatives which are available.

Juust my opinion, I think the OP is being extremely reasonable in their approach, not so sure if they are getting the minimum in return .


John

 

[Jcloughie]

Thanks for taking the time to read and respond to my post , I have update my original photos as my original post was missing the after shots… my initial reaction to the works was very similar to yours ..but I have 0 experience with caravan repair , which is why I came on here (which I am very glad I did) and. It seems like apart from the Herzim strip most people are saying it is a “fair repair” …. Not to dismiss your comments at all or seem ungreatful for your help / opinions, as I say this was my initial reaction to see the works when I saw them … I think so long as I can get the Herzim strip replaced (and the work remains water tight) I’m going to be “happy” with the job and put it behind me … it’s ever that or loss energy and time on something I can fix / isn’t going to get better the more I keep looking at it … but I will get a moisture reading around the area and keep checking it to make sure the “fix” is water tight

If the repair has been properly bedded in it should be watertight. As long as you can live with it, with a new strip, good luck to you. Can you pass an awning through the rail?

John

 

[Tommyscaravan]

I see that as well. But I have difficulty seeing that, meaning it is not clear and obvious. It could be argued that the repairer attempted to try to match the original in appearance. Personally, I would have liked to see a full repair which gave me confidence in the ability of the repairer. And to see the butt joint lined up and the gap continuous and parallel. For me, this does not. In fact the gap looks closed at the bottom.

View attachment 1810


And as I said, not replacing the strip makes me question the authority given to the repairer. ie. Were they asked to keep the cost to a minimum at the expense of a professional job. As you said in post #4, there are more expensive alternatives which are available.

Juust my opinion, I think the OP is being extremely reasonable in their approach, not so sure if they are getting the minimum in return .


John

So having spent the last few months touching base with repair shop every two weeks or so I was told continuously getting a full replacement rail that could / would fit my van was not working Mainly due to Covid / supply / manufacturing etc. I did actually see several email responses they had received to this affect when I expressed my concern. The chap doing the work said he would find a rail that would best match the existing profile .. which to be fair looks like he has when I looked at it - is the joint not lined up ? It seems to be to me (*I have no experience with caravan repair and could be missing your point here) also “gap looks closed at the bottom” ??

I will have to check what the other owner has said to repair shop and if that’s why the H seam was not replaced …as it’s not for them to dictate what should be repaired, I requested that the entire rail / all damage be addressed and only agreed not to involve insurance as it seemed like a reasonable response to the request. I’m assuming OP is me “original post” ?