Browse Forums General Discussion Re: Alfresco same level as inside of house 21Jun 07, 2014 10:16 am That's the point Stewie, there is a certified way around but how many people/ builders bother to do it properly? It can't just be a system dreamt up, it takes time and money to get right and I reckon the whole system done right would cost around $3k extra. The fact that it has to be thought of at slab stage, the cost to supply and install slot drain (normally stainless for aesthetics) and hook it into the storm water, then the termite system (irrigation preferred for future access). Plus the extra cost trades throw in for the rut factor ......but, if your getting a special finish alfresco and bi folds or stackers, you want it right so the cost is acceptable. The last bifold system I did had drain holes drilled in the bottom rail connected to the slot drain immediately alongside the rail. A commercial system but you could roller skate over it without fear!!! Re: Alfresco same level as inside of house 22Jun 07, 2014 12:35 pm Sounds good Spong. I agree too about how many people do it properly. We've seen so many installations over the years that tradies have butchered whether its kitchens, bathrooms, antennas, window & door systems etc and some of the clients have paid big bucks for them too. Stewie Re: Alfresco same level as inside of house 23Jun 07, 2014 10:59 pm I have this in my place. Essentially, at slab stage a recess was made foe the door frame to fit into. Strip drain looks terrible on a alfresco, don't do it that way. Certain door suppliers can supply sliding doors that have an in built drainage system. The downside is cost... Instead of an $800 4 panel sliding door it is a $3.8k sliding door. They are almost more expensive that bi-folds. The drain in the door can then be hooked up to a waste/down pipe and never be seen. I'll upload some pics here if you want (or check my old build thread I think there was 1 or 2 in there). It's not against any building regs (in qld at least) but you won't get a cookie cutter builder to do it. Re: Alfresco same level as inside of house 25Jun 08, 2014 9:32 am I don't think I have ever seen a step at the threshold to a multistorey office building or shopping centre. In the commercial building arena there must be "off-the-shelf" solutions. I don't know what these solutions are but most commercial architect practices should have "standard" details for it. Re: Alfresco same level as inside of house 26Jun 08, 2014 4:35 pm That's because they are probably tiled or marble over concrete floors both inside and out and a continuous slab. No chance of water ingress rotting flooring or framing timbers ( there'd be none, it would all be concrete slabs and columns ). Stewie Re: Alfresco same level as inside of house 30Jun 10, 2014 6:35 pm mwccl mgilla It has to be incorporated in the slab design. If the builder is doing it then in must have been incorporated? Thats right, if your putting a rebate in the slab deep enough to take a strip drain and a door track that needs to be in the engineers slab design. Re: Alfresco same level as inside of house 31Jun 11, 2014 12:55 pm All that is required to make a sliding door (stacker or any), have a sill level with the floor is to rebate the slab by the height of the sill (plus floor covering). Then have a subsill drainage system like Stormtech... This will fully comply. The stacker doors have quite a wide sill and this will be exposed over the width. Bifold/French doors pose a problem due to the swing of the leaf, and the sill upstand that it seals against. Ed "ECOECO" At 'EcoEco', we design windows, we design the best windows, we do it for you, so that when you’re happy we are happy. Tel. 1800 326 326 Re: Alfresco same level as inside of house 32Jun 11, 2014 1:20 pm I have asked my builder about this and below is what he said: The sills all have drainage points for small amounts of water. If your Alfresco faced say South West where the majority of rain comes from you can install grate drains that will run alongside the sills but they are a little ordinary looking. For things like cleaning doors and washing down tiling in the Alfresco it should be fine. Even with a fairly heavy down pour it would usually be ok. So it sounds like it I should be fine? FYI, I am in Perth and my alfresco does face South West. Re: Alfresco same level as inside of house 33Jun 11, 2014 3:11 pm You will need drains like the StormTech drain, which is not ordinary looking, nor does it come with an ordinary price. Ed "ECOECO" At 'EcoEco', we design windows, we design the best windows, we do it for you, so that when you’re happy we are happy. Tel. 1800 326 326 Re: Alfresco same level as inside of house 34Jun 12, 2014 11:16 am Quote: Even with a fairly heavy down pour it would usually be ok. Having someone say it would usually or should be OK always makes me nervous. That's no guarantee at all. We also don't know what flooring you are having inside nor whether yours is a full brick house or brick veneer. If it is timber floor or brick veneer I'd be either installing a drain alongside the sill as per previous posters or installing a wide awning to keep any rain off that area. Stewie Re: Alfresco same level as inside of house 35Jun 12, 2014 3:19 pm My house will be a double brick house. However, we are still undecided with the flooring for the inside which is going to be either timber or tiles. I will have a chat with the sliding door company that are doing our sliding doors (Jason windows). Re: Alfresco same level as inside of house 36Jun 15, 2014 7:05 pm We asked to have this done when we were building and our builder refused as he said it was against building code. We have an 85 step-down. I was planning on putting a paver over the top which will take much of this gap up, but probably not all. I've noticed display homes tend to put decking on the alfresco which raises the height up to be level. we are having a recessed sill for our sliding stacker door track. Re: Alfresco same level as inside of house 37Jun 19, 2014 8:22 am Ok we had 35mm of rain yesterday. Alfresco is bone dry. No chance of any water engress in our no step alfresco. Forgot to mention previously that our alfresco slab does have a slight fall so if some water was to touch the slab it would drain away. Also we haven't had any problems when cleaning the alfresco with the high pressure cleaner. Re: Alfresco same level as inside of house 38Jun 19, 2014 9:26 am Some pictures from you guys who have done this with a closeup shot and one further away of your door sills would help a lot. Mentioning who the window/door supplier is would be of assistance too. TIA Stewie Re: Alfresco same level as inside of house 39Jun 19, 2014 3:05 pm Stewie D Some pictures from you guys who have done this with a closeup shot and one further away of your door sills would help a lot. Mentioning who the window/door supplier is would be of assistance too. TIA Stewie Pictures would definitely be appreciated. Thanks for mentioning it. isn't a garage level with the rest of the house a given? pretty sure they 'came around' long time ago. if you have a flat block, the garage is usually level with the rest… 1 13368 Hi all, Trying to workout the minimum stepdown required between slab for my house and the outdoor alfresco area. Garage is 100mm lower than rest of the house and plan was… 0 3663 they can, it's a fairly standard solution when the slab isn't recessed. the falls need to be in the main floor, if it hasn't been done then you need to ask them to redo… 4 5053 |