Garage Ceilling Collapsing/Bowing? Wind Damage

funnysht on 16/09/2019 - 16:30
Last edited 16/09/2019 - 16:55

Hi All

I noticed my garage ceiling is collapsing, it was quite windy last few days so i think that caused a lot of pressure to build up in the roof space and push down the ceiling, that's my impression,

wondering if ppl agree, and if anyone knows the ceilling is it just attached with glue to the frame or nails and glue etc?
I have home insurance so i'm going to give them a call tomorrow and i hope they can cover it? As anyone had wind damage and home insurance has covered it?

Thanks
Photos are below

I checked the attic and it doesnt seem like the frame is dislodged or broken or water damage,
photo two you can see that the ceiling is bent in the middle
photo three is where you can see the ceiling come down.
Note photo 1 you can't actually see the roof there- the actual roof is further away and you can only see the frame

https://files.ozbargain.com.au/upload/143535/72614/img201909…

https://files.ozbargain.com.au/upload/143535/72615/img201909…
https://files.ozbargain.com.au/upload/143535/72613/img201909…

I;m a basic handyman, so should i just do it myself (i think my claim will increase my insurance by prob around $350 a year due to no claim bonus), prop some supports staple gun and glue and woolah?

Edit: also my home is 4dbr double brick one storey house, but i'm insured for buuliding costs of $420000, is that a bit too much?

Home & Garden

Comments

  • tsunamisurfer on 16/09/2019 - 16:45
    +2

    Your Roof is not collapsing, your ceiling is bowing or beginning to bow.

    • funnysht on 16/09/2019 - 16:54

      yep edited thanks

  • kahn on 16/09/2019 - 16:53
    +2

    prop some supports staple gun and glue and woolah?

    Yes, everything except the "woolah" part.

    • funnysht on 16/09/2019 - 16:54

      sounds easy then…i mean might do it myself

      • bdl on 16/09/2019 - 17:20
        +1

        Please take photos after you DIY and post to this thread

    • Euphemistic on 18/09/2019 - 12:25

      Not staple gun. Screw gun.

  • xuqi on 16/09/2019 - 17:16
    +1

    Home insurance should cover this. My parents had a similar issue with their garage and it covered by SGIC home insurance in Adelaide.

    • funnysht on 16/09/2019 - 17:27

      issue is i put the excess as $1500, and then i'll lose the 30% no claim bonus so all in all cost around $3000 over 5 yrs. hmmm

      • vinni9284 on 16/09/2019 - 17:37
        +4

        It's a shame how we pay $1000's for insurance over the years and when an opportunity to claim arises, it is not worth it due to the exorbitant excess charge.
        These days, it's only worth to claim a total loss … and good luck if they pay out.
        Cheers

        • ihbh on 16/09/2019 - 17:43
          +1

          it's only worth to claim a total loss

          Correct. That's the objective of insurance.

          It's not a savings plan.

        • funnysht on 16/09/2019 - 18:04

          Yeah.

          my fault though, i can just pay a higher premium to reduce the excesss

          plus i put the total rebuild cost as $420k, for a brick 1 storey house, i think that's a tad too expensive.

          • vinni9284 on 16/09/2019 - 18:10
            +1

            @funnysht:

            my fault though

            Well, I think many of us think we will never claim hence the reduction of premium by paying a higher excess to offset which is totally understandable.

            However in my view at least get some ROI, especially paying for many years to their coffers (their savings plan; just to correct @ihbh).

            Ask your insurance if you can claim as you may be surprised that the quote will be much more than what you think.

            If you are with CONinsure, then don't bother and might as well blow it at the pokies rather than paying them IMO.

            Good luck,

            Cheers

          • ssquid on 16/09/2019 - 18:39
            +2

            @funnysht: Remember you have to demolish/dispose of the remains before you can rebuild.

          • coxjon on 16/09/2019 - 20:56
            +2

            @funnysht: Don't forget your insurance to rebuild includes demolishing the old house.

            Edit: plenty of people below have mentioned this too, sorry I should've read first!

    • ihbh on 16/09/2019 - 17:43
      +1

      Not sure if insurance will cover. If it's just glued in place then it's poor workmanship and will sag over time with gravity.

      How did the wind get into the roof cavity and not in the garage itself?

      Have the cornices also slipped down in the corner?

      • vinni9284 on 16/09/2019 - 17:47
        +1

        it's poor workmanship

        How do you know?
        Are you an insurance assessor?

      • funnysht on 16/09/2019 - 17:57

        yeah it's a 20 yr old house, so i guess, but i can see screws so i assume they screwed the ceiling onto the frame/joists as well as glue

        • ihbh on 16/09/2019 - 18:06
          +1

          Just to clarify, insurance doesn't cover wear and tear.

          • funnysht on 16/09/2019 - 18:07

            @ihbh: i guess but it's damage from the wind…

            • ihbh on 16/09/2019 - 18:08
              +1

              @funnysht: First I've heard of it being due to the wind.

              Does the garage have eaves?

            • vinni9284 on 16/09/2019 - 18:12
              +1

              @funnysht: … It could be a flock of birds drop their waste on the roof and the aggregate sum of weight of manure is the cause of the bow.

              The only way you will know is call your insurance and give them a try.

              Cheers

  • ihbh on 16/09/2019 - 17:53
    +1

    Have the cornices also sagged in the corner?

    • funnysht on 16/09/2019 - 17:55

      yea the cornice has sagged also.

  • nfr on 16/09/2019 - 17:56
    +1

    Wow your attic looks just like mine, even the wiring looks the same.

    • funnysht on 16/09/2019 - 17:58

      my house was built in 1999, in liverpool area yours?

      • nfr on 17/09/2019 - 08:26

        I think late 70s, sutherland shire.

  • funnysht on 16/09/2019 - 18:00

    So guys i'm planning to just do it over the weekend using this youtube video

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bTxWnUe8mHo&t=804s

    Bascially use supports then find the frame wood, glue and screw it to the frame hopefully lifting it up (if it all fails then i'll just replace the plasterboard completely)

    if anyone has tips please let me know like how to find the frame behind the ceilling without needing to go into the attic

    thanks :)

  • oscargamer on 16/09/2019 - 18:11

    Ever thought of installing insulation (after you remove and replace the ceiling) ?

  • [Deactivated] on 16/09/2019 - 18:20

    Your excess is too much and you are under insured imo.

    • funnysht on 16/09/2019 - 18:21

      really? building is covered for 420k, i thought to build a single storey house cost would be like 300k?

      • [Deactivated] on 16/09/2019 - 18:24

        You have to get rid of the old one first, the whole block will pretty much be ruined, so driveways, paths, lawns, gardens etc.

      • vinni9284 on 16/09/2019 - 18:28

        I would get that re-evaluated.

        Don't forget, if you suffered a total loss, just the demolition and rubbish removal fee will be in excess over $100K
        Then you have to factor building permits, other permits etc etc etc.

        You'll be surprised the costs to rebuild.

        Most if all insurance PDS are clear as mud, as they will not note the particulars of rebuild, even if you ask. The call center staff will be clueless.

        Some insurance like companies such as AAMI has a CRC (Complete replacement cover) that is around $70 PA extra on your premium for your piece of mind.
        However most insurance should factor 25% of value for extra costs (read their PDS)

        Cheers

  • core101 on 16/09/2019 - 18:53

    I had a complete ceiling collapse in the garage,
    with some damage to the vehicle inside.
    It was also cause by wind pressure differences,
    I could hear loud wind noises coming from the garage,
    before the collapse.
    The insurance company looked up BOM weather,
    and determined no strong winds for that day.
    The insurance company denied payout,
    however they offered a small goodwill payment.
    The sheets were glued and screwed to the truss,
    using the standard building code at that time.
    The glue bond failed (out of warranty),
    while subjected to constant pressure differences.
    The repair consisted of adding furring channel much closer together,
    with more screws, and glue, and with insulation batts,
    to ensure that no moisture make it to the sheet.
    Good luck

    • bdl on 16/09/2019 - 19:14

      Why does that look like a limerick?

      • AdosHouse on 16/09/2019 - 20:14

        Probably posted from a mobile.

  • pjetson on 16/09/2019 - 19:15
    +2

    woolah

    I think you must mean "voila". It's a French word, pronounced something like "vwa la", and it literally means "look there". In English, it means something like "there you are" or "there you go".

    • funnysht on 16/09/2019 - 19:36

      thanks i didn't mean a medium sized aborgiinal community (google definition)

  • Azrael169 on 16/09/2019 - 20:08

    If it is caused by weather it would be covered by insurance.

    I'm gonna take my guess and say this is either a) shoddy workmanship or b) age/wear & tear, in which case it isnt covered by your insurance i'm afraid

  • Zeusy on 16/09/2019 - 20:17

    Most insurers have calculators on their websites to work out insured value, you should hop on a couple

  • visca on 17/09/2019 - 08:22

    Had similar issue in the lounge few years back. No nails just glue used. Qld building insurance declined claim as apperently it wasn't a safety risk. So much for consumer protection. Good luck in your claim. If you are good with the hammer and nails fix it your self is what I suggest.

  • backpaqer on 17/09/2019 - 08:27
    +1

    Plasterboard screws. Pretty cheap and easy to do. Snug them in so they're just embedded into the plaster than patch, sand and paint over.

  • farknos on 17/09/2019 - 09:54

    I dont think using glue will be much chop unless you can remove the dust.
    I have propped up a plasterglass ceiling and a gyprock one.
    i just pushed the ceiling backup with acrowprops and planks between them, get some plasterboard screws, i put screws in every 50mm on every ceiling joist as i had blow in insulation/fire starter above and wasn't keen on removal, a bit of patch/flush/skim/sand and all good.
    I had been told it wasnt possible and would not last, been up 8 years and still looking good.
    Have a look above ceiling, workout where your joists are, put a screw in each end of a joist, run a string line from screw to screw and away you go.

    • ssquid on 17/09/2019 - 10:36

      Fire starter in the roof?

      • farknos on 18/09/2019 - 10:34

        blow in insulation,when its 10 + years old its a fire starter, what ever fire retardant value it has when its new is gone and it burns easy.

  • windale on 17/09/2019 - 12:24
    +2

    we had similar with a ceiling. the glue can give way if they use inferior quality or insufficient glue. we got new glue in where we could, propped up the ceiling as suggested and put in new screws. when screwing you want to make sure you don't penetrate the paper on the gyprock with the screw head. the screw head should indent but not pierce the paper. get some good qaulity finishing plaster and go over all the screw indents, sand then paint.

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