Masonry repair question
 

Fifty year old CBS house with a crack in a corner where two windows
meet which are separated by a steel post. The concrete/stucco has
separated from the post and water penetration has rusted it and caused
the crack. Two hurricane awning fasteners are now loose in the wall
from the deterioration and will not be secure should the awnings need
to be fastened down.

A couple of contractors have said that they can chip away a bit and
put epoxy down in there to solve the problem. Others have said the
whole area needs to be cut away, formed and poured, while another said
that one of the windows has to go, eliminating the post and blocking
in the opening. Some say that if it is cut away, reformed and poured
new, that it won't hold up long term and will eventually pop out.

Can anyone offer any concrete suggestions on the best way to approach
this?

Link below shows pictures that I hope show the problem in some detail:

http://s193.photobucket.com/albums/z307/rkay52/

Thanks.

Masonry repair question
 

On Aug 7, 3:26 pm, wrote:
Fifty year old CBS house with a crack in a corner where two windows
meet which are separated by a steel post. The concrete/stucco has
separated from the post and water penetration has rusted it and caused
the crack. Two hurricane awning fasteners are now loose in the wall
from the deterioration and will not be secure should the awnings need
to be fastened down.

A couple of contractors have said that they can chip away a bit and
put epoxy down in there to solve the problem. Others have said the
whole area needs to be cut away, formed and poured, while another said
that one of the windows has to go, eliminating the post and blocking
in the opening. Some say that if it is cut away, reformed and poured
new, that it won't hold up long term and will eventually pop out.

Can anyone offer any concrete suggestions on the best way to approach
this?

Link below shows pictures that I hope show the problem in some detail:

http://s193.photobucket.com/albums/z307/rkay52/

Thanks.

Rather than talking to contractors, it might be better to consult with
a qualified architect or structural engineer first. They are best
qualified to analyze the structure and recommend the best repair
method. Then working with the contractor who agrees with the experts
will give everyone confidence that the job will be successful. HTH

Joe