Old patio poured too high

markus

Hi all,
I have a 1950's home and the original front door patio was poured too high. It's only at the front door (everywhere else around the house it is minimum 4" above a paved surface or 6" above landscaping.

It's 1" below the front door but the stucco on 2 sides extends all the way down to the concrete patio. During normal rains, this isn't a problem, but during long periods of heavy, blowing rain, the stucco gets very wet and water wicks into the basement. I checked from the basement and the foundation wall terminates a few inches BELOW the top of the patio. This means that when the stucco gets wet, it buries itself in that little channel between the patio and the stucco and eventually gets through the paper and trickles down the inside wall of the basement.

What is the best way to fix this? Removing the patio isn't an option because it's technically the ceiling of the cellar, and then we'd be into serious reconstruction of the structure in that part of the house. Should I cut away the stucco and flash it and then goop the hell out of the bottom/edges of the flashing, then re-stucco the bits i've cut out?

Just Bill

Seems like no one wants to touch this one. If the concrete contractor screwed up, he should make it right. Otherwise, you will have to deal with this problem as long as you live in the house. I would cut the stucco and flash/caulk as needed. Or you will have to keep caulking often or have water problems.

markus

It's a keeper house and it was built a very long time ago, but I definitely want to make it right I believe it was wrong since the 50s (no renos at all to the house), but it appears to be showing it's original design flaw now.

I guess I'll be cutting and flashing.. Thanks for responding!