New house - garage door does not seal at the floor

Member since 2021 · 117 posts · 36 votes

Hello everyone! I am buying a new house from a builder and during an inspection from the professional inspector, he noticed that there is a big gap at the bottom of the garage door on both sides (see picture).

The inspector said this is not good because rodents from the outside can get in (plus dirt, leaves etc). I brought this up with the builder and they said the driveway has to curve down on both sides a little to drain out the water.

They said it doesn't usually curve this much but concrete can be unpredictable. Sounds like they just want to install a weather strip on both sides but this will probably fall off after 6-12 months.

Is there a permanent solution? Can they shave some of the concrete so it's flatter? Sounds like they don't want to spend the money to fix it. Should I push hard for it?

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Jerry Lucker

Flipper/Rehabber · Seattle, WA · Member since 2015 · 333 posts · 459 votes

As a rehabber for 20+ years I would think that a heavy duty, properly installed weather strip would easily do the trick and last a lot longer than than you've been led to believe. Fast, inexpensive, effective.

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Carini Rochester
Investor · Rochester, NY · Member since 2016 · 576 posts · 358 votes
4y
This was a bad concrete pour. Grinding the concrete is about the only long-term solution. And that won't look too good either.
3 Reply
Dan Marl
OP
Member since 2021 · 117 posts · 36 votes
4y
@Carini Rochester
Hello Carini,
So it’s possible to grind the concrete? Have you seen it done before?
I just want to confirm before I bring it up to the builder as they might say there is no such thing as grinding the concrete.
Thank you in advance!
1 Reply
Carini Rochester
Investor · Rochester, NY · Member since 2016 · 576 posts · 358 votes
4y
Absolutely a thing. Google search concrete grinding.
2 Reply
Dan Marl
OP
Member since 2021 · 117 posts · 36 votes
4y
@Carini Rochester
Thank you! I will push the builder to fix it.
1 Reply
Pat L.
Rental Property Investor · Upstate, NY · Member since 2012 · 3k+ posts · 3k+ votes
4y
You may only need to grind a small trench wide & deep enough to allow the door to close down into it. But water may accumulate in it & possibly compromise the door base.
2 Reply
Jerry Lucker
Flipper/Rehabber · Seattle, WA · Member since 2015 · 333 posts · 459 votes
4y
As a rehabber for 20+ years I would think that a heavy duty, properly installed weather strip would easily do the trick and last a lot longer than than you've been led to believe. Fast, inexpensive, effective.
4 Reply
Michael Frabotta
Contractor · Cleveland, OH · Member since 2021 · 17 posts · 11 votes
4y
@Dan Marl I would push them to repour a portion of the driveway in front of the garage. I am a builder and their excuse is laughable. This was done wrong and they should be liable to fix it and make it look better than just grinding the concrete flat.
3 Reply
Paul Vail
The Triangle, NC · Member since 2021 · 189 posts · 117 votes
4y
Um, for a town road, that kind of crown is great for water runoff. For a garage, they are feeding you BS. So if you take a long level (6') and crawl around on the floor in the garage, is their 'drainage pitch' evident all over? Or roll large marbles or tennis balls in different directions. Or buy a laser level (https://www.lowes.com/pd/Bosch...) and use a length of white trim with some centimeter or inch marks on it -- set the level in one corner by the door, then walk around to random points in the garage and hold the test stick upright. Is it all level or did they muck up the pour?

Also, most newer garage pours in my area leave a ~3cm drop just inside or outside the door threshold so the driveway isn't flush with the garage floor. Hopefully you have that. If not, what would stop wind-driven rain from coming in under the door if the drive is otherwise flat or worse: pitched toward the door? Hard to say from the picts how big a gap that is.

What's your recourse if the builder blows you off? A door seal will last quite a while (like, years), but this will be unsightly from both inside and out. How do you explain that to a potential buyer? They need to grind that down. Afterward, you can always epoxy-seal the whole garage as an upgrade feature to hide the grind and make things right.
2 Reply
Paul Vail
The Triangle, NC · Member since 2021 · 189 posts · 117 votes
4y
The picture isn't too clear -- is that cord wood stacked up to the left of the door?
2 Reply
Dan Marl
OP
Member since 2021 · 117 posts · 36 votes
4y
Originally posted by @Pat L.:
You may only need to grind a small trench wide & deep enough to allow the door to close down into it. But water may accumulate in it & possibly compromise the door base.

All the neighbor's house doesn't have this gap so I think their driveway is curved somewhat. But not as much as mine. Thank you for your input.

1 Reply
Dan Marl
OP
Member since 2021 · 117 posts · 36 votes
4y
Originally posted by @Jerry Lucker:
As a rehabber for 20+ years I would think that a heavy duty, properly installed weather strip would easily do the trick and last a lot longer than than you've been led to believe. Fast, inexpensive, effective.

You have a good point. Thank you!
0 Reply
Dan Marl
OP
Member since 2021 · 117 posts · 36 votes
4y
Originally posted by @Michael Frabotta:
@Dan Marl I would push them to repour a portion of the driveway in front of the garage. I am a builder and their excuse is laughable. This was done wrong and they should be liable to fix it and make it look better than just grinding the concrete flat.

You are right Michael. I will push them to fix it.
0 Reply
Dan Marl
OP
Member since 2021 · 117 posts · 36 votes
4y
Originally posted by @Paul Vail:
Um, for a town road, that kind of crown is great for water runoff. For a garage, they are feeding you BS. So if you take a long level (6') and crawl around on the floor in the garage, is their 'drainage pitch' evident all over? Or roll large marbles or tennis balls in different directions. Or buy a laser level (https://www.lowes.com/pd/Bosch...) and use a length of white trim with some centimeter or inch marks on it -- set the level in one corner by the door, then walk around to random points in the garage and hold the test stick upright. Is it all level or did they muck up the pour?

Also, most newer garage pours in my area leave a ~3cm drop just inside or outside the door threshold so the driveway isn't flush with the garage floor. Hopefully you have that. If not, what would stop wind-driven rain from coming in under the door if the drive is otherwise flat or worse: pitched toward the door? Hard to say from the picts how big a gap that is.

What's your recourse if the builder blows you off? A door seal will last quite a while (like, years), but this will be unsightly from both inside and out. How do you explain that to a potential buyer? They need to grind that down. Afterward, you can always epoxy-seal the whole garage as an upgrade feature to hide the grind and make things right.

Yes, the garage is 3 cm higher than the driveway (it's like a mini-step). So for them to grind it, they are just grinding a step that is only 2 feet wide by 2 cars long. I will push them to fix because it looks unsightly and you right, I have to think about future buyers.

1 Reply
Dan Marl
OP
Member since 2021 · 117 posts · 36 votes
4y
Originally posted by @Paul Vail:
The picture isn't too clear -- is that cord wood stacked up to the left of the door?

I think it's some material as the builder is not done building the house.

0 Reply
Dan Marl
OP
Member since 2021 · 117 posts · 36 votes
4y
Update: The builder says they will grind the concrete to flatten it out. But the closing date is coming up very soon!
Let's say it's not done by the closing date, what recourse do I have? Can I push out the closing date until it's fixed?
0 Reply
Bruce WoodruffPro Member
Contractor/Investor/Consultant · San Diego / Phoenix · Member since 2021 · 12k+ posts · 15k+ votes
4y
If you have it ground down it will be a very obvious spot. Will you be ok with that? I'd just have them try a thicker weatherstrip like @Jerry Lucker said. It'll work just fine.....that looks like a <1 inch gap?
0 Reply
Dan Marl
OP
Member since 2021 · 117 posts · 36 votes
4y
Originally posted by @Bruce Woodruff:
If you have it ground down it will be a very obvious spot. Will you be ok with that? I'd just have them try a thicker weatherstrip like @Jerry Lucker said. It'll work just fine.....that looks like a <1 inch gap?

I am ok with the looks once it is ground out. I rather have that than have snakes, critters, rats, leaves, water during heavy storms, etc coming into the garage. I rather nip the problem at the bud.

The builder said a weather strip will fall out after 6-12 months as this is what they do previously on other houses.

0 Reply
Paul Vail
The Triangle, NC · Member since 2021 · 189 posts · 117 votes
4y
Originally posted by @Dan Marl:

I am ok with the looks once it is ground out. ... I rather nip the problem at the bud.
The builder said a weather strip will fall out after 6-12 months as this is what they do previously on other houses.

It'll look better without all that awkward sunlight pouring under from the side gaps :) My other thought is if this is the quality of materials the builder uses, what else will fall out after 6-12 months? My seals are original from 2001 -- haven't fallen out yet.

0 Reply
Bruce WoodruffPro Member
Contractor/Investor/Consultant · San Diego / Phoenix · Member since 2021 · 12k+ posts · 15k+ votes
4y
Originally posted by @Dan Marl:

The builder said a weather strip will fall out after 6-12 months as this is what they do previously on other houses.

No it won't. Maybe 10 years...
You're getting bad advice and info...

0 Reply
Dan Marl
OP
Member since 2021 · 117 posts · 36 votes
4y
Good news everyone. The builder was able to grind the bottom to flatten the bend on the concrete. As you can see from the picture, they only had to grind the piece of concrete that is 2 feet by 20 feet. No more gaps between the floor and the garage door. Thank you, everyone for your help!
1 Reply
Carini Rochester
Investor · Rochester, NY · Member since 2016 · 576 posts · 358 votes
4y
Looks great!
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