hello -

long post. thanks in advance for anyone that reads through...

i have a window leak that's been showing up as an intermittent water stain on the floor. i finally got around to taking a closer look at it from the outside.

http://i187.photobucket.com/albums/x144/econguy/IMG_6780.jpg

http://i187.photobucket.com/albums/x144/econguy/IMG_6781.jpg

http://i187.photobucket.com/albums/x144/econguy/IMG_6782.jpg

http://i187.photobucket.com/albums/x144/econguy/IMG_6786.jpg

the lack of window flashing seems to be the cause. any advice or suggestions on how to fix properly?

i'd like to find a balance between doing it as "right" as possible, while (hopefully) avoiding having to remove the inside trim and window and starting from just the rough opening...

these windows don't have nailing fins. as far as i can tell, it looks like whoever installed the window first made a boxed frame from a piece of sill and 1x stock, ripped to width. then they screwed the window into it, and placed the whole thing in the rough opening. i don't even know how the boxed frame is supported within the rough opening. there's a space around all 4 sides, although in the pics it's filled with foam. i can't really see how nails would hold the boxed frame in place if it wasn't tight to the RO. the outside trim was just 1x stock, ripped to width, with a bevel on the bottom to meet the slope of the sill.

as far as my fix, i had planned on cutting away the strips of felt paper on the side and the top, at least to the shingles, back to the bare OSB sheathing. then use strips of self-stick ice & water shield wide enough that it butts to the shingles and sticks to the vinyl window flange (it would all be covered by outside trim). i'd apply the ice & water to the sides first, then cut the top piece long enough so it laps over them.

on the sides and top of the windows, would i somehow need to slide the ice & water under the shingles? or can i just butt it up to them?

any idea on how to flash the bottom of the window? is it even possible? the sill extends past the sides of the boxed frame, and i can' see how i would cover the gap below the sill, or lap the side pieces of ice & water over it.

thanks a lot for any input...