Housing news: NZ's 'leaky homes'

[anski]

Another story & this building went up in the late 80's!!! it really is one big enormous problem & sadly Auckland is very effected.

A prominent luxury Herne Bay apartment block is undergoing a multimillion dollar repair after suffering leaks for years.

Work has been done at Shangri La at 97 Jervois Rd for some months and residents say they are delighted with the building's transformation, with new windows, cladding renewal and a new exterior colour scheme.

Contractor Haydn and Rollett is working on the building, which went up in the late 1980s.

"The building has experienced waterproofing issues over its life to the southwest face and the separate fire-stair tower. Haydn and Rollett has been contracted to install a curtain wall over the southwest face and replace the cladding on the stair tower.

To read the rest of the story click here

Leaky luxury flats getting multimillion makeover - Leaky Buildings - NZ Herald News

[anski]

Another article on Leaky Homes & a warning to new comers to New Zealand to avoid buying into potential problems in the future. Although not all Plaster clad homes are likely to be leaking buyers are avoiding them because it's a gamble whether they are sound or not. However none of these homes will last in the long term without cladding, currently most homes cost $200,000 plus to re-clad & that amount will only increase over time.

House-seller Terri Cumiskey is cynical about spiralling Auckland prices after not getting a single offer for her place in two months.

She is blaming the rotting homes crisis for lack of interest in the Meadowbank house she rents out, having reluctantly bought it some years ago with an ex-partner, but says her place does not leak because it was was built after rules were tightened.

"My house is constructed from plaster. It was built in 2004 under the new building standards and has a cavity system which means it should not suffer from the problems that leaky homes had. However, because of the problems with leaky homes, all plaster homes have been tarred with the same brush," she said.

Last week, QV found Auckland values had soared 2.2 per cent beyond the 2007 peak and this week the Real Estate Institute recorded a new Auckland median of $495,200, up 5.4 per cent on last March.

Terri Cumiskey's three-bedroom, two-bathroom house at 52A Fancourt St has a capital value of $640,000, dropped from $680,000 in 2007 by Auckland Council when it revalued the property.

You can read the full story here
Leaky homes syndrome blames for lack of interest - Property - NZ Herald News

[Song_Si]

all plaster homes have been tarred with the same brush

this will remain for many years, will always be a factor when it comes to resale, regardless of whether it was not affected or re-clad. Houses where claims are made under the weathertight laws have this noted on their property title - similar to a car being crashed/written off and rebuilt - that will stay with them forever.

[anski]

Another Leaky Home story I am afraid they just keep coming.

An Auckland realtor who sold a leaky apartment fell foul of new real estate rules just two days after they came into force.

The Real Estate Agents Authority has fined Linda Peacocke $500 for unsatisfactory conduct relating to the sale of the $820,000 apartment on November 19, 2009.

It also fined Bayleys North Shore $3000 for unsatisfactory conduct.

The sale came just two days after new rules came into force under the Real Estate Agents Act, which set up the authority and imposed stricter conditions on realtors.

You can read the full story here

Realtor fined over sale of leaky apartment - National - NZ Herald News

[anski]

Just goes to prove not only Auckland has leaky house problems, other parts of the country are effected also.

Leaky building settlements cost Hamilton City Council $590,000 last year and early indications show the 2012/13 bill could be much larger.

Councillors were warned at a confidential meeting earlier this year to brace themselves for a further blowout of next year's modest $250,000 budget.

The information, released to the Herald under the Official Information Act, revealed that settling its four claims last year cost an average of $147,500 a home.

The total cost for 2011/12 was more than double the $236,000 the council had budgeted for.

As well as the 15 active claims the council is processing, the Weathertight Homes Resolution Service showed there were 24 active claims for the city, although some of these might not meet the criteria.

The article continues Leaky buildings settlement budget blown - National - NZ Herald News

[anski]

This leaky home story is from Tauranga, so do not be fooled it is only an Auckland problem.

What was once a dream home has become a nightmare for a Tauranga couple who have been given just two weeks to fix their leaky dwelling or get out.

Martin Roberts and Christine Radford, who have two teenage children, are now calling on others stuck in the leaky-homes quagmire to band together and lobby the Government for what they consider justice.

Ms Radford, a primary school teacher, and Mr Roberts, a physiotherapist, spent years saving towards the home they helped to design in the suburb of Ohauiti.

Ms Radford described the design - using untreated timber nailed on to harditex sprayed with a stucco finish, and no eaves overhanging some walls - as "classic".

She was told many times during its construction in 2001 that it would last a lifetime.

To read the story in full & protect yourselves from falling into the same trap read on
Two weeks to fix leaky home or out you go - National - NZ Herald News

[anski]

This latest step by council is nothing short of shutting the door after the horse has bolted & but so tragically it has come too late for so many householders caught up in the Leaky Homes Mess.

Councils failed these people, so did architects & builders & the Greenies who pushed that untreated timber was used in the first place.

Cowboys in the construction industry are being targeted by a bill that will introduce fines of up to $200,000 for jobs done without the proper paperwork.

The Government is aiming to make building contractors more accountable for their work by making companies or individuals provide upfront evidence of their skills and track record, and insisting that they fix any faults quickly and efficiently with no questions asked.

The changes would also affect do-it-yourself renovators.

The Building Amendment Bill (No 4) is part of a review of the Building Act prompted by the $22 billion leaky building crisis. It passed its first reading in Parliament on Tuesday, but several MPs expressed concern that the amendments left the building industry to police itself.

At the bill's first reading Building and Construction Minister Maurice Williamson said the proposals gave consumers more protection when building or renovating their homes.

If it was brought into law, builders would have to provide a comprehensive document that informed a client about the people who would be doing the work, the company's profile, and proof that it could cover the costs of fixing any faults.


If a builder made an error, the principal contractor would have to fix it within a year.

I wonder if this is before or after they have either set up a new company or fled to Australia?
The statement "Bill aims to cut risks of cowboys in building" is a joke

To read the entire story Bill aims to cut risks of cowboys in building - Business - NZ Herald News

[Scoojez]

Hi Anski, it seems these leaky houses were built through the 90s and early 2000's? Is it not compulsory in NZ to obtain a pre-purchase building inspection and providing this report to your mortgage provider? Thanks

[topcat83]

Originally Posted by Scoojez

Hi Anski, it seems these leaky houses were built through the 90s and early 2000's? Is it not compulsory in NZ to obtain a pre-purchase building inspection and providing this report to your mortgage provider? Thanks

The mortgage provider will probably insist on one - but even with a building inspection it's worth taking extra care. Some of the monolithic clad buildings have a stigma attached to them now - even if they aren't leaky buildings.

Best advice - if it seems too cheap there's probably a reason for it.

[anski]

Just watched tonight's episode on Target which featured ex Englishman Pat Langley's horror story regarding his Leaky house experience & a (CCC) the abbreviated form of "code compliance certificate" & this link will explain the topic .

Code compliance certificate

You can view Pat Langley's experience by following this link

Target - Season 14, Ep 6 - news/current affairs - On Demand - TV3