Homeowner fears rot may deepen

By KEVIN TAYLOR

An Auckland man is angry his three-year-old, $260,000 house is leaking.

Ron Berman bought the two-storey Glendowie home off a plan from Wickham Developments, and in August 1998 he and his wife moved in.

Some initial problems were fixed, but he said the window frames leaked and an inspection showed they were not properly sealed or fitted to the structure.

Water leaked in during heavy rain and damaged curtains, but it was also doing "untold damage" to the area between the walls.

"I just can't believe people sell you a home for quarter of a million and this happens. It's a disgrace," Mr Berman said.

His house is one example of a growing problem with new homes leaking and rotting after builders used untreated kiln-dried timber and "chilly bin" claddings.

Since the Herald revealed the problem at the weekend, a dozen people have contacted the paper with complaints about work on their houses.

Mr Berman complained to the builder, Vance Commercial Ltd - who referred him to Wickham Developments - who in turn referred him back to the builder.

But Vance Commercial director Steve Woodhams said they did fix a leaking window and the developer did not request more work be done.

He advised Mr Berman to approach the window supplier over the fault.

"Our contract with the developer has ceased. No one from the developer has come back to ask me to do anything whatsoever."

Mr Berman said he was anxious to avoid court because of the cost, but his lawyer had sent a letter to both.

The developer could not be contacted.

Meanwhile another Auckland property developer has warned that the house rot problem is only the tip of the iceberg.

Daniel Nakhle, a director of Mediterranean Precast Ltd, felt so strongly about the use of what was effectively "packing material" cladding on houses that three years ago he developed a tilt-slab concrete wall system.

Senior council building officials had told him polystyrene construction would be "the biggest disaster story of the decade" for the building industry.

But Ian Holyoake, the managing director of Hitex Plastering which manufactured polystyrene, plaster-covered claddings, said he was very concerned about standards.

Polystyrene was a sensible material if used correctly.

"It's the techniques that are being used that are the problem," he said.

"With polystyrene it should not go into the ground. If they are going to be used as the parapet the top section must be waterproof - and don't rely on paint."

Mr Holyoake said his company added waterproof materials to its plaster, which went over the polystyrene.

He criticised new standards that allowed untreated timber frames, and the practise of fixing claddings straight to frames without leaving a ventilation gap.

Mr Holyoake was also concerned building certifiers were in a hopeless position because they carried out so few inspections.

He believed they would get tougher.

* Got a problem with rot in your new house? E-mail the Herald with your story. Contact kevin_taylor@nzherald.co.nz