NZ Herald
  • Home
  • Latest news
  • Herald NOW
  • Video
  • New Zealand
  • Sport
  • World
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Podcasts
  • Quizzes
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Viva
  • Weather

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • New Zealand
    • All New Zealand
    • Crime
    • Politics
    • Education
    • Open Justice
    • Scam Update
  • Herald NOW
  • On The Up
  • World
    • All World
    • Australia
    • Asia
    • UK
    • United States
    • Middle East
    • Europe
    • Pacific
  • Business
    • All Business
    • MarketsSharesCurrencyCommoditiesStock TakesCrypto
    • Markets with Madison
    • Media Insider
    • Business analysis
    • Personal financeKiwiSaverInterest ratesTaxInvestment
    • EconomyInflationGDPOfficial cash rateEmployment
    • Small business
    • Business reportsMood of the BoardroomProject AucklandSustainable business and financeCapital markets reportAgribusiness reportInfrastructure reportDynamic business
    • Deloitte Top 200 Awards
    • Deloitte Fast 50
    • CompaniesAged CareAgribusinessAirlinesBanking and financeConstructionEnergyFreight and logisticsHealthcareManufacturingMedia and MarketingRetailTelecommunicationsTourism
  • Opinion
    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Editorials
    • Business analysis
    • Premium opinion
    • Letters to the editor
  • Politics
  • Sport
    • All Sport
    • OlympicsParalympics
    • RugbySuper RugbyNPCAll BlacksBlack FernsRugby sevensSchool rugby
    • CricketBlack CapsWhite Ferns
    • Racing
    • NetballSilver Ferns
    • LeagueWarriorsNRL
    • FootballWellington PhoenixAuckland FCAll WhitesFootball FernsEnglish Premier League
    • GolfNZ Open
    • MotorsportFormula 1
    • Boxing
    • UFC
    • BasketballNBABreakersTall BlacksTall Ferns
    • Tennis
    • Cycling
    • Athletics
    • SailingAmerica's CupSailGP
    • Rowing
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Viva - Food, fashion & beauty
    • Society Insider
    • Royals
    • Sex & relationships
    • Food & drinkRecipesRecipe collectionsRestaurant reviewsRestaurant bookings
    • Health & wellbeing
    • Fashion & beauty
    • Pets & animals
    • The Selection - Shop the trendsShop fashionShop beautyShop entertainmentShop giftsShop home & living
    • Milford's Investing Place
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • TV
    • MoviesMovie reviews
    • MusicMusic reviews
    • BooksBook reviews
    • Culture
    • ReviewsBook reviewsMovie reviewsMusic reviewsRestaurant reviews
  • Travel
    • All Travel
    • News
    • New ZealandNorthlandAucklandWellingtonCanterburyOtago / QueenstownNelson-TasmanBest NZ beaches
    • International travelAustraliaPacific IslandsEuropeUKUSAAfricaAsia
    • Rail holidays
    • Cruise holidays
    • Ski holidays
    • Luxury travel
    • Adventure travel
  • Kāhu Māori news
  • Environment
    • All Environment
    • Our Green Future
  • Talanoa Pacific news
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Property Insider
    • Interest rates tracker
    • Residential property listings
    • Commercial property listings
  • Health
  • Technology
    • All Technology
    • AI
    • Social media
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
    • Opinion
    • Audio & podcasts
  • Weather forecasts
    • All Weather forecasts
    • Kaitaia
    • Whangārei
    • Dargaville
    • Auckland
    • Thames
    • Tauranga
    • Hamilton
    • Whakatāne
    • Rotorua
    • Tokoroa
    • Te Kuiti
    • Taumaranui
    • Taupō
    • Gisborne
    • New Plymouth
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Dannevirke
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Levin
    • Paraparaumu
    • Masterton
    • Wellington
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Blenheim
    • Westport
    • Reefton
    • Kaikōura
    • Greymouth
    • Hokitika
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
    • Wānaka
    • Oamaru
    • Queenstown
    • Dunedin
    • Gore
    • Invercargill
  • Meet the journalists
  • Promotions & competitions
  • OneRoof property listings
  • Driven car news

Puzzles & Quizzes

  • Puzzles
    • All Puzzles
    • Sudoku
    • Code Cracker
    • Crosswords
    • Cryptic crossword
    • Wordsearch
  • Quizzes
    • All Quizzes
    • Morning quiz
    • Afternoon quiz
    • Sports quiz

Regions

  • Northland
    • All Northland
    • Far North
    • Kaitaia
    • Kerikeri
    • Kaikohe
    • Bay of Islands
    • Whangarei
    • Dargaville
    • Kaipara
    • Mangawhai
  • Auckland
  • Waikato
    • All Waikato
    • Hamilton
    • Coromandel & Hauraki
    • Matamata & Piako
    • Cambridge
    • Te Awamutu
    • Tokoroa & South Waikato
    • Taupō & Tūrangi
  • Bay of Plenty
    • All Bay of Plenty
    • Katikati
    • Tauranga
    • Mount Maunganui
    • Pāpāmoa
    • Te Puke
    • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Hawke's Bay
    • All Hawke's Bay
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Havelock North
    • Central Hawke's Bay
    • Wairoa
  • Taranaki
    • All Taranaki
    • Stratford
    • New Plymouth
    • Hāwera
  • Manawatū - Whanganui
    • All Manawatū - Whanganui
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Manawatū
    • Tararua
    • Horowhenua
  • Wellington
    • All Wellington
    • Kapiti
    • Wairarapa
    • Upper Hutt
    • Lower Hutt
  • Nelson & Tasman
    • All Nelson & Tasman
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Tasman
  • Marlborough
  • West Coast
  • Canterbury
    • All Canterbury
    • Kaikōura
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
  • Otago
    • All Otago
    • Oamaru
    • Dunedin
    • Balclutha
    • Alexandra
    • Queenstown
    • Wanaka
  • Southland
    • All Southland
    • Invercargill
    • Gore
    • Stewart Island
  • Gisborne

Media

  • Video
    • All Video
    • NZ news video
    • Herald NOW
    • Business news video
    • Politics news video
    • Sport video
    • World news video
    • Lifestyle video
    • Entertainment video
    • Travel video
    • Markets with Madison
    • Kea Kids news
  • Podcasts
    • All Podcasts
    • The Front Page
    • On the Tiles
    • Ask me Anything
    • The Little Things
  • Cartoons
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / New Zealand

Surveying firm accused of exaggeration

15 Nov, 2002 10:50 AM3 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save
    Share this article

By FRANCESCA MOLD

A federation representing 1700 building companies has accused building surveying firm Prendos of exaggerating the extent of the leaky building problem and the cost of repairs.

The Master Builders Federation yesterday told a parliamentary inquiry into the rotting homes crisis the overestimation was making it difficult to settle disputes over repairs without the issue being forced to go to court.

The federation's chief executive, Chris Preston, warned the Government to make sure that experts used as part of its new mediation and adjudication service were honest and represented remedial work accurately.

He said some experts were raising the expectations of homeowners and this was making it difficult to reach a "pragmatic solution".

"The gaps between what we believe would need to be fixed and their recommendation is quite significant," he said. "We're talking like 100 per cent difference."

Asked who was exaggerating the problem, Mr Preston replied: "Prendos".

Prendos directors Philip and Greg O'Sullivan have been raising concern about the "potential time bomb" of leaky building syndrome since 1994.

Philip O'Sullivan told the Herald yesterday that he was disappointed with Mr Preston's comments about his company.

He said, "We are acutely aware of the cost of repairs because we are working at the coalface every day."

Mr O'Sullivan said Prendos had brought Canadian surveying experts to New Zealand for seminars which were attended by the builders' federation.

He said the federation and its members needed to take a hard look at themselves rather than point a finger at others.

Mr Preston told the committee that 50 per cent of the 1000 claims lodged with the federation under its Master Builders guarantee in the past seven years related to leaks.

But the average cost of repair was only about $5000 because the problem was usually identified early.

Overall, it had paid out $3.5 million in remedial or non-completion work.

It had repaired only one house that could be described as having the symptoms of a "rotting home".

Mr Preston admitted the guarantee only lasted up to five years so there could be problems after that period which were not reported to the federation.

However, he would still have expected to hear if there were significant problems with a house that had been guaranteed.

The Government Administration committee inquiring into leaky homes syndrome also heard from the Building and Construction Industry Training Organisation yesterday.

The organisation has been the qualifications standards setting body for the "physical trades" sector of the building and construction industry since 1993.

Chief executive Pieter Burghout said about 32 per cent of the 36,800 people working in the "trades" sector of the industry, which it represented, were trade qualified. This compared with about 20 to 23 per cent in the 1990s. He said the organisation was working on a review of the apprenticeship course in carpentry and other trades as recommended in the report into leaky buildings by former State Commissioner Don Hunn.

Concerns likely to be identified were that too few workers were involved in industry training, more polytechnic training was needed and the industry should move back to time-served apprenticeships.

* If you have information about leaking buildings,
email the Herald or fax (09) 373-6421.

Further reading
Feature: Leaky buildings

Related links

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Save
    Share this article

Latest from New Zealand

New Zealand

Police name electric wheelchair user who died after being hit by a car in Ashburton

New Zealand

Mama Hooch survivor speaks after appeal

Watch
New Zealand

Mama Hooch rapists accuse trial judge of bias, allege miscarriage of justice


Sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Recommended for you

Mama Hooch rapists accuse trial judge of bias, allege miscarriage of justice
New Zealand

Mama Hooch rapists accuse trial judge of bias, allege miscarriage of justice

Sex worker a potential witness at coronial inquest into Polkinghorne's wife's death
New Zealand

Sex worker a potential witness at coronial inquest into Polkinghorne's wife's death

'Proud is an understatement': NZ dance crew wins international title
Entertainment

'Proud is an understatement': NZ dance crew wins international title

Fire performers, street food, live music: Bid to revitalise Napier CBD after dark
Hawkes Bay Today

Fire performers, street food, live music: Bid to revitalise Napier CBD after dark

Jacob Rajan’s acclaimed ‘Guru of Chai’ back in Whangārei
Northern Advocate

Jacob Rajan’s acclaimed ‘Guru of Chai’ back in Whangārei

Fire-hit New World Victoria Park reveals plans for repair, reopening
Property

Fire-hit New World Victoria Park reveals plans for repair, reopening



Latest from New Zealand

Police name electric wheelchair user who died after being hit by a car in Ashburton
New Zealand

Police name electric wheelchair user who died after being hit by a car in Ashburton

The man was taken to a hospital after being struck by a car but died five days later.

22 Jul 04:09 AM
Mama Hooch survivor speaks after appeal
New Zealand

Mama Hooch survivor speaks after appeal

Watch
22 Jul 04:00 AM
Mama Hooch rapists accuse trial judge of bias, allege miscarriage of justice
New Zealand

Mama Hooch rapists accuse trial judge of bias, allege miscarriage of justice

22 Jul 04:00 AM


Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky
Sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

06 Jul 09:47 PM

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP
search by queryly Advanced Search