Kohimarama: The proof is in the plaster

The stigma surrounding plaster houses following the leaky building crisis saw a couple's sale campaign stall, until they brought in the latest technology, writes Adam Gifford.

49 Speight Rd, Kohimarama.

Raman and Tracie Patel are fighting prejudice as they try to sell their Kohimarama house.

Prospective buyers walk down the drive, see it is flat roofed and plaster clad, and walk away.

"People don't like it because it's not cream and beige or because they read articles which say plaster houses leak," Raman says.

All houses leak. The issue is what you do about it, and how you prevent the inevitable moisture from staying and causing damage.

Raman felt confident the seven year old house was sound, having used skilled builders and plasterers and quality materials. But to be absolutely certain, he called in Moisture Detection, a company formed by former Auckland University engineering school graduates.

Moisture Detection has developed a probe which is permanently installed through skirting boards in areas susceptible to damp and can be repeatedly measured.

"That means you can pick up any problems early and get them fixed," Raman says.

The 47 probes through the Patel's house came with an average timber moisture content reading of 13 percent.

Since new timber has a moisture content of about 17 percent, Moisture Detection only gets concerned when levels are over 20 percent.

So far Moisture Detection has found moisture levels over 20 percent in 23 percent of plaster clad houses, 12 percent of brick houses and 10 percent of weatherboard homes. Just to be doubly sure, Raman redid all the cappings on his roof and got a new compliance certificate.

Moisture Detection director Bryan Holyoake says there is a lot of misinformation in the market scaring buyers away from some housing types.

"The questions should be how does a building perform and how much does it cost to maintain. Some monolithic cladding systems work, as long as they have a proper drainage system behind them," Holyoake says.

He says often it comes down to people not understanding the importance of maintenance.

"People's biggest asset is their house and yet they know so little about it and have no idea how to look after it," Holyoake says.

"One of the most common things we see is people putting their garden hard up to the cladding, which you are not supposed to do."

Holyoake is also critical of firms who test for moisture by punching holes through walls, which can be used for only one reading.

"If you were to test a house after two weeks of dry weather, the whole house will be dry. You need to get in again after heavy rain and see what the difference is.

"Our technology can be read again and again on a consistent basis."

Apart from its method of construction, the Patel home has some striking features, starting with its Speight Street location.

Raman was renting on the waterfront when a builder friend drew his attention to a house tucked into the lee side of a hill one street back from the Kohimarama waterfront.

The pair demolished the existing house and subdivided the 1100 square metre section, with the builder taking the back half for his own home.

Raman got architect Richard O'Neill to plan his house around the long north facing side of the section.

While a two minute walk will put Raman and his windsurf board on the beach, his children wanted a pool. So a pool they got - eventually.

"We built bigger than we could afford, then finished it over time," says Raman.

The kitchen and living area wrap around the patio. The kitchen features a 900mm Ilve gas stovetop and oven, and a freestanding bench topped in black marble. In a side area is a wood fire with a gas fire next to it, for those nights you don't want to chop wood.

The ground floor also includes the laundry, a small office which could serve as a bedroom, a guest bedroom, a small bathroom and a double garage.

Upstairs there are three bedrooms and two bathrooms - the master bedroom has an en suite, dressing area and balcony. The central area serves as another play area for the children.

Vital Statistics

SIZE: Land 565sq m, house 275sq m plus decks.

PRICE: $1.175 million.

INSPECT: Sat/Sun 2-2.30pm.

CONTACT: Vicki Hutley, Ray White Kohimarama, ph 528 6169, 021 702 443.

FEATURES: Dry plaster home with pool close to Kohimarama beach, separate study or extra bedroom, wood fire and gas fire.