Frequently Asked Questions

How do I tell if my house is leaking?

You may see the following signs:

Inside

• Soft spongy/rotten window jambs
• Swollen skirting boards
• Cracks or softness in the gib board
• Sagging gib board ceilings
• Smell of damp
• Mould on walls/ceilings, carpet
• Timber floors softening or swelling and becoming spongy

You could be unaware that the building is decaying until after significant damage has occurred.

Outside

• Cracks in cladding material – along sheet/inter-storey/expansion joints.
• Cracks to cladding around windows and doors and at roof/wall junctions.
• Excessive mould or lichen in exterior areas can also be an indicator.
• Excessive movement of walls/joinery.

We can provide a comprehensive investigation service using both non-invasive (using an infrared camera) and invasive testing to find out the extent of the damage.

What do I do if I find my house is leaking?

See Fixing a Leaky Home about what to do if you discover a leak in your home. 

How much is it going to cost?

See The Cost of Recladding a Leaky Home.

For more information specific to your house, please contact us at Platinum Pacific Reclad.

What financial assistance is available to help me?

Under the Government’s Financial Assistance Package, eligible homeowners will receive a 25 percent contribution from the Government and may receive 25 percent from their local council. The contributions will be based on agreed actual repair costs.

Eligible home owners who use the scheme must agree not to sue contributing councils and the Crown, although they can still pursue other liable parties such as builders, developers and manufacturers of defective products.

There is a 10 year limit for bringing a claim. This means that your house has to have been built or altered (if the alterations leak) within 10 years of the date of lodging a claim.

Homeowners are advised to register with the Department of Building and Housing as soon as possible to start the claim process.

Information packs can be found on the Department of Building and Housing website.

What guarantees or warranty can I get?

See the information about WaterTight warranties.

What are the health risks if I stay in my leaky home?

Dampness in buildings can cause elevated levels of mould. 

This may cause:

• Breathlessness
• Wheezing
• Blocked nose
• Skin rashes
• Nausea.

Children may suffer more than usual from:

• Diarrhoea
• Vomiting
• Headaches
• Sore throats
• Respiratory problems
• Coughing
• Fever.

If I have a leaky home is it unsafe to live in it?

Apart from the health risks, as above, there can be many structural, safety and sanitary issues with a leaky home. 

Load bearing and bracing walls, if weakened from rot, can become extremely unsafe.

Can I sell my leaky home and what's it worth?

You can sell the house. 

Careful consideration should be taken to ensure that full disclosure of any problems known to you are made aware to any prospective purchaser. Speak with your real estate agent and lawyer before placing the property on the market.
The property may be worth considerably less than a similar property with no leaking issues. In extreme cases the property may be worth little more than land value.
Contact us at Platinum Pacific Reclad for an assessment of repair costs so you know what your options are.

Can I fix just the problem areas without having to reclad the whole house?

Absolutely – if the problems are isolated.  Careful consideration is required, accurate assessments of the causes of the damage and the amount of damage to various building elements before any remedial work is undertaken.

We can provide expert advice in this area, with both non invasive and invasive testing to ascertain any issues of water ingress and timber frame damage.

How long will it take to repair?

Depending on the size of the property, between 8-20 weeks.

For example a house 160-200m2 usually takes 12-14 weeks.

The issues that impact on the timeline are size of the house, complexity of the design, the number of building element failures and the amount of timber frame damage there is.

Do I need a building consent?

Yes, as of March 2008, any building work carried out to repair water ingress problems require a Building Consent.

Auckland Council also have extra inspection steps for recladding building projects that are designed to give property owners greater peace of mind.

Can I stay in my home or will I have to move out?

Depending on the scope of water damage, generally it is better to move out.

There are a number of reasons for this…

• Health/Noise – as your home does become a building site, there are safety issues, as well as dirt and dust.
• Speed – living on site slow construction time.
• Security – when windows are removed there is a security risk to both you and your property.

What is the process of re-cladding a house?

See the step by step Recladding Process for a summary of what would happen.

We also offer a ‘turn-key’ service:

• Consultation
• Plans
• Building Consents
• Furniture removal
• Construction and recladding
• Cleaning
• Furniture reinstatement

End FAQ