Advice for new home owners
Building a new home involves a huge amount of technical detail which would baffle most homeowners. Extra rules brought in at the start of the year have boosted consumer protection for anyone building a new home, but it remains difficult for owners to make sure their new home is as it should be. The result could be poor-quality dwellings or disputes and complaints which could have been avoided.
This is why the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment’s building and housing department has released a new guide for both builders and homeowners.
The guide outlines what is and is not acceptable in workmanship for new homes and additions. It covers mainly aesthetic issues such as roof and wall cladding, windows and doors, flooring, wall and ceiling linings, cabinets and benchtops, plumbing, drainage and electrical fittings.
The ministry says the new publication is intended as a tool to make sure all parties understand and agree on what is acceptable, and can be used before contracts are signed, to sort out expectations about design choices, materials, finishes and costs.
Announcing the new guide at the Certified Builders annual conference in Christchurch last weekend, Building and Housing Minister Nick Smith warned that building quality must not be sacrificed for quantity.
With new house construction jumping from 14,000 to 25,000 a year, the Government’s focus was not just on boosting the supply and affordability of homes, but also on maintaining building standards, he said.
‘‘There’s a risk that when this sector goes through a very strong house-building phase, standards could slip back. We mustn’t let that happen.’’
The new guide is intended to complement the new consumer protection laws, which demand warranties and set out a 12-month defect repair period.
‘‘The guidance covers common areas of dispute, like what degree of slope on a floor is reasonable or when a crack in a driveway is unacceptable. It will help resolve problems more quickly by giving clarity about what tolerances are acceptable,’’ Smith said
The 60-page guide is available online on the ministry’s website.