As Autumn approaches, days shorten and temperatures drop, it’s time for sweaters, fire pits, and pre-winter chores. Fall can be a busy season because you’re preparing your lawn, garden, and home for the approaching cold. 
As you harvest the last of your garden and give that lawn one last grooming, it’s also time to perform maintenance on both the exterior and interior of your home to ready it for the ravages of winter.
Many people have more time on their hands at home because of coronavirus, so this may be the perfect opportunity to start a to-do list and knock off some of those must-accomplish fall chores. Follow these tips for a successful lawn, garden, and home care and maintenance in preparation for that first frost and beyond.
The beginning of autumn in many parts of the country spells the time for seasonal transition, moving our entertainment and lifestyle more indoors. Now’s the time for homeowners to store outdoor furniture and other gear for the winter, deflate and store any pool toys, move plants indoors, and prep, maintain, and repair in anticipation of cooler temperatures.
It’s time to book service appointments before you need your fireplace or heater to make sure everything is in good working order. In addition to professional servicing, we have some easy maintenance tips you can do yourself to make sure you’re getting your yard, garden, and home ready for winter.
In the garden, there may still be much to harvest. Pick the last of the berries, tomatoes, corn, carrots, beets, and pumpkins. You can create great canning or preserving projects for the fall and winter months, bringing a delicious, just-picked taste to your winter table.
Some states start experiencing their first frost dates in early October, so these homeowners will want to use September to begin their annual frost, wind, rainstorm, and winter protection tasks. Before the weather gets too cold, schedule time to clean and repair gutters, along with any needed roof repairs, chimney, or siding maintenance or fixes. We’ll walk you through some of the most important tasks to spend time on during the next month or two.

Why Get Your Home Ready for Autumn and Winter?
Why bother spending all the time and expense of working on your home and yard during the fall? Spending a little time and effort now can save you from surprises, like burst pipes and fallen, ice-filled gutters. Some steps taken now can save money in repairs later, during a more inconvenient time.
If you need professional services for your home or property, now is a great time to schedule them. Consider booking a tune-up of your furnace system now, before servicemen are overloaded with appointments for repair as the cold weather challenges heating systems. You’ll be warm and toasty, thankful you didn’t procrastinate.

Winter-Prep Tasks You’ll Need to Do This Autumn
Getting your property ready for winter may seem daunting at first, but you can break down the tasks into manageable chunks of time and effort. You won’t have to accomplish them all in one weekend. Many homeowners prefer to start prep work outside and then move to the home’s interior projects as temperatures dip.

Rake Leaves
If your seasonal Autumn brings lots of fallen leaves, use them to your advantage. Depending on how many leaves are blanketing your yard, rake them up and dump them in a yard waste bin or add them to your compost pile. You can even work leaves into the garden soil or your yard, which will add critical nutrients for future benefit. If you have a lawnmower, you can mow over the leaves of your lawn with the mulching attachment engaged, mincing the leaves so they can be left on the lawn as organic fertilizer. Make sure, however, that you don’t leave wet, soggy piles of whole leaves on the lawn —this can suffocate growth and contribute to an unhealthy lawn. Regularly removing the leaves as they fall can be the best way to stay on top of this sometimes time-consuming annual task.

Trim Branches, Plants, and Shrubs
Take the time to prune back shrubs and plants, according to the recommendations for each species. Take a look at the trees on your property. Do branches or shrubs hang over or touch the roof, gutter, soffits, or sides of your house? You’ll want to trim those back, so winds won’t cause the branches to rub against roofing shingles or siding or break a window in higher winds. This action will also keep critters like squirrels, rats, and raccoons from using your roof as a playground and potentially finding or making holes into your attic.

Decrease Watering
Depending on your climate and your grass type, you may need to continue watering your lawn through the fall season. Cool-season grasses, which tend to grow in regions of cooler or wetter fall weather, may require you to keep sprinklers running longer. Warm-season grasses go dormant in the winter, so they may not need additional irrigation throughout the fall and winter months. If you’re finished watering your lawn until the spring, be sure to winterize your sprinkler system and outdoor faucets in preparation for freezes so you don’t have burst pipes and other issues.
Knowing your grass type will help you plan for fall maintenance of your lawn. While there are many varieties of turf or lawn grass, there are generally two types of lawns for the yard: warm-season grass and cool-season grass. Which type you have is usually dependent upon where you live.
Warm-season grasses include Bermuda, Zoysia, Buffalo grass, and Bahia. This grass type is most often found in warmer climates like the south and has a peak growing season from spring to fall; it can turn brown during the winter months but thrives in the hot heat of the summer.
Cool-season grasses include bluegrasses, fescues, and ryegrasses and grow well in regions with cold winters and warm summers. They can stay green nearly all year. In periods of drought, these grasses need to be watered, or else they will enter a dormant period and turn brown.

Aerate and Overseed Lawn
Cool-season lawns should be aerated and overseeded in the fall. A core aerator removes small “plugs” of grass and soil and helps lawns receive more oxygen, sunlight, seed, and fertilization. After aerating a cool-season lawn it’s a great time to overseed the area and add the fall fertilization. Warm-season lawns tend to be aerated in the summer, not the fall.

Fertilize and Feed Your Lawn
Fall is a great season to feed your cool-season lawn, but warm-season grasses are going dormant and won’t require fertilization until the spring. Cool-season grasses use the fall months to recover from the heat and growth of the summer and may need a good dose of nitrogen. The exact fertilization requirements should be determined by conducting a soil test to see what nutrients the soil is lacking. Making sure your lawn has what it needs to stay healthy and weed-free is important, especially if you desire a nice green lawn next spring and summer.

Mow and Edge
Cool-season grasses are still growing in the fall months but probably won’t require as much mowing or edging compared to the summer months. Your cool-season lawn may just need mowing once every couple of weeks during fall. Warm-season lawns become dormant in the fall and winter months and stop growing so they won’t require mowing or edging. So, you can look forward to winterizing your lawnmower and edger and then taking a break from mowing until spring.

Weed and Pest Control
Cool and warm season grasses usually don’t require traditional weed or pest control in the fall months. However, cool-season grasses are sometimes susceptible to moss, so fall may be a good time of year to apply moss killer.  This can also be done in the spring.

Prepare your Flower Beds and Garden
Along with lawn care, you’ll want to prepare your flower beds and garden for winter. This will include cleaning out rotted, dead, and dying plants. You’ll also want to remove invasive weeds, helping ensure they won’t return in the spring and work on your compost pile. Tend to plants, especially delicate flowers like roses. Read how to winterize your roses here. Preparing your soil for spring, adding nutrients, and planting cover crops in your garden (if you choose) should also be on your to-do list. Prune perennials (plants that will survive winter) and divide and plant bulbs for the following spring. Make sure your hoses have been drained of water, too.
Don’t forget to mulch. Mulching helps retain moisture around plants, but it also protects your soil from erosion and keeps down weed growth. During fall and winter, mulch helps insulate the ground and roots from fast freezes and thawing. As a bonus, in the spring, mulch breaks down into organic material for natural fertilizer benefits.
Don’t forget to bring in container plants that have enjoyed your back deck, porch, or yard. Make sure they’re bug-free. Then, enjoy cheerful greenery during those gray, chilly winter days. Indoor plants not only help clean your indoor air, but they can also lift your mood while adding a peaceful, natural ambiance to your interior decor.

Repairs to Exterior of your Home
Take advantage of cooler, comfortable weather to maintain and repair the exterior of your home. Examine and repair wood or vinyl siding, and look for cracks in concrete, brick, and other exterior materials. Seal up holes in soffits and fascia. You may also need to do an exterior home cleaning with a pressure washer.
Examine and clean your roof and gutters. Inspect your roof to make sure it can withstand the weight of snow and ice if you’re in a colder climate. Replace any missing shingles, and make sure the flashing on your roof is in good shape. If flashing needs repairs, arrange that or, if you have skills in that area, tackle it yourself.
Take stock of your outdoor lighting and change bulbs if needed. It will be much easier to change bulbs now than when there’s ice or snow on the ground.
Make sure steps and porch handrails are in good working condition and sturdy since you may rely on them more during icy, snowy weather. Make repairs to walkways that may become hazardous with winter weather. If you have any vegetation blocking security camera views, trim those back.

Insulation
If you live in a northern climate, check the insulation around your pipes before cold weather arrives. Exposed pipes in unheated spaces or near exterior walls can freeze and then burst, flooding your home. This can-do extensive damage to your house and requires significant time out of your home and expensive professional restoration. Making sure pipes are insulated can help prevent this. Foam pipe sleeves are easy to install, and you can also use pipe wrap. You can also add wall insulation, use faucet covers on your outdoor spigots, and insulate the space where pipes go through walls.
After you’ve addressed insulation for your pipes, take a look at the insulation under your home and in the attic. Adding or upgrading your insulation is another great way to ensure your home is operating efficiently this winter and can help reduce your monthly heating bills.

Make a List
Having a running list of fall-prep maintenance and repair tasks may help you keep on top of everything you need to accomplish during the weekends or when you have time available. For instance, your list may look like this:

• Lay mulch for winter frost prep
• Trim back flowering plants like lavender
• Prune trees and shrubs near your house
• Winterize lawn equipment
• Schedule home cleaning
• Project idea: Can or preserve garden edibles
• Repair exterior siding as necessary
• Prep and clean fireplace
• Check for air leaks in the attic and basement
• Clear roof and gutters from leaves
• Schedule maintenance or repairs from professionals
• Hire a heating service professional to assess your home’s potential heat loss
• Schedule a chimney sweep to inspect the fireplace and ensure safety

Inside Autumn Maintenance
Don’t neglect the inside of your home when you’re prepping for fall and winter. Check and replace batteries (if applicable) of carbon monoxide alarms and smoke alarms and inspect your fire extinguishers to make sure they’re still viable. Make sure all family members know where fire extinguishers are kept.
Check for air leaks and potential heat loss within the home. Unwanted drafts can lead to a more expensive heating bill over the winter, so use these tips to get started.

• Locate air leaks: check for air drafts behind outlets, around windows and doors, and behind recessed lights. Other areas to check are your ventilation system and fireplace chimneys.
• Check attics and basements: these spaces are typical problem areas for energy loss. Inspect these areas for loss of air, insulation, or other issues like mold. Dirty insulation is often a sign of air leakage.
• Seal leaks: Properly sealing against air leaks will help your heating costs in check.

Schedule Air Conditioner or Heating Tune-up
Just as your air conditioner works hard during the summer, your heater labors during the colder months to keep you comfortable. Nip any future problems in the bud by scheduling a fall checkup for your heating system. Ask your repair professional to check for any air leaks and/or heat loss. Make any repairs needed now, and not in frigid temperatures later on when furnace repair professionals are in more demand.

Ready your Fireplace for Winter
Your fireplace should be a source of warmth and comfort, not a danger hazard. Unfortunately, every year thousands of people (including children) are seriously injured by fires. Some 14,000 house fires each year originate in the fireplace, so the more you know how to maintain your fireplace (and safely use it) the better. Fireplace safety tips include:

• Have your fireplace inspected each year by a professional, especially if your fireplace is wood burning
• Clear the area around the hearth and make sure it’s free of flammable materials
• Use only seasoned hardwood—softwood creates more creosote buildup
• Always use a screen around the fireplace to catch sparks

Do it Yourself or Hire a Pro?
Are you a do-it-yourselfer, or would it make more sense to hire a professional for some of the winter prep jobs? Consider the value of your time and the expertise of someone else. Are you working too many hours to can’t comfortably spend the time needed for the repair or maintenance? Do you have the tools? The skills? If not, maybe it’s time to call in the professionals for a job well done.

Prepare Now for Peace of Mind Later
As you snuggle up in front of your fireplace this winter, warm and cozy, you’ll be glad you spent some extra time preparing your home this fall. A little work this fall repairing and maintaining your yard and home will result in an abundance of peace of mind later. With preventive maintenance, you will have cut down on the chances of frantically searching for—and waiting for—an emergency furnace repairman or trying to find someone to fix your fallen gutters in freezing weather. Instead, you’ll enjoy your warm home and look forward to each season’s delights and challenges.
 
Originally posted on Porch.com

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On 15 August 2019 the Government announced a programme so that owners of on-sold over-cap properties in Canterbury are able to apply for financial help to have their homes repaired.   If you’ve bought a home in Canterbury before 14 August 2019 and discovered that it is damaged over the EQC cap, you may be eligible for an ex gratia payment to cover the cost of repair.  The deadline for homeowners to apply for the ex gratia payment has been extended by two months. You now have until 14 October 2020 to register. After that time, the programme will not be available.

Find out if you qualify and how to apply?
Depending on when you purchased your property and how it was settled you may be able to receive an ex gratia payment equal to the agreed cost of repair. You may be eligible to receive the payment under the support package if you meet all of the following:  

1. You must be the current owner of the property.
2. Your application must have been made on or before 14 October 2020.
3. You must have purchased the property within the specified time period. To meet the requirement, you must have:
   1. made your offer to purchase the property after the natural disaster damage arising from the Canterbury Earthquake Sequence occurred to the property; and
   2. made your offer to purchase the property on or before 15 August 2019.
4. If your Offer was subject to a Building Condition, you must have satisfied or waived that Building Condition on or before 15 August 2019.
5. The original owner(s) of the property must have lodged at least one claim with EQC.
6. Before you made your offer to purchase the property the claim(s) lodged by the original owner(s) to which an ex gratia payment relates must have already been assessed by EQC and determined to be under-cap.

In order to determine your eligibility we ask that you supply the following documents within 60 days of registering your interest:

• A copy of your Sale and Purchase agreement
• Deed of Assignment (where applicable)
• Any documents relating to removal of a condition of sale, for example a building inspection report, if this is relevant to your case.

Once your eligibility has been confirmed you will be asked to provide expert reports detailing the earthquake related damage and outlining the appropriate repair strategy. A Settlement Specialist will be appointed to guide you through this process.
Where you have not identified any additional earthquake related damage, but have expressed your interest to ensure that you didn’t miss the application deadline, we ask that you tick the 'Registration only' box on the on-sold property register of interest form. If you tick this box, we will not progress your application until you contact us again. We will then provide you with a Settlement Specialist to guide you through the process of providing us with the relevant information.    
You can claim for damage that is undercap at any time. Where repair costs exceed the EQC cap an application is required for the On-Solds Programme, and must be registered on or before 14 October 2020 to be considered for eligibility. 

If you would like to register your interest for the ex gratia  payment  please use this  on line On-sold application form. 
​
Alternatively use our printable register of interest PDF form. 
You can also call us on 0800 DAMAGE (326 243) or email info@eqc.govt.nz  
If you have issues with your application progressing please email onsoldescalations@eqc.govt.nz
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Savvy Houz Inspections is expanding nationwide - Franchise now Available!  
 
Savvy Houz Inspections provide the most comprehensive pre-purchase/pre-sale house inspection services with easy to read/colour coded building reports for the discerning customer to make the best buying/selling decision.
 
Join us and you can work from home with this fantastic/flexible opportunity to get off the tools and get business savvy by owning your own profitable turn key business instantly. Our low cost entry franchise model will give you the chance to fulfil your dreams of self-employment, job security and un-capped financial possibilities. Almost all banks/insurers require a building reports; this may become compulsory like Australia so now is the time to make your move, enjoy success in a fast growing industry .

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- Northland
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E: savvyhouz@gmail.com  W: www.savvyhouz.co.nz Call Dean on Ph 021 505 161
 
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Your initial call may just change your life.  Don’t wait this will be selling FAST.

Finding a great inspector requires looking beyond their credentials, don’t wait until you have an accepted offer to look for one. You want to allow time to select the right candidate to hire an experienced professional with the right fit for your requirements.

After all, a pre-purchase house inspection is your one opportunity to get a clear view about the condition of your proposed investment, for many, will be the most expensive purchase of their lifetime. Follow our advice on how to find a truly great house inspector.

Beware of the Real Estate agent's referrals.
Your real estate agent might offer to give you some home inspectors’ names. They may be perfectly well-meaning—or not—but the references present a conflict of interest.
A real estate agent wants to close the deal, and that incentive may be at odds with that of the inspector, who gets paid for his report. If the report raises too many issues, or serious ones, it can be used to negotiate a lower price or even scuttle the deal. An inspector who has been referred by your agent may feel obligated to go easy on the inspection.

“Unless you really trust your agent, find your own inspector,” says Dean Norrie, Director of Savvy Houz Inspections, Christchurch 2020.

Check Credentials.
Hiring someone who’s certified by a professional organization can give you a bit more assurance that the inspector is knowledgeable. Certification from MBIE, LBP builder for instance, a Government regulated New Zealand Organization or Self regulated professional bodies like the MIANZ and NZCB is a good start to look.

Compare; Sample Inspection Reports.
The best way to determine how thorough an inspector will be and how well he will communicate the problems he finds is to ask for a sample report of an inspection he has done on a home like the one you’re considering buying, Dean says. “The sample report will show how much work they’re going to do,” he says. After comparing reports from a few inspectors, you’ll begin to see which ones are detailed in their observations and which are just filling their reports with generic information such as the importance of sealing a wood deck or caulking around windows to improve energy efficiency.
​
Training and Experience.
In addition to professional certifications, look for someone who is a qualified builder and has been in the field of inspecting house for several years. He’s more likely to have seen a variety of home types and a broad range of the type of house issues identified regularily.

Ask? What do you get for your money.
Inspectors typically charge around $500 to $1,000, depending on the home’s location and size, the inspector’s experience, and the scope of the inspection itself. Check what you get included and what extra cost may be required? It would usually cost extra to check the floor levels, moisture screening and thermal imaging if required.

Savvy Houz Inspection - 021 143 2995 - www.savvyhouz.co.nz

Insulation If you want a warm and healthy home, the first thing you need is efficient insulation. New Zealanders have come a long way from the days when the only home insulation was a rug over the knees on cold winter nights.

All insulation works by trapping a layer of warm air within the building’s ceiling, underfloor and wall layers. The theory is straightforward but the practicalities are not. For a start, there are many different types of insulation on the market. Which product is best for you?

They all have their pros and cons. Here’s a quick guide to the main types of home insulation on the New Zealand market.

Fibreglass insulation
This is the type most familiar to Kiwis. We’ve all seen the TV ads. It’s commonly made from recycled glass and offers excellent thermal performance, i.e. it traps heat more effectively than most other materials of the same thickness. On the downside, the glass fibres can be irritating to skin and eyes, while some people have concerns about the chemicals used to bond the fibres during manufacture.

Polyester insulation
This is often made from recycled plastic, such as PET drink bottles – an eco-friendly way to turn a waste product into a green insulation resource. It offers a good level of insulation performance, especially when installed as a large ‘blanket’ that rolls out to cover the entire roof space, including joists. This is an excellent way to minimise hidden heat loss. Harrisons Home Energy Solutions uses a polyester insulation brand that contains no chemical additives, unlike some fibreglass insulation products.

Wool and wool blend insulation
The stuff that keeps sheep warm can also be used to keep your home snug. It’s a natural product, which makes it pleasant to handle. Some brands of wool insulation are blended with resin and polyester to improve their effectiveness. Wool insulation does not work as well as some other types of insulation, so you may need to pay more to install a thicker layer.

Foil insulation
This is basically a special kind of paper coated with bitumen and aluminium foil. It relies on its shiny surface to reflect heat, so corrosion and dust can reduce its effectiveness over time. Foil used in isolation by itself is no longer accepted as complying with the Building Code for underfloor insulation.

Foil Insulation - A ban on retrofitting or repairing foil insulation in residential properties came into force on 1 July 2016, to reduce the safety risks associated with installing this product.
The ban, declared by the Chief Executive of MBIE, applies to the following building methods:
•the installation of foil insulation into residential buildings with an existing electrical installation (retrofitting foil insulation)
•the repair of foil insulation in residential buildings with an existing electrical installation (such as stapling ripped or damaged foil back onto the floor joists of a building).

Polystyrene insulation
Polystyrene foam is a good insulation material that’s used increasingly in new buildings. It’s a product of the petrochemical industry so is not particularly eco-friendly. However, it needs expert installation to ensure there are no gaps where heat can leak out – these will drastically reduce its effectiveness.

Appendix A - Building Code performance settings for retrofitted insulation
The Building Code performance criteria listed below are the relevant provisions of the Code to consider when assessing retrofitted wall insulation and whether it complies with the Code. Other Building Code performance criteria may also need to be considered for the building work associated with retrofitting insulation. For example, removing and reinstating structural wall linings or drilling holes through studs would require compliance with the Building Code clause B1.3.1. However the insulation itself does not need to comply with B1.3.1 as it is not part of the structural system of a building.
It is useful to highlight upfront that the R-value of the retrofitted wall does not need to comply with the Building Code clause H1 Energy efficiency. There is no doubt that insulation is retrofitted to improve the wall R-value, but from a regulatory point of view retrofitting insulation is simply an alteration of the ‘thermal envelope’ described in H1.3.1(a). Unless the cladding, framing and linings of the wall are also reconstructed it is hard to consider how the ‘thermal envelope’ has been reconstructed, which would trigger compliance with H1.3.1(a). Therefore, the energy efficiency provisions of the Building Code are not mentioned in this section, which lists the performance criteria that insulation retrofits must comply with.

Durability
B2.3.1 Building elements must, with only normal maintenance, continue to satisfy the performance requirements of this code for the lesser of the specified intended life of the building, if stated, or:
(a) the life of the building, being not less than 50 years, if:
(iii) failure of those building elements to comply with the building code would go undetected during both normal use and maintenance of the building.
Guidance: The durability requirement in the Building Code applies only to the extent that other Building Code performance criteria apply. The Building Code requires 50 year durability for building elements that are difficult to access or replace, or where failure of the building element to comply would go undetected.
The durability requirement is not relevant to E2.3.6, which relates to moisture at the time of construction (see External moisture below). Common types of insulation are likely to meet the performance criteria F2.3.1 for a period of 50 years. Unusual types of insulation or very harsh environments may cause insulation to degrade over time and produce hazardous materials, though such a possibility could only be assessed on a case-by-case basis.
​
External moisture
E2.3.6 Excess moisture present at the completion of construction must be capable of being dissipated without permanent damage to building elements.
Guidance: Moisture levels in most types of insulation should be at acceptable levels when installed. Moisture levels in insulation that is installed wet are likely to drop over time, provided the existing wall is vapour permeable and does not have pre-existing moisture problems. However, compliance of insulation that is installed wet with NZBC E2.3.6 will be difficult to assess given the variability in drying rates that occur and would need to be assessed on a case-by-case basis that could involve measurements.
There is no acceptable solution for the dissipation of construction moisture from retrofitted insulation. Although not directly applicable, the Acceptable Solution E2/AS1 does provide a useful upper limit of 20% for timber moisture levels in timber framed walls13. The water content of some types of insulation that are installed wet is approximately 75% by weight, so the insulation must dry out after it is installed. The moisture content of adjacent timber framing should not exceed 20%, as suggested by the Acceptable Solution.
A study of moisture levels in cavity walls show that drying rates vary widely depending on the type of wall construction, temperature and ventilation rate14. Drying times of 600 hours (i.e. 25 days) were measured for timber framing in south-facing, direct fixed walls with insulation installed in the framing cavities. In a separate study, moisture readings of timber framing in a brick veneer wall took approximately 60 days to drop below 20% moisture content after urea-formaldehyde foam was injected into the wall drainage cavity15. It was noted that the drying rate, which was measured in summer, would be significantly worse in winter and would likely result in south facing walls staying ‘wet’ throughout winter.
Factors that will affect the drying potential of insulation in a cavity wall include,

• the vapour permeability of the wall linings and claddings (including any building wraps, paints and surface coatings)
• the rain and wind environment (i.e. the wetting potential)
• the ground conditions and foundation connections to a wall
• the condition of the existing cladding (e.g. cracks and gaps)
• the ventilation rate within the wall cavity
• temperature of the external and internal wall surfaces

Hazardous materials
F2.3.1 The quantities of gas, liquid, radiation or solid particles emitted by materials used in the construction of buildings, shall not give rise to harmful concentrations at the surface of the material where the material is exposed, or in the atmosphere of any space.
Guidance: Provided insulation is properly manufactured and installed, in accordance with manufacturers’ instructions, it is likely that it will comply with F2.3.1.
There is no Acceptable Solution covering hazards associated with insulation. However, off-gassing and small airborne particles are the primary hazards to consider with insulation.
A number of different chemicals are used in various types of insulation materials and in the binders that hold some types of insulation together. While such chemicals can be hazardous in high concentrations, generally the concentrations that are associated with thermal insulation are not high enough to be considered problematic. Formaldehyde is such an example, and while relatively common in many different building products it is generally not found in sufficiently high concentrations to be considered hazardous.

WARNING: Retro - fitting wall insulation requires a council building consent.

Book a pre-purchase house inspection.

You have a range of options, from enlisting a builder mate to using a qualified and insured inspector. Whoever does the inspection should check the entire property. They should identify any significant defects, future or urgent maintenance issues and problems caused by gradual deterioration. They should look for structural problems, any signs that the property is a leaky building, issues caused by deferred maintenance (such as weatherboards rotting due to peeling paint) and areas where there is damp or mould.

A good property inspection isn’t cheap,($600-$1100) but if you buy a property based on advice from a builder mate who is unqualified and/or uninsured, you could end up owning some expensive problems. Even worse, you may severely limit your ability to seek damages if the property has significant issues that would have been picked up by a more thorough inspection.

One option is to make the inspection a condition of your offer on a property. If you do this, the report must be prepared by a suitably qualified building inspector. If you then use the report’s findings to get out of the contract, you must provide the seller with a copy of it. Either way, the more you invest in this exercise the safer you will be if things don’t turn out as you had expected.

You have limited other avenues if the property is not as sound as you expected. You may be able to rely on the warranties included in the sale and purchase agreement by the seller. They are required to confirm that (among other things) any work they have done on the property was carried out in accordance with any necessary permits or consents required by law. You may also have other legal options which you should speak to your lawyer about.

If you are looking to buy it’s a good idea to get in touch with a local building inspector as soon as you start your property search. Ask friends and family for their recommendations and request a sample report from any inspector you contact to get an idea of the kind of information they provide.
Depending on what a building inspection finds, you may be able to use a report to help you negotiate with the vendor over price or repairs. Even if a report only finds minor issues, you can still use it as a road map for future maintenance.

Want to know where to find a qualified inspector? www.lbp.govt.nz or us at www.savvyhouz.co.nz
 
​​https://www.settled.govt.nz/buying-a-home/researching-the-property/learning-about-leaky-buildings/

CZIP People living in low-lying areas of Christchurch may need to raise the floor levels of their homes if they are repairing or rebuilding under new city council rules aimed at reducing the risk of flooding.
The council will today release flood-modelling information it has collected since the September 2010 earthquake to enable it to set floor levels for building work across the city.
The information was released to insurers in August but has not been available to property owners until now.

It potentially affects more than 10,000 properties.
Council regulation and democracy services general manager Peter Mitchell said the quakes had caused significant land damage, and ground levels across large areas of the city had dropped an average of 200 to 300 millimetres.
For some months the council had been working to better understand the extent of the damage and what needed to be done to protect properties from flooding.

Much of the work had focused on the Avon River catchment, but some investigations had been completed in the Styx and Heathcote catchments and in Sumner.
The investigations showed that of the 160,000 properties in Christchurch, 10,361 in the Avon, Styx and Heathcote catchments had the potential to flood in a 50-year rainfall event - 769 more than before the quakes.

Most of those properties were in already identified flood-management areas, but some were in adjoining areas not previously considered at risk of flooding.
"Each time the city has experienced a major [seismic] event, the land has been surveyed to ensure the council has a thorough understanding of what has been happening with the land," Mitchell said.
The Press understands that minimum floor levels in some areas are likely to change as a result of the data collected. They will come into effect immediately and could affect rebuilding plans and insurance.
Minimum floor levels of 11.8 metres above the Christchurch City datum have been in effect in flood management areas since January 2011, when variation 48 of the city plan became operative.
However, today's data release is likely to see requirements for floors to be built to that level, and possibly higher, in other areas that have sunk.
The existing flood-management areas are around the Styx, Avon and Heathcote rivers, in Lansdowne Valley and in some low-lying coastal areas, including Redcliffs and Sumner.

Reference: Lois Cairns

Check your own floor levels.

If your floor levels are out, it is likely that you have greater problems in your foundations that you need to know about and need to have fixed properly.
This is normally a major repair. In general (the building code allowance) if your floors are more than 23mm out they would need re-leveling. EQC states this to be 50mm.
This device gives you a cheap and easy way to get a quick indication of where you are at. If your floor levels are out by more than 23mm and you are being offered jack and pack type solutions or a cash payout you should get additional professional advice.
What you need:
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• Two large empty bottles like water containers.
• A hose, available at Bunnings $10
• Two grommets suitable with for the hose, available at any Auto shop. $2
• Two Rulers, available at paper plus $0.65
• A drill suitable width for the grommet.

Empty and clean the bottles.
Half fill with water and freeze
Drill holes for the grommets
Melt and drain the Ice.
Install the grommets
Plug in the hose, use tape if not perfectly sealed.
Half fill the bottles with water and some food colouring for clarity. Attach both rulers so they are identically placed according to water level. Place bottles on a different level and time how long they take to come up to level. Make sure lids are not sealed as air needs to get in for the water to level. The wider the hose the quicker they will level.
Draw and room plan of your house, place one bottle at the entrance and then the other in various places throughout the house recording the + – level on your plan.

​Provided by Hugo Kristinsson.

Pre-purchase inspection

The standard pre-purchase inspection is a Residential Property Inspection NZS 4306:2005. This is a visual inspection of the property. This means it won't identify any problems concealed behind finished surfaces, eg plumbing, framing, insulation or wiring.
During the inspection, the inspector looks for signs of any problems, eg:

• borer
• rot
• damp
• structural damage
• drainage issues
• dodgy wiring
• faulty pipes.

They will take photos of problem areas and comment on them in the report. This includes signs of gradual deterioration as well as things that may be an issue now.
Some inspectors are happy for you to go to the inspection. This is chance to take your own photos and see any issues firsthand. Going along may cost slightly more — the inspection is likely to take longer than if they were doing it alone.
Building consentA pre-purchase inspection may identify where work has been done on the original house, eg a dug out basement, a new room or deck. It will not tell you if the renovations have building consent

Find this out from council records and/or a LIM report.
LIM report — Prepare to make an offer
Work requiring consent(external link) — Building Performance
A pre-purchase inspection looks for clues. You may need to find out more based on what's found.

Talk to Dean Norrie at Savvy Houz Inspections.

Investigations of failed buildings have identified that the majority of leaks occur through wall claddings, and a number of high-risk details and design features have been identified. While roofs have not tended to feature in failure statistics, they still need to be detailed and constructed accurately. The most common areas where water has been found to penetrate the cladding are at:

·       joints and junctions at cladding penetrations (particularly around windows and doors)
·       junctions between different cladding materials
·       joints in the cladding
·       parapet and solid balcony walls
·       service penetrations (pipes and meter boxes)
·       structural penetrations
·       movement cracks in the cladding (particularly at joints and in monolithic finishes)
·       roof-to-wall junctions
·       absorption through the cladding.
​
While many leaks are a result of rain being driven against a building exterior at variable pressures, angles and directions (by wind), many buildings have leaked in calm conditions where water has entered the building through the effects of gravity (particularly when water has been allowed to pond on flat surfaces).

HOW WATER BEHAVES:
Water has a simple molecular structure made up of two atoms of hydrogen and one atom of oxygen. In any single water molecule, the hydrogen atoms will have 'spare' electrons that can bond to the oxygen atom of other water molecules (this is known as hydrogen bonding). This bonding allows water molecules to form a liquid and influences the properties and behaviour of water, such as surface tension and capillary action.

·       Surface tension
·       Capillary action
·       Absorption and wicking
·       Condensation
·       Water from cleaning

SURFACE TENSION:
When water molecules bond, those on the surface are pulled inwards by the hydrogen bond. This creates a kind of skin effect, called surface tension, which can be strong enough to resist gravity and allows droplets to cling to building surfaces.
In general, when a water droplet comes into contact with a hydrophobic material (such as gloss-painted weatherboards or glass), where there is no hydrogen bond between the water and the material, the water will tend to run off. But when a droplet comes into contact with a hydrophilic material (such as uncoated concrete or unpainted timber), which absorbs water, surface tension will cause the droplet to flatten against and hold on to the material surface. The more the droplet flattens against the material, the greater its chance of resisting gravity and being held on the surface.

Water that is being held on building surfaces by surface tension will still drain down drainage paths on the vertical face of the cladding but may also drain from the vertical surface and cling onto an adjacent horizontal surfaces. Once it is clinging to a horizontal surfaces, it can be blown into a junction where it may penetrate and cause damage. Creating a sharp transition to an upward slope or surface will make the water drip off at the junction. Surface tension therefore needs to be broken at all vertical to horizontal junctions. This is done with a drip edge, weathergroove, flashing or drip moulding. Surface tension allows water droplets to cling to building surfaces, even downwards facing ones.

CAPILLARY ACTION:
Capillary action is where water bonding to two adjacent surfaces is drawn upwards against the force of gravity between the two surfaces. How far the water can be drawn upwards depends on the size of the gap between the surfaces and how hydrophobic or hydrophilic they are. Wind pressure can also act on the water and drive it upwards even further.
Incorporating a capillary break by detailing a gap of 6 mm between surfaces will stop capillary action occurring, as the surfaces will be too far apart for water to bond between them. The incorporation of weathergrooves, seals or hooks/seams on a flashing can also assist, as these will break the contact between the adjacent surfaces. 

ABSORPTION AND WICKING
Absorbent or porous materials and surfaces (such as raw fibre-cement, uncoated concrete, weathered coatings and unpainted timber) will absorb moisture.
They can also wick moisture off an adjacent surface, where it can be absorbed. Once water has been absorbed, it will migrate or wick through the material from a warm area to a cold area. It may also be absorbed by other adjacent materials – for example, water may be absorbed by a poorly coated cladding and migrate through to be absorbed by a dry absorbent wall underlay and ultimately by the dry timber framing.

The use of non-absorbent materials or finishes will limit absorption, and the use of capillary breaks or a separation between surfaces (such as a gap at the bottom of the cladding above a waterproof deck) will restrict wicking. Rapid heating by the sun of surfaces containing moisture can also drive water vapour from absorbed moisture through materials – a process known as solar-driven moisture transfer.

CONDENSATION
Air contains water vapour, with the amount of vapour present increasing with temperature. As air cools, its ability to hold water vapour is reduced, and the vapour is released and condenses as water. When air is cooled by contact with a cold surface, the released vapour forms as condensation on that surface (for example, the steam created from a hot shower will condense when it comes into contact with the cooler glass of an exterior window).
If condensation occurs, it can be absorbed by materials and can cause material deterioration, so it needs to be managed within wall assemblies. This can be done by ventilation and by incorporating absorbent wall underlays or using cladding materials that have some degree of absorbency on the back of the cladding that will hold the condensation water until it dries again as a result of ventilation.

WATER FROM CLEANING
Building exteriors should only be cleaned with very low-pressure water, as high-pressure water (such as that from water blasting or a high-pressure hose) has the potential to be directed at and driven through gaps in the exterior cladding and up under flashings, where it can enter the roof or wall assembly and be absorbed by components. 
High-pressure water can also damage softer cladding materials and damage or remove protective exterior coatings.
 
GLOSSARY 10-YEAR ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENT
To be eligible to repair your home through the Weathertight Home Resolution Services Act, the house must have been built (or alterations giving rise to the claim made to it) before 1 January 2012 and within 10 years of lodging the claim. If a Code Compliance Certificate was issued, this may be taken as the date the house was built.
​
4 DS
The key mechanisms by which a house remains weathertight and in sound condition — deflection, drainage, drying and durability.
ACCEPTABLE SOLUTION
A prescriptive design/construction solution published by the Ministry of Building, Innovation and Employment (MBIE). Where proposed construction follows an Acceptable Solution exactly, it must be accepted as being code compliant for that specific Building Code clause.)
AIR LEAKY CLADDINGS
Claddings such as weatherboards that allow air (and also water) to readily pass through the cladding joints. The airleakyness also assists in drying any water that gets behind the cladding
ALTERNATIVE METHOD
A building product or method of construction that is partly or completely different from the products or methods described in an Acceptable Solution or a Verification Method.
ALTERNATIVE SOLUTION
A means of compliance with the Building Code not wholly in accordance with an Acceptable Solution or a Verification Method. An Alternative Method becomes an Alternative Solution when accepted by a BCA and the building consent is issued
AMENITY
A useful or desirable feature. Building another bedroom or adding an en-suite bathroom to a bedroom increases the amenity of a property.
BCA
Building consent authority – usually a territorial authority, such as a city or district council, that has authority to issue building consents.
BRANZ APPRAISAL
A technical opinion of a product or system’s fitness for purpose based on specific Building Code requirements, issued by BRANZ.
BUTYL RUBBER
A synthetic rubber typically used as a fully adhered membrane for roofing, decking and other applications where weatherproofing is required.
CAPILLARY BREAK
A break or gap of at least 6 mm between two materials (or within one material) designed to stop the movement of water between the material(s).
CAVITY CLOSURE
A building element with slots or holes that allows water to drain from a cavity and air to circulate, while keeping vermin out.
CCA
Copper, chrome and arsenate timber preservative.
CCC
A code compliance certificate. This issued by a BCA after final inspections have been carried out. A CCC can only be issued if the building work complies with the building consent.
COMPLIANCE PATH
A compliance path is a way chosen to demonstrate compliance of intended work with the Building Code. Compliance paths include Acceptable Solutions, Product Certification, and Verification Methods.
A compliance path is a way chosen to demonstrate compliance of intended work with the Building Code. Compliance paths include Acceptable Solutions, Product Certification, and Verification Methods.A compliance path is a way chosen to demonstrate compliance of intended work with the Building Code. Compliance paths include Acceptable Solutions, Product Certification, and Verification Methods.
CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGE
Damage that occurs as a consequence of a particular action or event. For example, a leak around a window may lead to such consequential damage as rotting timber framing or carpets.
CONTINGENCY SUM
A sum of money available to cover unexpected building or renovation costs.
CUAZ
Copper azole timber preservative.
DATA SHEETS
Sometimes called safety data sheets, these documents protect the health and safety of people in the workplace by giving information on the hazards of materials and how the materials should be used, stored, transported and disposed of.
DETERMINATION
A decision by MBIE on whether a set of documents for a proposed building, a construction element or specific detail, or a recently-built building or specific building component, complies or does not comply with the Building Code.
DIRECT-FIXED CLADDING
The exterior cladding of the building is fixed over a wall underlay and directly to the framing.
DPM
Damp-proof membrane, often polythene sheeting, typically used under a concrete slab to prevent ground moisture entering the slab, or used as a ground cover under suspended timber floors.
DRAINAGE PATH
The path water that leaks through a cladding will travel down the back of the cladding.
DRAINED AND VENTED CAVITY
Described in E2/AS1 as a 20 mm bottom-vented cavity behind lightweight wall claddings design to dry and/or drain any water that might penetrate the cladding.
E2/AS1
The Acceptable Solution for the weathertightness of timber-framed buildings up to 10 m high and located within a low, medium, high, very high or extra high wind zone.
EFFLORESCENCE
Water-soluble salts that crystallise on a masonry surface (brick, concrete block and concrete) as moisture evaporates from it. Efflorescence usually has a whitish appearance.
EIFS
Exterior Insulation and Finish Systems – a type of wall cladding where polystyrene sheets are typically plastered with a reinforced polymer modified cement-based plaster and then painted.
EPDM
A synthetic rubber membrane typically used as a fully adhered membrane to waterproof roofs and decks.
EXPANDED POLYSTYRENE
Referred to as EPS, light because it is 98% air. Often used as insulation under suspended timber floors. EPS can be recycled.
EXTRUDED POLYSTYRENE
Referred to as XPS, a closed-cell, rigid type of insulation with a continuous skin surface. It has a greater density and compressive strength than expanded polystyrene (EPS).
Referred to as XPS, a closed-cell, rigid type of insulation with a continuous skin surface. It has a greater density and compressive strength than expanded polystyrene (EPS).Referred to as XPS, a closed-cell, rigid type of insulation with a continuous skin surface. It has a greater density and compressive strength than expanded polystyrene (EPS).
FASCIA
The board that runs along the edge of the roof at the eaves. Guttering is usually attached to the fascia.
FLASHING
Thin strips or areas of impervious material, often sheet metal, installed to stop water moving through a joint and into a structure. Flashings are often shaped to fit a particular location.
FLEXIBLE FLASHING TAPE
A tape installed into and around framed joinery openings (typically for windows and doors). It goes over the underlay and exposed framing. Also used at joinery heads to seal flashing upstands to the underlay.
GALVANISED STEEL
Steel sheet or element that has a thin layer of zinc added to help protect it from corrosion.
HYDROPHILIC
Something that absorbs water or is easily wetted. Unsealed plaster, plasterboard, timber and fibre-cement are examples of hydrophilic materials.
IMPERVIOUS
A surface finish or material that does not allow water or water vapour to pass through.
INSULATING GLASS UNIT (IGU)
Double-glazing or triple-glazing.
JAMB
The vertical sides of a door or window opening.
JOISTS
Horizontal framing that supports a floor or ceiling. Floor joists sit above the bearers.
LEAKY HOMES FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE PACKAGE
A package where the government and local council each paid 25% of the repair cost and the homeowner paid 50%. (If the council did not approve the original work or did not participate in the FAP, the homeowner paid 75% of the costs.) The scheme ran for five years from 23 July 2011 to 23 July 2016.
LIQUIDATED DAMAGES
A fair and reasonable estimate of the actual financial damage suffered as the result of a breach of contract.
LOSP
Light Organic Solvent Preservatives – insecticides and fungicides in a spirit-based carrier for treating timber
MDF
Medium density fibreboard, a compressed engineered wood product.
MONOLITHIC
Monolithic cladding is sheet-cladding material (such as fibre-cement) that is plastered and coated to give a seamless finish.
NEOPRENE
A type of synthetic rubber that can be used to aid in weathertightness. For example, neoprene washers used with screws in steel roofing are slightly compressed when installed to provide a watertight seal around the screw.
NOTICE TO FIX/NOTICES TO FIX
A statutory notice issued by a building consent authority or territorial authority requiring a person to remedy a breach of the Building Act 2004 or regulations under that Act. A notice to fix can be issued where work is done without a building consent, building work does not comply with the Building Code, and so on.
NZIBS
The New Zealand Institute of Building Surveyors (NZIBS), the main professional body for building surveyors.
POLYMER
A natural or organic compound with a particular type of molecular structure. Many plastics and resins are polymers.
PRODUCER STATEMENT
An expert opinion often provided in building consent applications to support alternative methods of demonstrating Building Code compliance. Manufacturers, engineers, and others with specialist knowledge may complete producer statements. Producer statements are accepted at a building consent authority’s discretion.
PRODUCT CERTIFICATION
Products or systems that are certified through the voluntary CodeMark scheme must be accepted by a building consent authority when used as specified. The scheme, established by the Building Act 2004, is a way to show that a product or system meets the requirements of the Building Code.
PROPRIETARY
A product manufactured or sold by a particular company or companies, which typically have copyright or trademark ownership. Contrast with ‘generic’ products (such as ordinary black PVC plastic sheeting) where none of the manufacturers have intellectual property rights.
PVC
Plasticised polyvinyl chloride, a flexible type of plastic typically used for flooring, flexible pipes and so on. PVC is one of the most commonly used plastics. It is made from common salt (sodium chloride) and petroleum products.
QA
Quality assurance – maintaining a particular level of quality.
RAB
Rigid air barrier – typically a proprietary sheet system (fibre-cement or plywood together with accessories such as joint flashings) applied as a rigid wall underlay to the outside face of wall framing. RAB must be submitted for consent as an alternative method.
RBW
Restricted building work is work that must be carried out or supervised by a licensed building practitioner (LBP). RBW includes work on foundations and structure, wall and roof cladding and fire safety systems for houses.
RELATIVE HUMIDITY (RH)
the percentage of water vapour in the air at a specific temperature compared to the maximum amount that the air could hold at that temperature.
REMEDIATION
Fixing faults, deficiencies and damage. A term typically used with the repair of leaky buildings.
RISK MATRIX
A tool within E2/AS1 that allows designers to calculate the weathertightness risk score for each face of a particular building design. See paragraph 3.1, Figure 1 and Tables 1 and 2 in E2/AS1.
RMA 
Resource Management Act 1991
STACHYBOTRYS
A variety of blackish mould that grows on materials containing cellulose and which can be harmful to health
STOP END
The detailing applied to the end of a window head or apron flashing to prevent water getting behind the cladding at the ends of the flashing.
STUCCO
A type of wall cladding where a reinforced sand/cement plaster is applied in two or three applications, often with a textured finish, to a non-rigid (flexible wall underlay) or rigid (plywood or fibre cement) backing. It must be painted to remain weathertight.
SUBSTRATE
An underlying layer. For example, H3 CCA-treated plywood is the substrate commonly used under membrane roofs.
THERMALLY BROKEN
Where aluminium windows have a very strong spacer with a higher level of thermal performance between the inner and outer parts of the aluminium frame. BRANZ testing has shown that frames with this feature can be almost 60% more thermally efficient than those without it.
TOPOGRAPHY
Features on the surface of the land, including hills, trees, and buildings.
TPS
Thermoplastic-sheathed cable. The type of electric cabling used in houses today
TRAPEZOIDAL
A profile where the top and bottom of the profile are parallel, but the sides are not parallel. On trapezoidal steel roofing, each side of the profile typically slopes outward.
UPVC
Unplasticised polyvinyl chloride, a hard plastic typically used for window frames, pipework, cladding, guttering and downpipes.
VENEER
A heavy cladding supported by a structural base that is separated from the supporting framing by a ventilated cavity. For example, brick houses today are built with brick veneer laid onto a concrete foundation, while the structural support of the house is provided by timber or steel framing behind the bricks and not by the bricks themselves.
VERIFICATION METHOD
According to the Building Act 2004, a verification method is a method by which compliance with the Building Code may be verified using an identified testing regime or method of calculation.
WALL UNDERLAY
A flexible or rigid sheet material applied to the outside of framing to provide a second line of defence against water getting into the framing.
WEATHERGROOVES
Grooves in the back of timber weatherboards, designed to stop the capillary movement of water across the back of the board.
WEATHERTIGHT HOMES RESOLUTION SERVICE
A service established by the government to help owners of leaky buildings.
WHRS
Weathertight Homes Resolution Service
WIND REGIONS
Wind regions are given in Figure 5.1 of NZS 3604:2011 Timber-framed buildings.
WIND ZONES
Wind zones can be calculated from Table 5.1 of NZS 3604:2011 Timber-framed buildings. They are classified as a low, medium, high, very high or extra high wind. Buildings outside of the extra high zone must have the structure specifically designed.