Making the most of remediation work

As long as builders carry out their due diligence, leaky home repairs can provide a continuous stream of steady work.

This article, based on weathertight remediation workshops run by MBIE – Building and Housing Group, is the last in the series and outlines some considerations builders should take into account before, during and after such a project.

In this article, we will be investigating ‘where to from here?’ for a builder who may be considering this line of work, or who is maybe just looking for more information on the whole subject.

Builders carry a potential risk on all construction projects, and leaky building remediation projects are no exception. Typically, builders get work through word of mouth or existing relationships. However, to secure this type of work, it may be necessary to approach organisations not previously considered for new opportunities.

Minimise risk, maximise success

As mentioned previously, the qualification and experience of designers and those professionals involved is critical to minimising a builder’s risk and maximising the success of the overall project.

There are now a number of companies and individuals specialising in remediation projects, with varying skills and competence. Some of these may belong to industry bodies such as the New Zealand Institute of Building Surveyors (NZIBS), which has prerequisites for membership and provides training and certification specifically related to such work.

“Builders carry a latent risk on all construction projects and leaky building remediation projects are no exception

You should always assess the suitability of those involved in a project and not be afraid to walk away if you do not believe they are sufficiently skilled or experienced. In some circumstances, the risk to a builder can be too great.

There are also builders out there offering a ‘one-stop shop’ option to building owners by effectively providing a design and build service. However, by doing so, they take on the additional design risk, arguably significantly increasing their exposure as a whole.

The building industry has to adapt to changes to the Building Act, Building Code and Health and Safety compliance to name but a few. With
the Licensed Building Practitioner (LBP) scheme, builders must keep abreast of these changes and continue to up-skill in order to continue to do Restricted Building Work (RBW), which leaky building remediation usually is.

Information and training

MBIE’s Building and Housing group runs various ongoing training courses, such as the Weathertightness Induction Course for builders. It also produces some very useful guidance, which, while not specifically targeted at builders, provides highly relevant information on many parts of the process.

“Remediating leaky buildings is a challenge but also an opportunity

These guides cover topics such as identifying the riskier features of a building, various investigation techniques, understanding the owner’s position and design considerations. These are available in hard copy and PDF formats from the Building and Housing Group website and details of these are listed below.

This website also contains other useful information on weathertightness issues and provides helpful background not only for builders, but also homeowners unfortunate enough to own an affected property. This includes outlining the eligibility criteria and process for the Weathertight Homes Resolution Service.

There are many examples of builders successfully specialising in remediating leaky buildings. We have tens of thousands of affected homes in New Zealand, so we need many good builders to restore our housing stock. Remediating leaky buildings is a challenge but also an opportunity.

Suggested follow up areas for more information:

Building and Housing website: www.dbh.govt.nz/ws-info-for-building-professionals

Building and Housing publications:

• Guide to Remediation Design
• Guide to the Diagnosis of Leaky Buildings
• Dealing with Timber in Leaky Buildings
• Code Watch Issue 1: October 2011
• www.dbh.govt.nz/weathertightness-guides
• OSH Bulletin 17
• ACC Think Safety First kit
• Pink is Tough Guide

About the author

Harry Dillon has been involved with the repair of more than 300 homes as a builder over the last ten years. This article represents Harry’s views, which may not necessarily be same as the Department’s.