Homeowners’ maintenance requirements

By - , Build 119

A large proportion of weathertightness building failures have resulted from insufficient maintenance – some could have been avoided if owners had been better informed.

There is a requirement that buildings continue to meet New Zealand Building Code requirements for the duration of their intended life.

Wall cladding and coating systems, in particular, are likely to need regular maintenance to remain waterproof and durable. Some cladding systems also incorporate functional components (such as drained and vented cavity drainage outlets) that require maintenance and, in some cases, protection to ensure that they continue to function.

Designers and builders can help

The responsibility for house maintenance lies with the homeowner. However, the designer and the builder must also play a role by making the homeowner aware of their maintenance responsibilities and of the potential for weathertightness failure if it is not carried out.

Following completion of construction, the builder and designer should inform the homeowner of things that need to be regularly maintained and that may be critical to the ongoing weathertight performance of the home. This may include aspects such as ground levels, flashings, sealants and coatings.

Maintenance manual

The designer should provide the homeowner with a current set of as-built documents and a summary of all the components incorporated into the exterior envelope.

It is a good idea to provide a maintenance manual that outlines all the maintenance requirements and explains the function of important performance aspects of the construction. This can also be a useful record in cases where lack of maintenance by the owner has contributed to weathertightness failure.

Making homeowners aware of maintenance requirements helps to ensure that buildings continue to perform and also means that you, as the builder or designer, are less likely to be called back for faults or to be involved in weathertight repairs and disputes.

Providing a seasonal maintenance guide as well can make it easy for homeowners to plan future maintenance.

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Articles are correct at the time of publication but may have since become outdated.

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