Coming to the decision to reclad your home can be a long and stressful process but if the homeowner has no choice it should be viewed as an opportunity to greatly enhance the quality, look, performance and ultimately the value of your home. However, leaky home repairs can go wrong. The process of recladding a home varies greatly to a new build; a more specialised skill set is required to ensure plain sailing throughout the reclad process. If the builder lacks the required skills or understanding of the reclad process this can lead to many unforeseen problems that will add stress and possibly extra unwanted cost and time to the project.
To avoid these pitfalls, it’s critical that the right professionals are engaged from the very beginning of the project. We understand that when it comes to your home, there can be no compromise on quality. By enlisting the help of our experienced recladding team on your leaky home project, you’ll receive more accurate job costings along with realistic construction time frames, and a high quality, lasting reclad.
During the 1990s many New Zealand homes were built using poor cladding methods and products that were unable to withstand the weather conditions that we experience in New Zealand. To make matters worse timber framing treatment standards were relaxed and poor house design led to the leaky home crisis that many home owners now face. Due to the use of monolithic cladding and other faulty building methods “leaky” homes have a tendency to trap water and moisture between the cladding and framework, causing the timber to rot; basically water finds its way into the framing structure of the house and cant dry out.
Over a period of time the rotting timber can lead to serious structural damage whereby the “load points” within the wall framing are weakened, making the house unsafe. Leaky homes also pose potential health risks as rotting timber can lead to the growth of fungus called Stachybotrys triggering skin and respiratory problems for its occupants.
This damage can eventually require hundreds of thousands of dollars in repairs or as a worst case scenario the home is best demolished to make way for a new home.
Roof and wall cladding systems are designed to keep your home weathertight.
House cladding is the application of one material over another in the roof, walls and other areas of the home in order to provide protection from weather elements.
Roof Cladding
This relies on overlapping cladding components to keep water out. Different roof cladding types include:
- Profiled metal roofing (e.g. corrugated)
- Pressed steel tiles
- Clay or concrete tiles
- Synthetic butyl rubber sheets
- Shingles
- Bitumen membrane
- Profiled impregnated wood fibre sheets
Wall Cladding
This is designed to protect the interior of the home from water and draught penetration under all conditions. Different wall cladding types include:
- Weatherboards
- Fibre cement
- Plywood
- Masonry veneer
- Concrete
- Monolithic systems
- Metal
Monolithic Cladding: Potential Problems and Leaky Homes
Houses with monolithic cladding systems have been identified as having a high risk of leaking. These homes often have problematic features such as:
- Wall claddings in contact with the ground
- Roofs with narrow or no eaves
- Recessed windows
- More than one storey
- Decks or balconies that protrude from the walls
- Enclosed or concealed gutters
- Untreated kiln-dried framing timber susceptible to rot
These features can cause the inadequate deflection or drainage of water – leading to leaky home syndrome. The different types of monolithic cladding include:
EIFS (Exterior Insulation and Finish Systems)
This cladding utilises polystyrene boards with a plaster and paint finish.
Texture coated fibre cement
These cladding sheets are made from cement, fine sand and cellulose, with a textured coating applied and painted after the sheets have been installed.
Stucco
With Stucco cladding, cement-based plaster is applied over a variety of backings including fibre-cement and plywood sheeting, before being painted.
Signs of problems with your Monolithic Cladding include:
- Cracks and splits in the cladding or joints
- Moisture staining or other visible water damage
- Musty smells
- Efflorescence (white chalky substance) at junctions or cracks
- Mould, moss or colour degradation
- Blistering or fading paintwork, or bubbling or peeling wallpaper
Signs you have a Leaky Home:
- Swelling in floor boards, window surrounds or skirtings
- Mould or damp
- Cracks and separations in sealant joints
- Discolouration or stains
- Damp smell throughout the home
If you are concerned that you may have a leaky home, we recommend you have your house inspected.
Plywood
Plywood panels make a strong, durable and attractive cladding option. We use treated plywood on many recladding projects, covering gaps with battens or flashings.
Weatherboards
Timber weatherboards are a traditional cladding material for New Zealand homes. Weatherboards are usually made from shaped planks fixed horizontally, and lapped over one another. These make a very effective cladding option as rainwater drains down the outside, and cannot get in unless it is forced upwards between the boards.
What does a Reclad cost?
Every project is different and therefore the cost will vary. The major factors determining cost include:
- Size and complexity of house.
- Extent of damage and rectification required.
- Extent of redecoration work required (i.e. damage to high cost areas like kitchens and bathrooms, whether a full interior repaint is required etc)
- Whether any alteration work is required or is to be undertaken at the same time.
- Whether new joinery (i.e. window and door joinery) is being installed.
- Access (i.e. is the house on a step site requiring extensive scaffolding).
- In our experience, the recladding costs for a stand-alone mid-sized (3-4 bedroom) house fall into the following ranges:-
- Remedial Design: $5,000 – $10,000
- Building Consent: $5,000 – $8,000
- Building Consultant: $2000 – $3,000
- Building Work: $150,000 – $800,000
For a more accurate cost estimate or quotation for your recladding project, you can contact us on 0800 880032
What are the benefits of a full reclad over a targeted repair solution?
The benefits of a full reclad over targeted repairs are significant and include:-
- A full reclad will result in your home being brought up to the current Building Code E2/AS1 requirements.
- A full reclad under a new Building Consent will mean you get a new Code Compliance Certificate issued in respect of the building repair work.
- A full reclad is the best way to ensure all problematic areas have been exposed and a proper repair completed.
- Because recladding involves removing the existing cladding, the underlying timber structure can be treated against rot and decay (many houses constructed between 1997 and 2003 were built using untreated timber framing).
- A full reclad will likely re-establish the full value in your property (possibly even increase the value) and will make it far more saleable.
What is involved in recladding a home?
Step 1: Scaffolding and Weather Protection
The first step in the leaky building repair process involves setting up scaffolding to provide access to the exterior cladding. Once the scaffolding is erected, weather protection is set up to keep the house dry whilst the building repair works are undertaken.
Step 2: Cladding Removal
The second step involves the cladding removal and disposal. Whilst it may be preferable from a logistical perspective to remove all the cladding at the same time, each dwelling must be approached on a case-by-case basis, as a staged ‘cladding removal’ process will be more appropriate for some building. Any joinery removed is safely stored (preferably on-site) and the removed cladding material is disposed off-site.
Step 3: Inspection of Timber Framing for Rot or Decay
Once the cladding has been removed, the local Council is advised and an inspection is organised to determine what steps are required to ensure the existing timber framing complies with the Building Code. The main issues considered during the inspection include the treatment level of the existing timber framing (if any), the moisture levels present in the timber framing and the presence of any rot or decay.
Step 4: Building Repair & Re-Cladding
The repair and re-cladding process is the most complicated and time-consuming part of the entire job. This is when the rotten or decayed timber (and any other damaged building elements) are removed and replaced, defective design faults corrected and the new cladding system reinstated as per the Building Code requirements. The quality of the repair work is paramount when it comes to ensuring the repaired building will not leak in the future.
Can I live at home during the repair process?
In short – it depends.
Where a full reclad is required, we generally recommend the property be vacated prior to starting the building work. As a general rule, the building will be without cladding, insulation and windows for a period during the work. The building work required is very noisy, dusty and disruptive to the living environment within a home. That said, every project is different. We can discuss the options available to with regard to your specific project and situation.
Can i stay in my leaky home during the re-clad process?
It is understood why you should want to stay in your own property during the re-clad process but this is something we strongly advise against, the re-clad process is very uncomfortable to endure but most of all it posses a serious health issue.
Do I need a Building Consent to reclad my home?
Yes you do.
If you proceed with recladding work without having been granted a building consent, the Council will issue you with a stop-work notice and require you to obtain the necessary consents before the work is able to continue. It takes time to get drawings completed and to obtain a building consent (generally about 3-4 months) and during that time the building work would be on-hold.
THE HIGHEST QUALITY RECLADDING AND LEAKY HOME REPAIRS SERVICE IN AUCKLAND
Our leaky home repair specialists are able to assist with anything from minor holes and damage to a complete re-clad of your home. Our team will also arrange your building plans and submit them to the council for approval, and organise inspections through the Code of Compliance.
If your home was built in the last ten years, you may be eligible to bring the claim to the Weathertight Homes Resolution Service for the cost of repairs. We can guide you through the claim process by providing you with the WHRS claim forms and helping you to complete them.
For more information on the Weathertight Homes Resolution Service, please visit the Department of Building and Housing Website.
TALK TO US ABOUT THE VARIOUS RECLADDING OPTIONS
Complete Reclads would be happy to provide the recladding your home requires. Please find out more about roof and wall cladding and our chosen cladding systems, or just give us a call now to speak to our helpful staff.