Inspectors warn of new building quality crisis

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mattwnz

20147 posts

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#3396634 23-Jul-2025 19:44

tweake:

that first problem is not really caused by lack of eves. the 2nd it has a bit to do with it.

first one is internal gutters. thats why it leaks or overflows into walls. even with eves the leaks/overflow can still end up in the wall with some types. if you overflow an external gutter it overflows outside the wall or eve.

the bigger the eves the less rain the door/windows get and the less problems occur. there is an Canadian study on that. but doors and windows are never perfectly sealed, so they always leak. the trick is to allow that water to drain out and dry.

Cladding cavities do largely solve this, so if water does get through it will drain. NZ didn't used to use cladding cavities.

tweake

2391 posts

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#3396638 23-Jul-2025 19:54

mattwnz:

They should video it and report that sort of thing. Anyone doing that sort of thing should never be allowed in the building industry again. The problem is that the building industry in NZ relies on a lot of trust and there are still far too many cowboys. Someone down the track could end up with a nightmare.

yeah but the problem there is they are often all mates. plus, who do you report it to that is not in on it? i've mentioned before with issues with inspectors being mates with the builders and letting things slide. nz is really small.

and yes it absolutely does end up a nitemare for someone. i recall the red beach(?) one where owner went to do an extension and found the original builder had short cut the foundations. they demolished the house and found a message written in the wall about it.

tweake

2391 posts

Uber Geek

#3396641 23-Jul-2025 20:00

mattwnz:

Cladding cavities do largely solve this, so if water does get through it will drain. NZ didn't used to use cladding cavities.

yes. quite correct.

the issue is not the lack if knowledge, its the lack of using it or wanting to use it. eg there is still builders out there who want to go build like its 1960. others just want to build the cheapest crap possible because people want cheap crap that looks perfect that doubles in value every ten years. they are not interested in building houses to live in.

k1w1k1d

1519 posts

Uber Geek

#3396668 23-Jul-2025 21:14

I believe after the Christchurch earthquakes they found that many concrete slabs didn't have the reinforcing they were supposed to have. Also, much of the reinforcing that was there wasn't installed correctly.

Bung

6478 posts

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Subscriber

#3396675 23-Jul-2025 21:31

This was news in 2019. If it is still an issue in residential construction you may as well give up on council inspection providing any value.

https://www.interest.co.nz/property/102136/ministry-business-innovation-employment-requests-evidence-concrete-structure

gzt

17111 posts

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Lifetime subscriber

#3396690 23-Jul-2025 22:08

Handsomedan: It's incredible what you hear/see when it comes to large scale build areas, like Long Bay and Hobsonville Point. We have frineds who live in both areas and they've seen building companies lay reinforcing steel/mesh, get their pre-pour sign-off and immediately remove it prior to pouring concrete, to be used at the next site.

If true - that is not rushing a job or anything like it - that is exceptional conduct and criminal fraud with intent. If it is as widespread in those areas as your comment indicates it should be trivial to capture on video.

gzt

17111 posts

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#3396693 23-Jul-2025 22:24

tweake: its not a training issue, or even licensing issue. its simply that they are shortcutting everything they can to stay afloat. that will still happen regardless if training or certification etc. only thing you can do is inspect the work constantly.

Your view is fatalistic. No, there is a big difference between a trained and experienced person rushing things a bit compared to an untrained person operating on inadequate instructions.

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tweake

2391 posts

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#3396755 24-Jul-2025 10:19

gzt:
..... there is a big difference between a trained and experienced person rushing things a bit compared to an untrained person operating on inadequate instructions.

that would be absolutely true in normal situations. but in a falling market where companies are going bust every week, then no. the only difference between the two is one knows they are being dodgy and the other doesn't.

blackjack17

1705 posts

Uber Geek

#3396797 24-Jul-2025 12:48

Handsomedan:

It's incredible what you hear/see when it comes to large scale build areas, like Long Bay and Hobsonville Point.
We have frineds who live in both areas and they've seen building companies lay reinforcing steel/mesh, get their pre-pour sign-off and immediately remove it prior to pouring concrete, to be used at the next site.

It's mad that this is such an obvious one - I hate to think how many houses are being signed off with much worse shortcuts.

This seems like one of those old wives tales. I remember hearing this one back in 90s when flat bush was being developed.

The risks of getting caught are high
The labour costs of doing so are high
The cost of steel is cheap (as a proportion of the total slab)

They would be much better using cheaper non-compliant steel.

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