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Pre-purchase house inspection

6 questions to ask before booking your pre-purchase house inspection

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Before signing on the dotted line to secure your new home, you may want to get an expert’s opinion in the shape of a pre-purchase house inspection. The last thing you want to do is end up with an asset that’s going to cost you money in the long run.

There are a number of building inspectors carrying out pre-purchase inspections who you can approach, but you need to make sure that they’re going to give you useful, reliable advice. Ultimately, your decision will probably come down to how much experience each inspector has and how useful the information they provide you with will be.

So what sort of questions should you ask before a pre-purchase house inspection?

 

What experience do you have?

Before booking a pre-purchase house inspection, you want to make sure that your inspector knows what they’re doing. Find out how long they’ve been inspecting, and what they did prior to inspections that gives them insight into how homes are constructed.

I started out as a builder back in the 80s, and, combined with my time in the NZ Police as a Forensic Crime Scene Examiner, that’s given me the ability to pick up things that others might not. Industry knowledge is vital – and great observation skills are even more important.

 

What kind of qualifications do you have?

Inspectors should be experienced and qualified – completing New Zealand Building Surveyors Training Programme modules has given me knowledge on key things to look for, including weather tightness, and any inspector worth their salt should have done similar training.

The modules also cover topics such as decay, fungi and moulds, cladding systems, forensic techniques, and the properties of moisture.

 

What kind of feedback have you received from clients?

Before booking a pre-purchase home inspection, make sure you’ve heard what the inspectors’ other clients have said. Google their name or search for them on Facebook to discover unedited testimonials from clients. One of the nicest parts of the job as an inspector is hearing nice feedback, so most inspectors will share some on their website well.

One of my favourite testimonials, from Marcia Gates, highlights why I became an inspector: “I just wanted to thank you for the comprehensive and professional report you provided us with when we were considering buying a property recently. We were totally unaware of building construction and pitfalls we may have encountered without the professional report we received from you. We also thank you for being so pleasant and honest to deal with.”

 

What sort of pre-purchase house inspection reports are available?

Whether you’re a purchaser or the vendor, a home inspection report can be pretty helpful. In both situations, a report will highlight the strengths and weaknesses of a property, giving the vendor a clear view of what they might need to fix up before selling, and showing any potential buyers the true condition of the home so they can avoid any nasty surprises!

 

How quickly can I get my report?

The home buying process is long enough without reports dragging it out even more. Make sure you know upfront when you’re going to get your report so there are no nasty surprises. We turn our reports around in only one working day so that you get as much time as possible to consider what’s covered in the report.

 

Know your inspector, know your property

Pre-purchase house inspection reports are necessities when you’re considering buying or selling a property. Reports, however, are only as reliable as the inspector you’re working with. Make sure you’re working with one who’s got the experience and know-how to make sure you know what you need to know. Get a quote for a pre-purchase house inspection now

Asbestos building inspections

Keeping an eye out for asbestos

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Asbestos. We’ve all been told how bad it is for us, but what actually is it? Found in many building materials used until the late eighties, it’s a mineral that can be hazardous to your health if incorrectly managed.

Though it has many applications, these health risks meant that its use in homes has been heavily regulated in New Zealand from 1978. So although most modern houses should be asbestos-free, it’s very likely that any house built before the regulation (and for some time afterwards) will include asbestos within the materials.

This doesn’t mean that older houses are bad investments or medical emergencies waiting to happen – it just means that you have to be wary of the risks involved.

Asbestos can be relatively safe if the materials supporting it are left undisturbed. Health issues are usually caused when the fibres are inhaled, and this happens only under certain circumstances, such as during a renovation. As symptoms of inhalation only show up in the long term, it can be almost impossible to know if you’re putting yourself at risk unless you consult building inspectors or other experts.

 

Red flags to look for

Though any house built prior to the eighties might have asbestos within, as long as the materials containing the asbestos are in a secure condition you don’t need to be too concerned.

Any sort of physical trauma to materials can cause asbestos to be released. Flaky walls, damaged cement cladding, and loose insulation are all primary perpetrators. Renovating older houses can be especially challenging as the work carried out can often lead to the release of asbestos fibres. Even something as mild as children roughhousing and knocking into walls could cause issues, which is why it’s so important to be aware of any potential asbestos in your home.

If, during a building inspection, we find signs of asbestos, we will flag in the building inspection report that it could be a cause for concern in the property. However, it’s impossible to say for sure whether asbestos is present without lab testing a sample. It always pays to be wary.

 

The removal process

If you’re faced with the situation where these dangerous fibres could potentially be released into your home, then you’ll need to pay to have them removed – which is a fairly pricey endeavour. This is something worth thinking about when purchasing a house with the intention of fixing it up – you may be paying a cheaper price upfront, but costs will add up pretty quickly when you need to get professionals in.

Asbestos removal is not a simple task, which is why you’ll need to hire competent removers to do the work for you. Many builders may claim to know the removal process, but they are just as likely to try scraping it off your walls – a big mistake. Although initially a building foundations company, the team at Conqra are heavily experienced in asbestos removal and The Property Inspectors recommend them for any asbestos-related issues.

Older houses can be very attractive investments for a number of reasons, however there can also be a number of pitfalls potential buyers can find themselves in. It’s important to consider the implications of purchasing a property that uses materials containing asbestos as the long-terms effects to your health and your pocket can be significant. Although there is nothing inherently wrong with purchasing an older house, if there’s been significant damage to the property or you’re thinking of renovating then you may run into trouble.

 

Signs of asbestos are just one of the many things we look for when conducting a building inspection – so get a free quote now to make sure you’re not going to have to deal with the consequences!

Get a pre-purchase building inspection to make sure your pre-approved finance will actually come through – don't be fooled by old plumbing and a rusty roof!

Pre-approved finance: Avoid losing it with a pre-purchase building inspection

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Buying a house can be stressful at the best of times. Often it feels like there’s so much going on at once, it’s hard to get all your ducks in a row and actually buy the home you really want. So thinking about a pre-purchase building inspection might not be the first thought on your mind!

However, the advice I give to new home buyers and seasoned investors alike, is to get pre-approved finance as early on in the buying journey as possible – and make sure that any home you’re keen to buy will be covered under that finance with a pre-purchase building inspection.

The last thing you want is to fall in love with a home, sink time and energy into making an offer, then miss out because you can’t get the right finance in time or because the house isn’t covered by your pre-approval.

What is pre-approval?

When we talk about ‘getting pre-approval’, it’s basically a guarantee from your bank that they will lend you money. Two forms exist: Initial pre-approval, and specific pre-approval.

Initial pre-approval may be acquired from your bank at any time, whether you have a house in mind or not—it’s basically just an expression of how much money your bank is willing to lend. For example, you may get a letter from the bank saying you have pre-approval up to $600,000, meaning you should limit your search to houses in that range.

Specific pre-approval comes when you have a house in mind. The bank will want to know details about the condition and valuation of the house, along with your income, expenses and history, and will make a decision based on this whether they will lend you money for the particular property you’re hoping to buy. This means that you’ll be able to leave the bank armed with a letter saying, for example, that they’ll loan you up to $575,000 for 12 Pond Street.

Why is it important?

Having pre-approval takes a lot of the worry out of buying a house, and gives you an edge over other buyers.

When the market is hot, sellers will often only consider offers from buyers who have pre-approval. Think of it from their perspective: They don’t want to enter into an agreement with someone who might not even be able to come up with the money—that’d be a waste of their time, with so many other willing buyers out there. Gaining pre-approval means a fast, easy purchase, putting you one step ahead of others in your shoes.

Pre-approval also helps you set boundaries. There’s nothing worse than looking at a bunch of open homes, falling in love with your dream house, then realising the bank won’t lend you money for it.

What can prevent pre-approval?

Plenty of factors affect gaining pre-approval: Your personal finances (incomes, expenses, type of employment, credit history, assets), the house’s valuation, and condition.

The majority of these are out of your control, but not the house’s condition. Often a house can seem like it’s in great condition aesthetically, yet have major issues lying just under the surface. That’s where a pre-purchase building inspection comes in. Some banks may not give pre-approval for houses that may have:

  • Roof issues (rust, significant leaking etc)
  • Old wiring and electrical board (these may require an electrical inspector to check)
  • Dux Quest plumbing (popular in the 1970’s, but found to have serious leaking issues)
  • Age (anything pre-1940’s may have specific criteria to meet, such as no scrim)
  • Foundations (houses made with old totara poles will typically suffer from rot)
  • Cladding type(some banks have specific criteria for high risk cladding types, such as cladding on a cavity system)

A good pre-purchase building inspection will quickly unearth any of these issues.

Taking the time to invest in having any potential future home thoroughly checked over can not only mean gaining pre-approval and an advantage over other buyers, but also saving unnecessary time wasting and heartbreak, should issues arise.

Rather than leaving a building inspection to be part of the mad rush before settlement date, get it out of the way nice and early, and make sure that your financial pre-approval is secured with a pre-purchase building inspection.

Get a free quote now

Pool fencing laws - get a property inspection

Could new pool fencing laws affect the property you’re buying?

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While keeping up with new legislation isn’t the average person’s idea of fun, recent legal changes around pool fencing could affect you and your property. While I won’t go into all the nitty-gritty details about what’s changing (you can read them for yourself here), the crux of it is that on 1 January 2017, the Building (Pools) Amendment Act 2016 repealed the Fencing of Swimming Pools Act 1987, and provisions about pool fencing were inserted into the Building Act 2004. Still confused? Don’t worry—I’m here to break down what these changes will mean for you and your property.

What’s new?

The new fencing laws can be broken down into three main changes: inspection frequency, new territorial authority, and suitable barriers.

While the Auckland Council already requires that privately owned pools undergo a check-up every 3 years, this requirement now applies to all pools across the country. Inspections can be performed by either a council member or an independent pool inspector. While I’m not qualified to make official pool inspections, I know some of the key things to look out for when I do your property inspections, and can give you a heads up as to what may no longer qualify as a safe pool barrier.

When a qualified person comes to inspect your pool, they will take a look at both the external barriers and the internal functionality of the pool, making sure that it is both safe and compliant. Now that the standards around compliant barriers have changed, you may find your pool does not pass its inspection, even if it was fine last time. Spa pools smaller than 5m2   may only need a safety cover as a suitable barrier, and doors that lead directly to a pool must be self-closing or have an alarm that sounds if the door is not closed again after an adult walks through. While these may seem costly and unnecessary, you don’t want to have a child drown in your pool due to non-compliant fencing—which is why it’s worth calling an expert.

How pool fencing affects buying and selling properties

Your property is more than just your house, and in the same way that I advise contacting a property inspector before buying, it’s also worthwhile to have someone inspect your pool. If you’re selling, the last thing you want is for someone to inform you that your pool barriers aren’t up to standard—you don’t want to have to lower your selling price! Being able to inform potential buyers that your pool meets the required safety codes proves the value of your property, and hopefully will encourage people to buy it.

If you’re looking to buy a house, a non-compliant pool could become a hidden cost, something best avoided with the help of a specialist. The ideal transaction between a seller and a buyer will have as few hiccups as possible, which is why both pool and property inspections are so crucial.

With changes in the Act come changes in standards of acceptability, and while this may seem like a pain the neck for people with pools on their property, it’s all about keeping people safe in your home. Don’t let hidden costs catch you off guard—get both your pool and house up to standard with the help of a professional.

Contact me now to book a professional property inspection.

Budgeting for house costs? Factor in a building inspection

Have you done your sums? Hidden costs when buying a property

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If you’re looking to buy a home, you may be wondering whether it’s worth hiring a building inspector to complete a pre-purchase home inspection. If the house looks good to you, is a building inspection worth the cost?

What many home buyers don’t realise is that houses can come with hidden costs, and choosing not to invest in a pre-purchase building inspection now could result in major expenses further down the track. As someone with years of experience behind me, I know what to look out for – here are some of the common building flaws that the untrained eye may miss when examining properties:

Mould—what does it mean?

It’s pretty common for homes to acquire a little bit of mould on their exterior over time, and sometimes all the walls need is a good scrub. However, mould could also be a sign of a leaky home, something which you definitely DON’T want to buy. Leaky homes can cost tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars to fix, and just aren’t worth it. Choosing to get a professional building inspection before finalising any payments could save you from purchasing a lemon – and some pretty tough times money-wise later.

Your responsibility

Once you’ve purchased a property, any pre-existing problems are now your responsibility. If you’ve been around all the open homes, it can be very overwhelming, and it’s easy to forget to check for some of the common problems in houses. Throughout my years of experience, I’ve noticed a few faults that seem to avoid being noticed until it’s too late. Faulty roofing, broken home appliances, unstable handrails, and problematic plumbing are financial burdens that you really don’t need!

It’s also important to consider how well the building will fare in different weather. A poorly ventilated house can lead to pesky mould, and a house without insulation will cause your power bill to skyrocket during the winter months! It’s also worth noting that insulation will be compulsory in all rental homes starting July 2019, so if you’re buying property to rent, you’ll probably want to get a building inspection report first.

Faults can be your friend

Whenever I conduct a building inspection, chances are I’ll find a few hidden faults within the property. In a competitive housing market (particularly in Auckland!), knowing the property’s flaws are the best bargaining chips you’ll have. Use them to your advantage when negotiating – you may even be able to get a better deal!

If you’re browsing around the housing market at the moment, pre-purchase building inspections on any house you’re considering is just good sense – and will help save you a huge amount of money and stress further down the line. Get in touch today for a quality building inspection with results you can trust.

Tips for property season from a building inspections expert

Getting ready for property season – from an Auckland building inspections veteran

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Regardless of whether the property market has slowed or not, summer is always a busier time of year. If you’re looking to buy, it’s vital that you’re prepped and ready to go before you make an offer or bid at an auction. From my construction and building inspections background, I’ve put together my five top tips for getting ready for property season:

Find out any issues in advance

One of my clients found a house they loved and that looked great on the surface so decided to forgo the property inspection beforehand. Unfortunately, once they’d made the agreement they realised that the property was not constructed out of timber framing, as they had thought, but instead from composite panels. While this changed their minds about wanting the property, it unfortunately was not the kind of thing that would void the purchase agreement, and so they had to complete the purchase. Had they had a building inspection report carried out, they likely would not have made an offer on that particular property.

Get someone who knows what to look for on board

It takes experience to notice the potential problems a house could have, and if you don’t know what you’re looking for, it’s easy to get caught out. A house that looks great on the surface may have bigger issues, so make sure you bring in someone with a background in building to identify small problems that could turn into bigger ones, such as faulty tiling, leaks, or risks due to cladding types. These are the issues that take an expert to spot, so it always pays to ask a professional building inspector for their opinion. With my construction and building inspections experience, I notice things that the average home buyer wouldn’t.

Watch out for the fine print

With many houses selling at auction, it’s easy to get caught up in the excitement of bidding wars. However, bidding = buying. Once you’ve made an offer for a property via a bid, you are now legally committed to the sale. Even if your sale and purchase agreement gives you options to cancel the deal, sometimes they’re not worded in your favour and they are legally binding. Get a property lawyer to look over any contracts before you sign and protect yourself from any issues later.

Weigh up the cost

If you’re attending an auction for a home, a pre-auction property inspection may seem like an unnecessary cost when there’s no guarantee that you’ll get the property. However, the same can be said if you have signed a Sale & Purchase Agreement and need to get out of the deal. You’ll need to engage the services of a lawyer, will be far higher than if you had obtained a pre-auction/pre-offer property inspection.

Likewise, the cost of a property could go up exponentially when you take into account any issues that may cost you far more down the line in repairs. When you’re looking at buying a property, factor the cost of building inspections (several, if needed) into your budget. While the cost may seem unnecessary, there’s nothing worse than finding out that you’ve spent a million bucks on a property which needs a large sum of money spent on it.

Put your emotions aside

I’ve seen many buyers become emotionally attached to a faulty property, particularly when it’s their first home. No matter how perfect a house may seem, there are some problems that can’t be fixed – such as borer in the walls. My job is to give you the facts about a property, even if they’re hard to hear. Try as hard as you can to avoid getting emotionally attached to a property before you know whether it’s actually fit for purpose.

 

If you’re browsing around the housing market at the moment, pre-purchase building inspections on any house you’re considering is just good sense – and will help save you a huge amount of money and stress further down the line. Get in touch today for a quality building inspection with results you can trust.

 

building inspection reports

What to look for in building inspection reports

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How to get peace of mind from your pre-purchase or pre-sale building inspection reports

Pre-purchase or pre-sale; there are a couple of different types of building inspection reports. While they both make up an important part of a negotiation around a purchase, they are sought by different parties in a negotiation, for different purposes. First let’s take a look at the key differences – before we delve into what you should be looking for, in either case.

If you’re wanting a pre-purchase building report

A pre-purchase inspection is perhaps the more common form of building report. Like you might subject a used car that you were looking to buy to a mechanical check, you want to be sure that the house you are buying contains no hidden surprises. Whether you’re buying an investment property or looking to purchase the home of your dreams, a professional inspection assesses the condition of a property, ensuring that you’re not signing on for unknown or unforeseen significant problems. Believe it or not, even new builds may have issues (I inspect new builds all the time), so just because it’s new and has a CCC (Certificate of Code of Compliance) doesn’t mean it’s free from issues. A building inspection report is designed to give you, and your bank, the confidence that you are making a sound purchase.

If you’re wanting a pre-sale property report

More and more homeowners are being advised to get a pre-sale inspection of their property in order to make this report available for potential buyers. Following New Zealand’s leaky home crisis, both property buyers and the banks are more wary, especially when it comes to particular types of homes. Not only highlighting problems, a building inspection report can also highlight areas where value can be added. A pre-sale building report shows transparency and can give the vendor an opportunity to repair things highlighted in the pre-sale report they were unaware of. It and can be used as a powerful negotiation tool when it does come time to get someone signing the dotted line.

So what are the most important things to look for in a pre-purchase or pre-sale building inspection report?

Trusted credentials

Not all building inspectors are created equally, so don’t be afraid to ask to see some credentials. Many building inspectors used to be builders, which gives them practical knowledge. Look for a combination of vast experience and special skills or lines of specialty that set your inspector apart, as well as what official training and certifications they have. The best inspectors should be continually increasing their knowledge base with updates in the industry – I’ve recently undergone Pool Fencing and BOINZ Accreditation Courses to ensure my skills and knowledge change and grow as the building industry and housing market does.

Thorough and detailed

Make sure that the building inspection report that you’re going to get following your building inspection is thorough and details, taking into account all aspects of the property of interest. Comprehensive building inspection reports covers more than just moisture-testing and external weather-tightness and should also provide detail right from the type and condition of the foundations through to each aspect of the home’s construction methods and materials, and the condition these are in. You can view one of our comprehensive sample building inspection reports here, to see the level of detail that you can expect from The Property Inspectors.

Great follow up

Reading the report is one thing, being able to talk through and interpret the results is another. A great building inspector will not only provide you with a thorough report, they’ll also be available to discuss any issues or concerns that you may have following their findings. Wherever possible, I’ll call the purchasers to discuss the inspection before I even send through the report, so you understand every part of it.

If you’re ready to get a building inspection report, get in touch today.

Building inspections for old homes

Don’t let an old home become a headache

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Why a building inspection is vital – and what to look for to know if an older home is a good buy

There’s no doubt that there’s something charming about old homes – whether it’s a turn of the century villa, a California-inspired bungalow or a relic from the post-war building boom. However, there are certain things you need to consider when purchasing a piece of New Zealand’s building history, especially with any homes that were built pre 1978.

In seeking to avoid a headache later down the line, it pays to get a professional building inspection, however we’ve put together some pointers of some of the key things to be mindful of also.

 

Does it have its coat, hat, and shoes on?

It’s well worth looking at whether the home has the required insulation, or whether this will need to be retrofitted. Not only will you want it to be warm if you’re looking to move in, but if you’re buying the property as an investment and are renting it out, tenancy law changes require you to meet certain standards. In some cases, building consent is required to add insulation into walls, so it’s important to be informed and factor this work into the cost.

 

Is there any scrim in sight?

We’re not talking about a football scrimmage here either! Scrim is an open-weave, coarse fabric (it looks a bit like sacking!) that was popular in old villas and bungalows (before the days of plasterboard) and was often laid straight on top of wall framing. The problem lies in the fact that scrim is highly flammable and many insurance companies may not insure a house with scrim due to the fire risk.

 

Poke around in the plumbing

Too much intimate inspection of our plumbing is often a touchy subject, but when it comes to an old home, it’s more than worth a poke around. They say that prevention is the best medicine – and the thing to watch out for here is the use of dux quest plumbing. This early type of black plastic piping was largely used in houses in the late 70s and early 80s and, as a system, it tends to leak quite a lot and can cause a myriad of issues later on.

 

Don’t forget the foundations

People often think that as long as a house is still standing – and straight! – there’s no need to give much thought to the foundations. However the foundations are the basis on which the entire house is built, so it’s important they’re not overlooked. Lots of old builds were up on piles, as opposed to poured concrete slabs that are often underneath newer homes, so it pays to check what’s going on under there. Don’t just assume it’ll all be alright – one house I inspected had tree stumps as foundations… It’s safe to say this ‘treehouse’ was not overly solid.

 

Is there any asbestos?

Most of us know that this one is a red flag, but where does it really cause challenges? In some places and products, asbestos fibres won’t create problems, but if they are on loose things, like the backing of old vinyl, you’re up for some issues. Not only is asbestos insidious, it can cost a fortune to get rid of, as it requires specialists.

 

A qualified property inspector can help you spot all the issues above, as well as a number of other potential pitfalls that may be present in an old home. By all means, enjoy, invest in and restore these aged beauties but, as with any property purchase, remember it’s best to go in with your eyes open. Not only can this help you avoid later headaches, but it helps with your negotiating power also. Forewarned is fore-armed, after all. Get in touch now for a building inspection to make sure your old home is a good buy.

 

What you can build without consent

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What you can build without consent

If you’re looking to extend and expand your home in some way, there can be a heck of a lot of hoops to jump through, depending on what it is that you’re wanting to do.

But some building work can be undertaken without building consent – meaning you’re free to work within the specified boundaries to your heart’s content. So, to help you figure out what you can do without worrying about paperwork, here’s a basic guide to work that’s exempt from building legislation.

(Before starting any new project, though, make sure you’re really confident that you’ve read up and checked in on everything – there may be a hefty fine coming your way if you inadvertently carry out work that does in fact require building consent.)

Getting stuck into fixing things up
Basic house maintenance is in the clear – this can include things like replacing weatherboard in the same position, or replacing roof cladding that has lived out its durability requirement – as long as you’re replacing it with a comparable material. If you’re wanting to replace corrugated iron roofing with concrete tiles, though, that will need consent, as the tiles are heavier and will potentially have a substantial and detrimental effect on the building’s structural integrity.

Over on The Property Inspectors’ website, I’ve gone into more detail about other consent-exempt building projects – from pergolas, to skylights, to sleepouts!

Building something small
There’s an exemption for ‘single-storey detached buildings not exceeding 10 square metres in floor area’ – which basically translates to things like garden sheds or sleepouts. Keep in mind though that if you want to include cooking or sanitary facilities in the new structure, you will need consent.

Popping up a pergola
A pergola has a simple frame and no roof – perfect for integration into garden features. You can build as large a pergola as you want – but it must not have any kind of roof covering, not even plastic sheeting or clear polycarbonate. So if you’re wanting an outdoor installation that’s safe from the elements, you’re safest to check in on whether it’s going to be larger than 10 square metres (as mentioned above) – otherwise (you guessed it!) you’ll be needing to organise building consent.

Outbuilding repair and replacement
You have a little more flexibility with regard to size if you’re working with an existing structure. Maybe your garage is a little worse for wear and you want to replace it with a prefab version, or you decide to downsize your garage from a double to a single to maximise outdoor living space. The general rule of thumb here is that the building must be a comparable structure – so, for example, you couldn’t replace a carport with a fully-fledged garage – and the footprint must not exceed the existing structure.

A little something extra

There is some degree of flexibility around the installation of windows and doors, as long as you work within the limits of the exemption. They’re the sorts of things that make sense, when you think about it. If you’re installing a skylight, be sure to pick its place between the existing roof trusses. If you want to remove a window and replace it with a wall, make sure that you’ll still be meeting all the building code requirements with regard to ventilation and natural light.

The Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment has a thorough guide to the ins and outs of what you can and can’t do – so if you’re looking for any kind of clarification, have a look – or you can always get in touch with me for a little extra advice!

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Insulate yourself from future problems

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Insulate yourself from future problems

Cold, damp houses are a serious problem in New Zealand, causing health issues for thousands of people around the country. With new legislation on the horizon (and considering the winter that we’ve been having), insulation is a hot topic in the property world.

There are roughly 450,000 rental properties in Auckland, about 180,000 of which aren’t insulated. Recent policy changes mean that all rental properties will need to adhere to a “warrant of fitness” by 2019. To meet the new standards, all rental properties must be properly insulated, providing a warm, dry environment for their inhabitants.

Installing insulation into rental properties will create a fair bit of work for landlords and property managers, and the change hasn’t been without its naysayers. However, long term, providing proper insulation will have significant health, social and economic benefits, both for those that live in rental properties, and those that own them.

It’s not just renters who benefit from well insulated homes either. Good insulation reduces both dampness and noise, keeps homes cool in summer and costs less to heat, making is essential for a healthy family home. The warm, dry environment provided by a well-insulated home is especially important for kids, who are at increased risk of developing respiratory conditions like asthma when living in damp or cold environments. If left unchecked, these can develop into illnesses like Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), so prevention is the best solution.

Many people think insulation only relates to walls and ceilings, but the reality is that full insulation that covers all areas of a home will be much more effective. When installing insulation, it’s worth addressing all of the following areas:

1. Ceiling
2. Underfloor
3. Walls
4. Windows

If your home has no underfloor insulation, it’s best to install some – you’ll really notice the difference. Installing insulation into ceilings and floors can be done without building consent, however, consent is required for the retrofitting of wall insulation.

And if any pre-existing insulation has been damaged, replacing it will make a big difference to the temperature and comfort of your home. While not especially common in New Zealand, double glazing is extremely worthwhile, as it helps to regulate your homes temperature, and keeps out a lot of noise (a huge bonus if you live near the road!)

There’s no denying that installing this kind of full insulation is pricy, but it’s worth the investment too. Your home or rental property will be comfortable and quiet all year round, vastly increasing its market value and making it much more desirable to live in.

2019 may seem like a long time away, but as the date creeps closer, demand for insulation will increase. A lot of housing, especially in Auckland, requires better insulation, and just because a property owner or agent claims that a property is fully insulated, that doesn’t mean that it is. Check all of the areas of the house from the ceiling and underfloor, to the walls and windows. If you’d like a professional assessment, I’m happy to examine insulation (or lack thereof) and provide recommendations, as part of your property inspection.

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