New home sprouted mould after a month

By ALAN PERROTT

Carey Christensen would like to put a match to the new home she bought four years ago, but says it's so damp it probably couldn't burn.

The North Shore information technology manager says her home has had serious problems with mould, drainage, interior flooding, plumbing and electrical fittings.

Her claims follow a Herald investigation which revealed that thousands of new homes were likely to have leaks and rotting timber frames.

These faults encourage the growth of toxic mould and repairs may cost about $1 billion nationally.

Dozens of new home owners have contacted the Herald to complain about their leaky homes.

The day Ms Christensen and her daughter moved into their $199,000 Browns Bay townhouse they found faulty taps, a light that would not turn off, and a bedroom light switch that turned on a light in the hall.

Within a month, nails were popping out of the walls and mould was blooming.

When water and mud began pouring through an exposed connecting wall, she said, contractors simply drilled a hole in the floor to channel the flow away from the carpet. The garage walls turned black with mould and could be pierced with a finger so Ms Christensen resorted to a commercial heater in a vain attempt to reduce the damp.

"If I could get rid of the house I would. I know I didn't spend a lot of money for it, but hell's teeth, you just keep wondering what's going to go wrong next. I'm just dreading winter. I'll just have to tell people I live in an ark."

Ms Christensen's home is part of a 14-unit, two-block development built by registered master builders Lonestar Builders and Contractors on contract to Melview Developments.

Speaking through a public relations company, Melview Developments blamed the building contractor for the defects and said moisture problems came about because the units were built during winter.

The company said it had spent about $150,000 to repair all 14 units and had taken legal action against Lonestar Builders and Contractors, which it said went into liquidation before the units were completed.

Melview said repairs had taken about three years as the work could be done only during the dry building period and at times suitable to the tenants.

* This is a corrected version of this story. The original story incorrectly stated that the development Ms Christensen owns had been built by Lonestar Construction - and that Lonestar Construction had since gone into liquidation.

The company involved with these buildings was Lonestar Builders and Contractors Ltd. Lonestar Construction Ltd had no involvement with the homes referred to. The Herald regrets any embarrassment or inconvenience caused to Lonestar Construction Ltd.

* If you have more information on leaking buildings, please contact us. Email: newsdesk@nzherald.co.nz Fax: 09-373-6421.