Prendos exaggerates leak problem: master builder

11.45am

Experts from building surveying firm Prendos have exaggerated problems with building defects, giving homeowners unrealistic expectations, a parliamentary committee has been told.

Prendos director Philip O'Sullivan raised the alarm on leaky buildings at least 2-1/2 years ago but the issue became public only recently and is now the subject of a parliamentary inquiry.

Master Builders Federation chief executive Chris Preston today told the government administration select committee Prendos experts overstating the problem had created a barrier to finding solutions for people with problems.

"We have what we believe are credible experts of similar stature and standing who have gone in and had a look at some of the guarantee claims that we've had to satisfy in the last couple of years and the gap between what we believe was needed to be fixed and their recommendation was quite significant," Mr Preston said.

"We're talking 100 per cent difference."

A customer's view on what action was needed to rectify a problem was shaped by their expert, Mr Preston said.

If they were advised the entire exterior cladding needed to be removed for it to be fixed, they expected that to happen.

"(But) you don't have to take the whole building facade down. You don't actually have to take all of the untreated timber out," he said.

"That's what creates the difference.

"We're saying 'No, we can fix the problem. We can reinstate the stuff that has been damaged. We don't have to rebuild the whole building. We don't have to replank the whole building'."

The federation had about 1700 members companies employing about 10,000 people. Members had to have at least six years in the industry to join and had to provide such things as bank references, trade references and details of 10 jobs they had done.

It had issued 39,000 three to five-year non-completion and defect guarantees in its 11 years of existence, of which 31,000 were still live.

The federation had received 1000 claims in the past seven years and paid out $3.5 million in remedial or non-completion work. Most claims averaged about $5000.

Mr Preston said the federation became aware of problems with monolithic claddings about a year ago.

He believed it was vital customer confidence in the industry was restored and urged recognition of most in the industry who were doing a "damn good job".

About 24,000 houses were built each year; most were built and met the code.

"There are a lot of people that are well satisfied."

- NZPA

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Further reading
Feature: Leaky buildings

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