The emotional cost of water in the walls
Everyone has heard of Leaky Home Syndrome but not much is talked about Leaky Home Owner Syndrome. Symptoms can include depression, sleepless nights, a fear of rain and wind, an inability to completely unwind and relax, relationship issues, and the compulsion to spend large amounts of time and money on repairs/litigation/investigation.
Abraham Maslow in his 1943 paper a Theory of Human Motivation proposed a pyramid of what he described as human needs.
The Theory suggests that the needs of the level below have to be met before the next level up can be considered or satisfied. The need for shelter is one of the most basic human needs for survival and must be fulfilled before things like friendship and intimacy, esteem, and financial and personal security. At the heart of the Leaky Building Syndrome is the disruption to homeowners of this most basic need for shelter from the weather. It is damaging psychologically to live in a shelter that cannot properly protect itself or the occupants from the vagaries of the New Zealand weather patterns.
Added to this stress is the undue amount of time and money to get things rectified, if at all. And the way the house building and certification “system” has butt covered and fluffed around in its dealings with homeowners caught in the leaky trap. I have not personally owned a leaky home but I have sympathy for the hundreds of homeowners who have unwittingly become participants in this dance of depression.
I would also suggest that the problem won’t go away anytime soon. There are homes entering the market every day in New Zealand that either have problems that the owners may or may not know about, or have the potential to have problems with time and a lack of basic maintenance. In my experience, sometimes the first inkling that a homeowner has of a problem with their home is when they come to sell and a potential buyer gets a builders report with moisture meter testing that highlights higher than average moisture in wall linings. You can get used to the faint musty smell or dismiss the mold affecting the paint work under windows as due to condensation, but these things can be a result of greater underlying problems.
Like many building companies, councils, and government agencies, I have no obvious answers for people who have leaky homes and who can’t seem to get redress. But I can help prospective purchasers avoid the problems of others by encouraging them to pay the money and get a comprehensive builders report completed by a respected and insured house inspection company that includes moisture meter testing in their report, especially if you a considering purchasing a mono-clad or textured coated home in New Zealand in the 1990′s – 2004 era.
One such company who conducts moisture meter testing is the NZ House Inspection Company. This is not a personal endorsement but is simply an example of one such company I have had dealings with who seem to tick all the boxes. Having a builder friend or family member in the trades give the house a quick once over is all well and good, but if any problems are missed then you have little or no redress. I have more than once witnessed friendships disintegrate over such issues.
I also feel strongly that potential home sellers should consider getting a building inspection done before putting their home on the market especially if the house is built in the era mentioned, has a mono-clad exterior, or is exhibiting suspicious symptoms. It is often too late once you have your home on the market and building inspections start coming back with high moisture content mentioned. If you have an offer that falls through due to real (I emphasize “real” here, not just imagined by the buyer or used as an excuse for cold feet in the purchase process as sometimes happens) concerns regarding moisture (or any other major structural issue) your real estate consultant is obligated to mention this to any further prospective purchasers making the selling process more difficult. It is better to get any issues rectified before selling so that you go into the marketing process with an issue free home and a guilt free mind.
July 20 2009 09:57 am | General Real Estate and Home Buyers and Home Sellers
Tania Mayo on 22 Jul 2009 at 10:19 am #
This is a very well written and valuable piece David. May I have your permission to print it off and use it with my clients? I think it is a thought provoking article for buyers and vendors alike, to consider the state of the building they are buying/selling and the consequences of inaction/misaction. Love the triangle too!
building inspections auckland on 10 Feb 2012 at 6:42 pm #
Great practical advice to a common yet very difficult problem!
Building inspections do protect buyers… and help sellers sell their houses faster by being able to address home leaks and defects first before putting them in the market.