Repairing Your Leaky House – What Factors Will Determine The Cost?
The extent that a building needs to be reclad (and therefore the cost) depends on the extent of the problem. In addition to the amount of damage, other factors such as whether you want to refurbish at the same time and whether you need to move your family out temporarily – will increase the cost of the project.
In other words the cost will vary from job to job, and initially you may only get an estimate until a specialist can assess your home.
When repairing a leaky building, the exterior cladding is replaced by one of a higher quality that has been installed correctly to be water tight. In addition, any rotting timber in the frame should be replaced.
Work may also be needed to repair window flashings (for example) and other problem areas that have contributed to the building not being weather tight in the first place, to prevent the problem reoccurring.
You also have the opportunity to refurbish or update the exterior of your home to create a different look or add new design elements which will also affect the total cost.
Then the repair job will either be a:
- Minor targeted repair or a
- Moderated targeted repair or a
- Full reclad
Minor repair (partial reclad)
Isolated problems resulting in limited damage that have not been occurring for long, or only occur in certain conditions could be resolved by a simple repair. A property professional or leaky building specialist will find the areas that need work and give you the details and associated estimated cost.
Moderate repair (partial reclad)
If the problem is isolated but has occurred over some time, further investigation will be needed to see the extent of the damage to the timber framing. Areas affected by mould or any rotten wood have to be removed and replaced. The source of the leak will need to be repaired. A property professional or leaky building specialist will find the areas that need work and give you details and associated estimated cost.
Extensive repair (full reclad)
If the problem is widespread and associated with the building design, workmanship or materials used a full reclad may be the only option. The full cost of major repair work cannot be established until timber framing is exposed and assessed by a specialist such as a building surveyor. The timber replacement for each house is different and dependant on treatment, the amount of rot, the length of time it has been exposed to moisture and the level of moisture in the wood.
Other costs
For situations where extensive repairs and full recladding is required, there may also be costs associated with temporarily relocating your family to a property that is not a building site with associated noise, dust and disruption. Building consents and permits will be needed for larger repair jobs. You may also choose to update other elements of your home or have refurbishment work done at the same time.
Platinum Pacific Reclad are specialist in the repair and reclad of leaky homes and buildings and are based in Auckland and Tauranga (New Zealand). Contact Platinum Pacific Reclad for a no obligation chat about your leaky building problem.
