To quote a building inspector in a letter I received in July 2003

"Inspectors visiting building sites on matters of compliance are noticing an increase in the amounts of mould & fungal growth occurring on framing timbers. Generally this is showing up on untreated Pinus framing and to a lesser extent on New Zealand Oregon. At present we are experiencing a shortage of sub trades such as bricklayers and roofers. The roll-on effect of this is building work in progress left without adequate protection to the framing timber. Building paper and synthetic wraps, as we all know are porous and allow moisture to pass through them therefore providing little protection to the framing. If at pre line stage mould and fungal growth is found, the inspector will assess the extent of this growth and make a judgement call as to whether the client may continue or if further investigation by a suitably qualified person is necessary. "

nuff said

we were building with these claddings right back in the 80's when there was treated timbers why then is it houses in the late 90's to early 00's that seem to have issues.

This is a difficult time for the consumers considerably more so for those who have houses built during the late eighties early millenium with untreated timber framing. Consumer perception is very difficult to quell without all the facts. There is never a singular issue in the weathertightness of a building. Many components, once put togther accurately, combine to create a weathertight exterior envelope. These items generally include, the, wall cladding roof, windows and doors. However if one component fails to junction correctly to another then issues can arise. The consumer has been in many instances mislead by many across the industry as to the woes of the construction sector. The goal I am sure, is to defer blame from themselves to 'one singular entity' that being polystyrene cladding. Mr Greg O'sullivan correctly states that the issues in relation to polystyrene are the least concerning in relation to monolithic type claddings. Polystyrene cladding has some brilliant benefits such as complete thermal envelope unlike 'inwall' insulation which has a thermal break at every stud and nog, it is also lightweight which means it adds little to the structure, reducing stress. Jacks comment in post 9 - highlights his ignorance, and in general the 'perception' of the consumer in matters relating to construction. Virtually all construction new an old leaks water and air. The difference with old construction such as weatherboard in relation to direct fixed, and air tight cladding systems is that they allowed the water to evaporate, or dry out over time, combine this with treated framing and issues were more or less mitigated through regular maintenance. I am sure the 90 year old Fendalton residence is fantastic, and am equally sure that some of the framing, weatherboard etc had to be replaced as it was rotten due to age, and water penetration. Also being a 'bungalow', it had eaves, was cold in winter, and had condensation running down the windows. At the end of the day all construction techniques, cladding types, and workmanship have potential to cause issue. Please do not think that your only construction option in life is single storey brick veneer. I almost forgot in response to Dale post #8. Cat scratches ? Where was your house fella, Orana Wildlife Park, Big Cat enclosure.

Most houses definatly do not leak. see post #4. If they were built properly they would not leak.Not using treated timber was not the problem as any timber will rot eventually when wet.The cavity system wasnt needed years ago and the older houses are fine.

Not to mention that those things damage so easily. Things like cat scratches, branches moving in the wind, kids bikes and cricket balls that would bounce off a "permanent materials" home, damage those things very easily. So, any polystyrene house you buy may well be half-constructed of filling compounds by the time you buy it. I also live overseas but am a Kiwi always. But to be completely honest, the US building standards FAR exceed ours. I'm in the Deep South of the US, where to storms, damp and humidity even exceed Auckland, and in almost 3 years we've owned our home, thanks to God we've had only appliance malfunctions, which have been 100% covered by an awesome thing called a home warranty. Yet this house is almost 20 years old, and was only a median priced home, certainly the same as you'd be expected to pay for a polystyrene chilly-bin town house. And we all know how long polystyrene chilly bins last! As a former Kiwi Real Estate agent, I can tell you there is good reason why the "permanent materials" category for advertising homes for sale was created!

Im renting one of these houses made of plaster monolithic cladding. The house may be dry now, but the cladding is of crap quality, its like eggshell. It damages so easily and needs heaps of maintenance. I wouldnt buy one of the plaster clad houses in a million years, its absolute rubbish.

Weatherboard homes do not a a cavity?

I have lived overseas for a number of years, and every time I come back to Christchurch, I am horrified to see what has happened to the grand old suburbs like Fendalton and Merivale, which I remember so fondly. Gone are the gracious old character homes, replaced by these modern plastic monstrosities. They have ruined the older parts of our city, and now the owners are getting exactly what they deserve. When I come back and am ready to buy a property, I know what I will and won't be investing my money in!

Most houses leak and let water in. This is what a cavity is for. The reason these houses rot is because the government let people built with untreated timber - that was where it all went wrong.

And yet they are still building them...."Oh its safe now" see you in ten years.

I live in a traditional 90 year old weatherboard bungalow in a traditional and established part of Fendalton. Over the years I've had a fair few smug unwarranted comments and advice from friends who proudly owned flashy plaster box houses: "you should bowl it over and build something modern!". I ignored them all and renovated my character home and we couldn't be happier. I now have something special and most definitely not leaking. More and more home buyers are learning to appreciate the beauty of a well constructed and traditional home and learning the importance of preserving the old. It has been a long but rewarding exercise for the soul and I would certainly do it again. Many beautiful Christchurch homes from the past deserve a second chance and this leaky home saga should be a timely wake-up call.