WEBVTT - The Resident Builder podcast: November 24, 2024 0:00:06.855 --> 0:00:10.055 You're listening to the Resident build Up podcast with Peter 0:00:10.135 --> 0:00:12.055 Wolfcamp from News Talks at Bay. 0:00:18.975 --> 0:00:24.455 The house is a hole, even when it's dark, even 0:00:24.495 --> 0:00:26.375 when the grass is overglown in. 0:00:26.375 --> 0:00:30.495 The yard, and even when the dog. 0:00:30.455 --> 0:00:34.615 Is too old to bar, and when you're sitting at 0:00:34.655 --> 0:00:41.695 the table trying not to stop scissor home, even when 0:00:41.895 --> 0:00:54.535 we leave a band gone, even when you're there alone. 0:00:54.535 --> 0:01:03.375 A house is a hole, even when those goes, even when. 0:01:03.175 --> 0:01:06.175 You got around from the world you love, your most. 0:01:07.775 --> 0:01:10.615 Screaming pains being in fund. 0:01:12.855 --> 0:01:14.615 Locals Lisa, when they're gone. 0:01:14.575 --> 0:01:24.335 Leaving the house, even when weilbra bene, even when you're 0:01:24.375 --> 0:01:25.455 in there, loone. 0:01:34.735 --> 0:01:36.895 Well, a very good morning, and welcome along to the 0:01:36.975 --> 0:01:40.295 Resident Builder on Sunday. You're with Pete wolf Camp. That's me, 0:01:40.455 --> 0:01:43.455 the Resident Builder, and well, to be blunt, we're here 0:01:43.495 --> 0:01:47.335 to talk about your place. So if there's a squeaky door, 0:01:47.455 --> 0:01:50.295 which there is at my place, there's a crack in 0:01:50.335 --> 0:01:53.615 the window sill, which there is at my place, whether 0:01:53.695 --> 0:01:57.175 there's maybe some spouting that I need to address, all 0:01:57.215 --> 0:01:59.455 of these things. If it's happening at my place, chances 0:01:59.495 --> 0:02:01.375 are it's happening at your place as well. And we 0:02:01.495 --> 0:02:04.295 can talk about it, but more importantly, perhaps I can 0:02:04.335 --> 0:02:06.535 give you a bit of guidance as to how to 0:02:06.575 --> 0:02:10.335 tackle the project, the scope of the project, or maybe 0:02:10.455 --> 0:02:13.375 even what happens if you don't do the project. So 0:02:13.735 --> 0:02:15.775 the lines are open. The number to call is oh, 0:02:15.855 --> 0:02:18.855 eight hundred and eighty ten eighty. You can text as well, 0:02:19.895 --> 0:02:22.455 so you're off the blocks very quickly. Text coming in 0:02:22.575 --> 0:02:25.495 before the show starts, which is awesome. Nine to two 0:02:25.815 --> 0:02:28.895 nine two is the text number, and if you'd like 0:02:28.975 --> 0:02:33.095 to email me, it's Pete at newstalksb dot co dot 0:02:33.415 --> 0:02:36.375 m Z. So we're fast approaching crikey at the end 0:02:36.415 --> 0:02:40.735 of November already December, lou Well. Next Sunday will be 0:02:40.775 --> 0:02:43.815 the first of December. Already, Christmas is not that far away, 0:02:43.855 --> 0:02:46.135 and typically you know, in terms of what we do 0:02:46.255 --> 0:02:49.055 around the house, we're starting to either think about trying 0:02:49.095 --> 0:02:51.775 to get some jobs done before Christmas, so that classic 0:02:51.935 --> 0:02:55.095 Christmas rush. If you talk to trades people, they pack 0:02:55.215 --> 0:02:59.095 up on this at different times in the year. You know, 0:02:59.175 --> 0:03:01.935 if things are good, if things are buoyant, let's say, 0:03:02.855 --> 0:03:05.975 people tradinges will often talk about the Christmas rush starting 0:03:06.015 --> 0:03:10.335 and sort of September October. If it's not so buoyant, 0:03:10.415 --> 0:03:13.535 then maybe the Christmas rush in November. And if it's 0:03:13.615 --> 0:03:16.175 really grim out there, well the Christmas rush just doesn't 0:03:16.215 --> 0:03:18.735 come at all, and there's not that pressure to get 0:03:18.775 --> 0:03:21.135 things done. But if you've got a project that you'd 0:03:21.255 --> 0:03:24.495 like to get sorted out prior to Christmas, might be 0:03:25.095 --> 0:03:27.335 some tidying up of a deck or adding a deck, 0:03:28.415 --> 0:03:30.855 might be a couple of projects inside the house, whatever 0:03:30.895 --> 0:03:32.775 it is that's going on at your place. From a 0:03:32.855 --> 0:03:37.455 building construction legislative point of view, we can talk all 0:03:37.535 --> 0:03:43.055 things building and construction. Just briefly. I had the privilege 0:03:43.095 --> 0:03:46.735 actually of an m seeing in a dinner last night. 0:03:47.655 --> 0:03:51.455 The dinner was to celebrate forty years of clear Water Construction, 0:03:52.455 --> 0:03:55.735 reasonably large firm in the Auckland area. They're active and 0:03:55.975 --> 0:04:00.055 actually they're active around the country as well, and so 0:04:00.415 --> 0:04:03.055 you know, forty years of any business in New Zealand 0:04:03.255 --> 0:04:07.575 is worth celebrating. Forty years in the construction sect sets 0:04:07.615 --> 0:04:10.535 them aside from a number of companies that come and go. 0:04:11.335 --> 0:04:14.535 So it was a tremendous quite sincerely trimming this honor 0:04:15.095 --> 0:04:18.695 on my part to be invited to MC and to 0:04:18.775 --> 0:04:21.135 be part of the festivities and part of the celebration, 0:04:21.895 --> 0:04:24.655 and it was a tremendous night. So I really appreciated 0:04:24.735 --> 0:04:27.215 that it did go on a little bit longer. As 0:04:27.295 --> 0:04:30.655 an MC, I wasn't particularly good at keeping things on time, 0:04:30.735 --> 0:04:33.335 which is not that great from my point of view. 0:04:33.415 --> 0:04:35.615 But there was a lot to talk about, and there 0:04:35.735 --> 0:04:37.575 was a lot of people that wanted to catch up, 0:04:38.575 --> 0:04:41.455 and in this instance being able to invite back the 0:04:41.615 --> 0:04:45.455 very first apprentice of clear Water Construction from forty years 0:04:45.495 --> 0:04:49.255 ago and some of the first employees and people have 0:04:49.375 --> 0:04:52.655 been with the firm for thirty years. That says a 0:04:52.695 --> 0:04:54.215 lot about the company as well. So it was a 0:04:54.255 --> 0:04:56.895 great night out. It just mean I got a home 0:04:56.935 --> 0:04:59.455 a little bit later, and after a reasonably busy day. 0:04:59.935 --> 0:05:03.455 I sound a little bit tired today. There's a reason 0:05:03.535 --> 0:05:06.055 for that. Not to worry. I'm looking forward to it. 0:05:06.415 --> 0:05:09.455 I do every Sunday to share some insights, to share 0:05:09.535 --> 0:05:13.255 some of my passion basically for building and construction. So 0:05:13.375 --> 0:05:16.095 we'll talk all things building in construction. We are out 0:05:16.135 --> 0:05:19.175 of here a little bit early this morning, as it 0:05:19.455 --> 0:05:23.815 was last week before the All Blacks played France. Today 0:05:24.015 --> 0:05:27.615 the All Blacks take on Italy and that match will 0:05:27.735 --> 0:05:30.495 kick off just after nine o'clock, so we will hand 0:05:30.575 --> 0:05:33.655 over to our commentary team for live coverage of that 0:05:33.855 --> 0:05:36.935 match from around eight forty five this morning, which means 0:05:37.015 --> 0:05:40.575 we will bring Rid in a little bit earlier. We 0:05:40.695 --> 0:05:43.815 don't have any guests or interviews lined up for today, 0:05:43.935 --> 0:05:47.655 so it's basically your chance to have stretch our legs 0:05:47.975 --> 0:05:50.735 and have a decent conversation about anything that might be 0:05:50.975 --> 0:05:54.495 a focus for you. Eight hundred eighty ten eighty is 0:05:54.615 --> 0:05:56.815 the number to call. Looking forward to your calls, your 0:05:56.935 --> 0:06:01.135 conversations here at Newstalk stb let me. I'll tell you 0:06:01.215 --> 0:06:03.575 what Sue. I'll come to your text in a moment. 0:06:04.255 --> 0:06:06.455 But let's get funny. This was something we would talking 0:06:06.495 --> 0:06:08.095 about yesterday, you know. I mean, you go to a 0:06:08.295 --> 0:06:13.055 building company's fortieth anniversary and typically you end up talking 0:06:13.055 --> 0:06:16.415 about building and this issue came up yesterday as well. John, 0:06:16.535 --> 0:06:17.615 A very good morning to you. 0:06:18.735 --> 0:06:20.455 Yeah, good morning, Peter, John. 0:06:21.055 --> 0:06:21.295 John. 0:06:22.335 --> 0:06:22.495 Yeah. 0:06:22.535 --> 0:06:25.495 The problem is a calling on behalf of my. 0:06:26.335 --> 0:06:32.695 Kid's sister, who's had an art studio built thirty squares meters. 0:06:34.775 --> 0:06:38.735 There was some bad weather during construction, I believe, and 0:06:40.815 --> 0:06:48.695 mold has now appeared along the frame work on the inside. 0:06:49.095 --> 0:06:51.335 It was just retracting a little bit. 0:06:51.615 --> 0:06:53.775 It was shut up for two weeks for some reason, 0:06:54.415 --> 0:06:57.495 and that came back and there are these mold streaks 0:06:57.615 --> 0:07:02.295 down where the framing is against the ply fly lining. 0:07:04.575 --> 0:07:09.055 They've now ripped the line out, taken the bats out. 0:07:10.655 --> 0:07:13.055 Her concern is that she gets rid of it and 0:07:13.215 --> 0:07:14.335 it doesn't grow again. 0:07:14.655 --> 0:07:20.855 Right, Yeah, Now, can I ask a sort of tangential 0:07:21.055 --> 0:07:24.415 question to this that I'm a bit curious about. So 0:07:25.855 --> 0:07:29.215 if it's you, we're very specific about calling it a 0:07:29.255 --> 0:07:32.535 studio and thirty square meter, So can I presume it 0:07:32.695 --> 0:07:35.815 was a building perhaps that was built without necessarily requiring 0:07:35.855 --> 0:07:36.735 a building consent? 0:07:37.775 --> 0:07:38.135 Correct? 0:07:38.375 --> 0:07:38.695 Okay? 0:07:40.455 --> 0:07:40.615 Right? 0:07:43.415 --> 0:07:47.055 Bubbling away behind the scenes of these sorts of conversations 0:07:47.255 --> 0:07:51.175 are a lot of conversations and discussions about what's going 0:07:51.295 --> 0:07:54.815 to happen when we remove the requirement for a building 0:07:54.935 --> 0:08:01.095 consent from you know, a larger number of buildings, and 0:08:01.375 --> 0:08:02.895 how do we ensure quality? 0:08:03.615 --> 0:08:03.775 Right? 0:08:03.935 --> 0:08:08.535 So I suspect in this instance, and I don't want 0:08:08.575 --> 0:08:11.935 to be disparaging perhaps if the people that did the building, 0:08:13.015 --> 0:08:15.135 but you know, if you don't have the checks and 0:08:15.215 --> 0:08:19.655 balances for from by having a building consent and having inspections. 0:08:20.175 --> 0:08:23.415 How do you then all of the responsibility for quality 0:08:23.575 --> 0:08:28.895 control falls on the builder. Now, most builders will still 0:08:29.455 --> 0:08:34.015 be you know, professional and diligent and build the building 0:08:34.095 --> 0:08:37.135 in accordance with the building Code and with the Building 0:08:37.175 --> 0:08:39.215 Act and so on. I just wonder whether in this 0:08:39.335 --> 0:08:44.935 instance here, you know, for example, once they actually once 0:08:44.975 --> 0:08:48.655 they removed the lining, on the inside there was insulation 0:08:48.895 --> 0:08:51.375 and on the outside of the timber framing there was 0:08:51.775 --> 0:08:57.415 a vapor barrier, a wrap, a building rap, and before 0:08:57.455 --> 0:08:59.135 you got to the cladding. So it's not like the 0:08:59.215 --> 0:09:03.975 cladding was direct fixed with no building paper. Okay, so 0:09:04.095 --> 0:09:05.055 this building paper. 0:09:04.895 --> 0:09:10.375 There, building paper and outside clearing of ply yep, then 0:09:10.495 --> 0:09:12.255 bats and then an inside. 0:09:12.135 --> 0:09:12.775 Layer of ply. 0:09:13.095 --> 0:09:16.935 Yeah okay, So look, the chances are it'll be a 0:09:17.015 --> 0:09:20.615 combination of things. One is, you know, potentially during the 0:09:20.775 --> 0:09:24.935 construction the framing got wet, which is not uncommon. So again, 0:09:25.015 --> 0:09:26.975 one of the things that happens before we have a 0:09:27.495 --> 0:09:31.135 pre lining or a pre lining inspection includes testing the 0:09:31.215 --> 0:09:35.335 moisture content of the timber framing. Now, a piece of 0:09:35.415 --> 0:09:38.855 timber that sat outside in a packet then gets cut 0:09:39.015 --> 0:09:41.975 into studs and knogs nailed together, closed in for a 0:09:42.055 --> 0:09:44.935 brief period of time and will have a certain amount 0:09:44.935 --> 0:09:47.495 of moisture. So in order to get a pre line 0:09:47.535 --> 0:09:50.295 inspection done, you need to have that moisture content down 0:09:50.375 --> 0:09:54.175 to at least below twenty percent, ideally about eighteen percent, 0:09:54.415 --> 0:09:56.655 and you test that and if you don't achieve that, 0:09:56.935 --> 0:10:00.055 then you fail your pre line inspection. You can't line. 0:10:00.415 --> 0:10:04.495 Now if there's no inspector and the contractor might not 0:10:04.695 --> 0:10:08.295 have their own moisture, they'll frame it up, they'll throw 0:10:08.375 --> 0:10:11.415 some insulation into there, and then they will line it 0:10:11.815 --> 0:10:15.375 and potentially that plywood, if they haven't stored that or 0:10:15.495 --> 0:10:19.375 sourced that correctly, that might also have absorbed some moisture. 0:10:20.415 --> 0:10:23.775 So if the building is already saturated, then yes, and 0:10:23.975 --> 0:10:26.015 then it gets closed up for a period of time 0:10:26.095 --> 0:10:29.695 so there's an adequate ventilation, you will get mold growth. 0:10:30.855 --> 0:10:33.135 And I wonder whether that's the case. So in terms 0:10:33.135 --> 0:10:36.655 of solving the problem, what I would suggest is, now 0:10:36.815 --> 0:10:39.015 if all of the lining has been removed, and that 0:10:39.135 --> 0:10:41.255 seems like a real shame, doesn't it. I mean, you've 0:10:41.375 --> 0:10:44.455 you know, plywood's expensive, and then you've you've put it 0:10:44.575 --> 0:10:46.895 on and then you've ripped it off just because you 0:10:46.935 --> 0:10:50.255 couldn't be patient around getting the frame out of right, Well, 0:10:50.295 --> 0:10:54.015 it wasn't ripped off, Okay, so its screw fixed. 0:10:55.175 --> 0:10:58.015 Yeah, so we'll go back on again. So it's not 0:10:58.295 --> 0:11:00.735 sitting in the building at the moment sort of drying out. 0:11:01.015 --> 0:11:01.255 Yeah. 0:11:02.295 --> 0:11:04.655 Look, the best thing to do would be to get 0:11:04.735 --> 0:11:08.615 your hands on a moisture meter right now. The ones 0:11:08.695 --> 0:11:11.775 that the council inspectors use cost about twelve to fifteen 0:11:11.895 --> 0:11:16.255 hundred bucks and they're carefully calibrated. Maybe I shouldn't say this, 0:11:16.375 --> 0:11:18.735 but I bought one on trade b for twenty dollars 0:11:19.615 --> 0:11:23.055 and when I've tagged along behind the building inspectors, my 0:11:23.255 --> 0:11:26.615 readings have been within one percentage point of theirs. Right, 0:11:27.015 --> 0:11:30.375 So if they're getting a twenty three percent reading and 0:11:30.535 --> 0:11:34.415 I use my twenty dollars trade me special, I might 0:11:34.535 --> 0:11:37.615 get almost the same results. So ideally you would say 0:11:37.655 --> 0:11:40.975 to the contractor, I want to install a dehumidifier. I 0:11:41.055 --> 0:11:43.055 want to dry out the fabric. 0:11:42.695 --> 0:11:42.935 Of the. 0:11:44.495 --> 0:11:49.015 Timber, and then let's do the lining only when it 0:11:49.135 --> 0:11:53.495 reaches at a very minimum twenty degrees. The insulation is 0:11:54.055 --> 0:11:55.735 that does it feel saturated? 0:11:59.055 --> 0:11:59.095 No? 0:11:59.255 --> 0:12:03.735 I don't think so. Okare in mind, this is heresaying 0:12:03.895 --> 0:12:04.455 on my path. 0:12:04.575 --> 0:12:07.535 Yeah sure, Okay, Well, let's assume that the insulation has 0:12:08.095 --> 0:12:11.255 been able to dry out and feels dry and is dry, 0:12:11.735 --> 0:12:14.095 so that could be reinstalled. The plywood could be put 0:12:14.175 --> 0:12:17.495 back on. I would test the ply as well. Again, 0:12:17.575 --> 0:12:21.975 if the plywood is saturated, then yeah, that's not going 0:12:22.055 --> 0:12:25.575 to be any good. And then going forward, there's an 0:12:25.615 --> 0:12:30.495 issue for something like a studio, how do you build 0:12:30.535 --> 0:12:33.255 it in such a way that you can maintain some 0:12:33.615 --> 0:12:39.175 ventilation in it even if it's got sort of intermittent occupancy. 0:12:39.415 --> 0:12:44.015 Let's say so in some cases you might want to 0:12:44.095 --> 0:12:48.215 install a ventilation system, just a passive or a passive 0:12:48.255 --> 0:12:52.295 ventilation system, as in having cross ventilation windows on either 0:12:52.375 --> 0:12:55.015 side that you can leave partially open but still secure 0:12:55.095 --> 0:12:58.335 to allow airflow. Or you might have a small fan 0:12:58.695 --> 0:13:06.455 that just runs constantly to allow for airflow. They they 0:13:06.535 --> 0:13:09.495 pose a few challenges those sorts of buildings that have, 0:13:10.735 --> 0:13:18.295 like I say, intermittent occupancy. Right, but it'll ninety percent sure, 0:13:18.495 --> 0:13:22.175 it'll be excessive moisture in the framing and that's then 0:13:23.615 --> 0:13:27.175 saturated through the lining, and that's where your mold growth 0:13:27.215 --> 0:13:27.655 comes from. 0:13:28.935 --> 0:13:33.255 Right, So once it's dry and it all put back together. 0:13:33.575 --> 0:13:37.975 Is the mold's being cleaned off with whatever? Is that 0:13:38.575 --> 0:13:42.735 mold likely to grow again or is it the problem? 0:13:44.535 --> 0:13:47.415 It would be worth trying to deal to the spores 0:13:47.655 --> 0:13:50.415 of the mold which will be still in the fiber 0:13:50.495 --> 0:13:57.615 of the timber. So basically an ammonia type based mold 0:13:57.775 --> 0:14:00.895 killer you would go through, maybe let it dry out 0:14:00.935 --> 0:14:04.055 as much as you possibly can, treat all of the surfaces, 0:14:04.695 --> 0:14:07.455 just with a spray bottle or something like that, just 0:14:07.575 --> 0:14:13.895 to knock that back. I presume the timber is treated timber, yeah, 0:14:14.135 --> 0:14:16.615 I mean it's really hard to buy untreated framing timber 0:14:16.695 --> 0:14:22.535 these days. Is there any concern of any decay starting 0:14:22.615 --> 0:14:24.575 in the timbers? It's relatively new, isn't it. 0:14:24.655 --> 0:14:26.935 Okay, Yeah, yep, definitely. 0:14:27.535 --> 0:14:30.135 The main thing is to be absolutely confident that the 0:14:30.215 --> 0:14:35.415 moisture content is below twenty percent, ideally about eighteen percent, 0:14:35.615 --> 0:14:39.335 between seventeen and eighteen percent, and then go ahead and 0:14:39.415 --> 0:14:42.055 do the lining and the same for the plywood. 0:14:42.895 --> 0:14:46.055 Right, Okay, That to me seems. 0:14:47.415 --> 0:14:48.495 Ceremonia base. 0:14:49.215 --> 0:14:51.815 Yeah, just just a mold killer of some description. You 0:14:51.855 --> 0:14:54.135 could just buy exit mold or something like that and 0:14:54.335 --> 0:14:59.015 just spray that around the timber framing beforehand, and then 0:14:59.135 --> 0:15:01.535 let that dry out again and then go ahead and 0:15:01.615 --> 0:15:06.775 do the lining. But then long term, ideally, you know, 0:15:06.895 --> 0:15:09.535 for a building like that, you need to make provision 0:15:09.695 --> 0:15:13.215 for some sort of ventilation or some sort of heating 0:15:13.335 --> 0:15:15.735 that means that it doesn't cool down to a point 0:15:15.775 --> 0:15:20.215 where mold growth is encouraged. A small one that I 0:15:20.335 --> 0:15:22.455 built a couple of years ago, which I wanted to be, 0:15:23.135 --> 0:15:26.615 you know, to a certain standard, right, I ended up 0:15:28.695 --> 0:15:31.975 it actually had a concrete slab. I did under tile heating, 0:15:33.255 --> 0:15:35.855 and I've set that at a very very low temperature 0:15:36.495 --> 0:15:40.335 fifteen degrees for example, and the undertile heating will will 0:15:40.455 --> 0:15:43.895 come on and just raise keep the temperature inside the 0:15:44.015 --> 0:15:47.735 room at a point where it doesn't encourage mold growth, 0:15:47.855 --> 0:15:49.655 so it doesn't get too cold in there. And I've 0:15:49.695 --> 0:15:54.135 also got ventilation in that space. Okay, yeah, all right, 0:15:54.335 --> 0:15:58.775 all right, sorry to hear that. It's an interesting situation, 0:15:58.935 --> 0:16:01.495 and you know, just asn't aside the reason I was 0:16:01.535 --> 0:16:03.975 quite curious as to who built it and under what 0:16:04.375 --> 0:16:08.255 regulatory regime is. You know, there are lots of voices 0:16:08.335 --> 0:16:11.735 within the building sector saying, look, if we're going to 0:16:11.855 --> 0:16:15.775 put all of the responsibility essentially for quality control on 0:16:15.975 --> 0:16:19.975 contractors without having counsel, are we going to be confident 0:16:20.055 --> 0:16:22.855 as consumers that we will get the quality that we want? 0:16:23.775 --> 0:16:28.375 And I think unfortunately your sister's example is one where 0:16:29.015 --> 0:16:33.535 a contractor hasn't then taken the same level of care 0:16:33.615 --> 0:16:36.135 as they might do if they were getting a building inspection, 0:16:36.695 --> 0:16:37.815 and this is the result. 0:16:39.655 --> 0:16:42.335 Yeah, I can see where you're coming from. 0:16:42.455 --> 0:16:47.615 Yeah, Yeah, And I'm saying that as one that actually 0:16:47.735 --> 0:16:51.615 sees some benefit to removing some of the regulatory input 0:16:52.095 --> 0:16:55.215 into building what should And one of the words they 0:16:55.335 --> 0:16:59.095 use often is low risk. Right, So a building like 0:16:59.175 --> 0:17:01.695 that is relatively low risk, but the impact of it 0:17:01.895 --> 0:17:05.615 being moldy or damp is still fairly significant for whoever 0:17:06.335 --> 0:17:07.135 PI is that building? 0:17:08.695 --> 0:17:08.855 Right? 0:17:09.735 --> 0:17:11.655 Definitely, is there actually low risk? 0:17:11.895 --> 0:17:12.095 Maybe? 0:17:12.175 --> 0:17:15.015 Not nice of you to call John Hope. That helps 0:17:15.855 --> 0:17:19.775 my pleasure. All the very best, Skapo. Then, ah, man, 0:17:21.615 --> 0:17:23.495 I've got one guy that I know listens to the 0:17:23.575 --> 0:17:25.615 show who will be ringing me on Monday to go. 0:17:25.855 --> 0:17:30.215 I told you so, I'll wait you call. It is 0:17:30.255 --> 0:17:32.775 six twenty four here at News Talk CP. We'll talk 0:17:32.815 --> 0:17:35.495 to Jason in a moment and we'll get to Sue's 0:17:35.575 --> 0:17:38.695 texts straight after the break as well. Radio. Let's take 0:17:38.695 --> 0:17:41.455 a quick look at this text from Sue morning, Pete. 0:17:41.935 --> 0:17:44.695 Appreciate that you've covered this, but please can you clarify 0:17:44.895 --> 0:17:48.295 for me? For a friend who has a normal timber 0:17:48.375 --> 0:17:50.975 fence between a neighbor and him, and then the neighbor 0:17:51.215 --> 0:17:54.535 has planted a tree fence or a hedge on his 0:17:54.695 --> 0:17:59.535 property around the entire property for privacy. Unfortunately, this has 0:17:59.615 --> 0:18:01.855 now grown to a height where my friend needs to 0:18:01.895 --> 0:18:04.495 have the light on in his kitchen and laundry and 0:18:04.655 --> 0:18:08.175 may now be forced into install a skylight. The neighbor 0:18:08.255 --> 0:18:12.575 did agree to trim, but did basically didn't trim it enough, 0:18:13.415 --> 0:18:16.375 said that it would ruin the esthetics to have just 0:18:16.415 --> 0:18:18.535 a few meters of tree fence cut back to a 0:18:18.615 --> 0:18:21.655 timber fence line. Have looked at the Fencing Act, can't 0:18:21.695 --> 0:18:25.495 find anything in it. What can a friend do? We 0:18:25.615 --> 0:18:28.455 had Ben Johnson, who's a lawyer, a property lawyer specializing 0:18:28.535 --> 0:18:30.415 this sort of thing on the program a couple of 0:18:30.575 --> 0:18:32.935 weeks ago. Actually it's my intention to get him back 0:18:32.935 --> 0:18:35.775 because he was very good and there's a lot more 0:18:35.815 --> 0:18:39.975 to cover. Where you should be looking is in terms 0:18:40.015 --> 0:18:44.655 of the Property Act, which sets out rights and responsibilities 0:18:44.935 --> 0:18:48.375 around tree heights and that sort of thing, and you 0:18:48.455 --> 0:18:51.575 can use the Property Act to enforce you know, if 0:18:51.615 --> 0:18:54.975 there was an agreement to say, yep, I'm going to plant, 0:18:55.055 --> 0:18:56.815 but I'm going to maintain it to such and such 0:18:56.855 --> 0:19:00.015 a height, then you can enforce that. But it does 0:19:00.095 --> 0:19:03.335 become a legal thing. So it's really about rights and 0:19:03.415 --> 0:19:06.815 responsibilities under the Property Act rather than the Fence Act, 0:19:06.935 --> 0:19:10.375 because ultimately it's not a fence. So that hopefully will 0:19:10.375 --> 0:19:12.775 give you some guidance. And like I say, I'll I'll 0:19:12.815 --> 0:19:14.455 reach out to Ben this week, so if he's got 0:19:14.455 --> 0:19:17.175 some time again before Christmas, we talked a lot about fencing. 0:19:17.695 --> 0:19:22.415 Maybe we've talked about about the Property Act sometime before Christmas. 0:19:22.495 --> 0:19:24.335 Oh eight hundred and eighty ten eighty is the number 0:19:24.375 --> 0:19:26.015 to call. Hello, Jason, how are you. 0:19:27.935 --> 0:19:28.775 I'm great? 0:19:29.135 --> 0:19:29.335 Good? 0:19:29.495 --> 0:19:38.255 Thanks? Yeah, longtime listener, first time caller. Sure, Yeah. What 0:19:38.575 --> 0:19:45.255 happened last week? As I had because our work night shift, 0:19:46.255 --> 0:19:55.575 I accidentally fell over in the shower and I've put 0:19:55.695 --> 0:20:00.615 my foot through I don't know what it is. It's 0:20:02.295 --> 0:20:05.855 in the in the shower. I've put my foot through 0:20:09.215 --> 0:20:13.215 the bottom of the structure. 0:20:14.375 --> 0:20:16.575 Inside the shower, outside the shower. 0:20:17.655 --> 0:20:25.015 Inside the shower, So it's what a proof the structure. 0:20:26.415 --> 0:20:29.695 I put my foot through the bottom of it. I've 0:20:29.815 --> 0:20:36.015 landed on my side. I'm fine now because there's the 0:20:36.935 --> 0:20:42.815 step up where you Yeah, there's a step, so I 0:20:44.015 --> 0:20:50.695 fall it on my side. But it's the hole in. 0:20:52.175 --> 0:20:55.855 The what do you call it? 0:20:56.055 --> 0:21:06.215 The shower? Waterproof? Can I fix it myself? I've all 0:21:06.375 --> 0:21:12.255 do you inform the landlord about this? And he was 0:21:12.375 --> 0:21:21.175 more worried about me. But there's that I can't. I 0:21:21.335 --> 0:21:25.615 can't have a shower because a little hole in the 0:21:25.775 --> 0:21:27.415 bottom of the shower. 0:21:30.335 --> 0:21:33.615 To be fair, I've I mean, I know sometimes shower 0:21:33.695 --> 0:21:35.855 bases can crack and and that sort of thing, but 0:21:36.015 --> 0:21:40.135 to actually put your foot through one is a little 0:21:40.135 --> 0:21:41.895 bit extraordinary. Saying that. 0:21:42.495 --> 0:21:47.215 What happened was, you know, because I work night shift, 0:21:48.375 --> 0:21:52.615 I decided, because I'm having a few drinks, I'm going 0:21:52.655 --> 0:21:56.695 to have a shower. I have a shower, and then bang. 0:21:57.935 --> 0:22:04.815 It happens. Right when when you let the landlord know again, 0:22:05.775 --> 0:22:08.655 I've done plenty of work looking after rental properties, right, 0:22:08.855 --> 0:22:13.255 and so I would have thought the landlord would take 0:22:13.415 --> 0:22:18.615 responsibility for the repair for two reasons. One, you know, 0:22:18.775 --> 0:22:22.175 it doesn't sound like it was malicious damage, so it 0:22:22.295 --> 0:22:25.935 wasn't intentional. And the other thing is that, in terms 0:22:26.015 --> 0:22:29.335 of ensuring that the work is done to a standard 0:22:29.375 --> 0:22:31.895 that the landlord would be happy with, it would be 0:22:32.055 --> 0:22:35.935 better if the landlord took responsibility for the repair. The 0:22:36.015 --> 0:22:38.295 other thing is, so is it like a PVC or 0:22:38.335 --> 0:22:47.095 a fiberglass lining, have a glass or okay, so you 0:22:47.175 --> 0:22:50.215 know to do the repair on that, essentially you're going 0:22:50.295 --> 0:22:53.695 to have to take the doors off, take the wall 0:22:53.775 --> 0:23:00.095 lining off, replace the tray, and then reinstall all of that. 0:23:00.735 --> 0:23:03.375 You know, there's there's quite a bit of work involved 0:23:03.455 --> 0:23:07.095 in repairing them, and you know, whether you've got the 0:23:07.175 --> 0:23:10.055 equipment or to be blunt, the knowledge to do it. 0:23:10.855 --> 0:23:12.695 I would have thought that it would be in the 0:23:12.775 --> 0:23:15.975 interests of the landlord to coordinate the repair. They might 0:23:16.055 --> 0:23:17.815 even be able to make an insurance claim on it, 0:23:18.255 --> 0:23:21.095 but then at least they are confident that the work 0:23:21.135 --> 0:23:23.455 could be done to a suitable standard and perhaps by 0:23:23.455 --> 0:23:25.855 a professional. So I would have thought the landlord would 0:23:25.895 --> 0:23:28.175 just go, look, really sorry to hear that. I'll send 0:23:28.215 --> 0:23:33.975 some people this week. What was the landlord's response. 0:23:36.095 --> 0:23:42.335 He was more concerned because I landed on my side 0:23:42.535 --> 0:23:46.695 on that lip. Yeah, to step into the shower, I 0:23:46.935 --> 0:23:52.375 landed on my side at the same time I put 0:23:52.455 --> 0:23:56.135 my foot through the show. 0:23:59.255 --> 0:24:03.215 Yeah, but it still doesn't I mean, I get that, 0:24:03.295 --> 0:24:05.935 and I understand it's great that the landlord's concerned about 0:24:06.055 --> 0:24:08.695 your well being, as they should be. But at the 0:24:08.735 --> 0:24:12.695 same time, you've now got a non functioning shower and 0:24:12.895 --> 0:24:15.775 you've got to repair that. If it's not done properly, 0:24:16.335 --> 0:24:19.975 could potentially mean that the shower will leak and cause 0:24:20.135 --> 0:24:23.975 further damage long term. So look, I I it was 0:24:24.135 --> 0:24:27.895 if I was in your landlord situation, then I would 0:24:28.015 --> 0:24:31.255 be very very much thinking I'd rather send my own 0:24:31.295 --> 0:24:34.855 people in to repair it, because in the end, I'm 0:24:34.895 --> 0:24:37.975 responsible for it and it's my asset and I want 0:24:38.015 --> 0:24:41.135 to make sure that it's done well. So I would say, 0:24:41.295 --> 0:24:43.135 if you know now that you're over the shock of it, 0:24:43.495 --> 0:24:45.575 I'd be in touch with the landlord and go, okay, 0:24:45.695 --> 0:24:48.695 let's talk about when your tradespeople are coming to fix it. 0:24:49.135 --> 0:24:51.815 That's the approach that I would probably take. Jason. I 0:24:51.855 --> 0:24:54.735 hope that you're not too badly injured after that as well. 0:24:55.695 --> 0:24:57.575 All the best with that oh, eight hundred eighty ten 0:24:57.615 --> 0:24:59.015 eighty is the number to call. Maverick. 0:24:59.095 --> 0:25:03.615 Good morning to you, Good morning Pete very well. 0:25:04.895 --> 0:25:05.855