PROPERTY
F L E S R U O Y T C E T O R P HOW TO P I H S N A M K R O W Y D FROM SHOD Y
ou’ve made the bold move of becoming a homeowner and finally have a place to call home. But, what if your dream home turned into your biggest nightmare? In past months, homeowners who have purchased property in affordable township developments, have brought to light shoddy workmanship by property developers. Building work can be expensive and complicated. If you feel that your home hasn’t been completed to a quality standard, it is important to know that you are protected. The National Home Builders Registration Council (NHBRC) is a statutory body established to protect consumers’ interests and regulates the home building industry. Are you buying, building or preparing to occupy your new home? The NHBRC has some useful tips to protect you from poor building workmanship:
Tips when occupying a house It is worthwhile to take a systematic approach to your inspection. Start with the interior and move from room to room. Afterwards, move to the exterior of the home. If you bring along a checklist, share it with your builder representative as you move through each room. This way, you can check off items together.
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Poor weather can hamper exterior inspections. If this is the case, make arrangements with your builder representative to complete the exterior inspection at another time. NHBRC inspectors concentrate on structural aspects of construction and not contractual finishes, like carpets, colour of paint, etc. It is therefore important to inspect your new home carefully throughout when you move in paying careful attention to: • All sanitary ware (taps, toilet fittings, etc.); • fireplace surrounds; • whether the extras you ordered have been provided; • whether doors and windows open and close properly; • whether all services (electricity and water) are connected and are in working condition; • whether you have keys to all the locks and that they work; • waking sure you have been shown where various stop valves and main electrical switches are located. Also check the site to make sure that: • The boundaries are correctly and clearly marked; • it has been cleared of debris; • all contractual work/finishes are correct.
