Browse Forums General Discussion 1 Jun 23, 2013 2:54 pm Hi all, haven't been on here for a long time, have been in our house 2-1/2 years and its flown by We have recently had a bit of drama with water getting under our roofing during heavy rain and its damaged the alfresco ceiling. Our builder pretty much wiped their hands of us once handover was done as we've had numerous issues which they've ignored but that's another story When I noticed the alfresco ceiling was cracked and full of water I called the builder as I assumed it was a structural thing. The supervisor basically told us there was nothing that could be done as its somehow getting In under the ridge capping or it's being pushed under the tin with heavy rain? So I called insurance and they've been around and will repair damage to alfresco, but we've just had more heavy rain and its filled up again. So who should be responsible for this, the builder who designed, engineered and built the house? We can't keep getting it fixed and then have it damaged every time we have heavy rain, which happens a lot here over winter. For a house that is two and half years old we shouldn't have this problem. I've had a gut full of them ignoring us and I'm about to threaten going to the building commission, but I'm not sure what can be done here. Any advice would be great. Like I said, it's not the only problem we have, but this is the most serious considering how much damage it could potentially end up doing. I'm in WA. Thanks heaps Re: Who is responsible for water getting in our roof space? 2Jun 23, 2013 4:37 pm I would've thought it was covered by the 7 / 10? Year structural warranty we get here in WA when we build. I'd write an official letter to builder letting them know you'll be going to the tribunal should they not rectify the problem. If its a design fault, it's their issue, not yours, surely! Hopefully you get it sorted soon. The road to success is always under construction House completed April 2011 - slowly making it a home... Re: Who is responsible for water getting in our roof space? 3Jun 23, 2013 5:04 pm I'd say having better knowledge of the situation will pay off for you in the end. Get the most reputable roofer in your area to come by and pay them for a full and written investigation. Armed with that and attached to your letter, you can follow Zarli's advice. Re: Who is responsible for water getting in our roof space? 4Jun 23, 2013 5:57 pm Rizzo We have recently had a bit of drama with water getting under our roofing during heavy rain and its damaged the alfresco ceiling. Our builder pretty much wiped their hands of us once handover was done So who should be responsible for this, the builder who designed, engineered and built the house? Hi Rizzo, Numerous new houses are sold with non compliant or poorly designed (but compliant) roof drainage. The reasons are numerous. From your description, I assume that you have eaves gutters. AS/NZS 3500.3:2003 states: ""Eaves gutter systems, including downpipes, shall be designed and installed in accordance with clause 3.2 so that water will not flow back into the building". GUTTERS Gutters must not overtop the fascia. The main reason a gutter will overtop is when it is high fronted and the lower back part of the gutter is fitted too high on the fascia. There is a hf calculation that determines the minimum distance that the back of the gutter's wall must be from the top of the fascia. The problem is that there is no requirement for downpipes to be a set maximum distance apart. This in turn means that when downpipes are a long distance apart (and usually fitted at the end of the walls), the greater roof area is half way between the downpipes. If you combine the greatest flow of water being the furthest distance from the downpipes with a gutter that is mounted too high on the fascia in order to gain slope from the high point to the downpipe, then you can have a problem. Alfresco ceilings however are generally higher than the top of the fascia. Have you checked this? If this eliminates the gutter as the source of water ingress, then it will be the ridge capping. Is the tin corrugated? You can buy a "corrugated foam sealer" that you place under the cap to seal it. There are other fixes for other tin profiles. If it is the gutter, then it is the plumber's fault and the compliance certificate (if issued in W.A. on new houses) is worthless. If it is the ridge, then it is the roofer's fault. The responsibility nevertheless rests with the builder. 3in1 Supadiverta. Rainwater Harvesting Best Practice using syphonic drainage. Cleaner Neater Smarter Cheaper Supa Gutter Pumper. A low cost syphonic eaves gutter overflow solution. Re: Who is responsible for water getting in our roof space? 5Jun 23, 2013 6:20 pm Thanks everyone, that's a huge help. The fact that the builder was telling us there was nothing that could be done is what infuriated me as it will be an ongoing problem unless fixed. I have been at a loss as to what to do and who to contact and wanted to make sure it was the builders responsibility before going further. Zarli, that's exactly what I thought. Thanks saveH20. I got a little lost with that lol, but we did get up in the roof and its actually wet all the way from the top, so it looks like its getting in under the very top and running down to the alfresco. This worries me that it's getting wet damp in other areas. The tin is corrugated and the builder was going to put some foam in but a month later hasn't been back after saying they would the next day. He wasn't convinced this would fix it though and that's when he said if it happened again then they couldn't help us. Looks like I'll be getting an independent roofer to take a look and give a report and I'll get the other issues looked at by trades and send the info to them. This is a high end builder and I just feel like they don't give a crap because we didn't spend more than what we did with them Re: Who is responsible for water getting in our roof space? 6Jun 23, 2013 7:10 pm Rizzo I got a little lost with that lol, but we did get up in the roof and its actually wet all the way from the top, so it looks like its getting in under the very top and running down to the alfresco. I tried to keep it simple but I know what you mean. My bet was it being the ridge capping due to the probable height of the alfresco ceiling. The tin might also need turning up. It isn't a hard or long job for a competent roofer. 3in1 Supadiverta. Rainwater Harvesting Best Practice using syphonic drainage. Cleaner Neater Smarter Cheaper Supa Gutter Pumper. A low cost syphonic eaves gutter overflow solution. Re: Who is responsible for water getting in our roof space? 8Jun 23, 2013 11:54 pm A properly installed Colorbond roof will not leak, if it does leak chances are it was put on by someone who either didn't now what they were doing, ie inexperienced labourers or by someone who was cutting corners to save money. I work in the metal roofing industry in Victoria and I see it every day. Builders are not getting the $$ they want what they sell so they are crunching the trades for better prices, as a result the tradies are making less money which forces them to cut costs. Employing cheaper labour, not following the correct procedures are just a few of he problems we are seeing, fortunately though, there are still plenty of guys who are trying to do the right thing. Cases like this highlight the need for someone to force the builder to fix the problems caused by direct or indirect cost cutting in the hope that they will eventually start to realise that it's better to do the job properly the first time. Hopefully this will start to weed out the cowboys. I would suggest that you call the the MBA and the plumbers licensing board to ask their assistance, and if all else fails seek some advise from a 'no win no fee' legal service who can put some pressure on the builder. Hope I have helped you, good luck. Re: Who is responsible for water getting in our roof space? 9Jun 24, 2013 8:32 am I think Brett 854 summed it up nicely about cost cutting and price crunching however don't believe that builders are not making their money, they are. Your builder is not taking you seriously and has just been rolling you. Of course it is builder's fault and responsibility (unless you have interfered with the roof having your own contractor install antenna, dish or the like) and the builder should fix it. If WA building Commission is anything like Vic. you will be wasting your time however give it a try, plumbing commission is a good bet. If all else fails you should get yourself a goof building consultant and take your complaint to the tribunal, that will get you a result but will cost you. Did you have independent inspections during construction? Foremost Building Expert in Australia,assisting with building problems/disputes, building stage inspections,pre-contract review advice for peace of mind 200 blogs http://www.buildingexpert.net.au/blog Re: Who is responsible for water getting in our roof space? 10Jul 05, 2013 2:46 pm I've been on so many roofs which leak water through, some from obvious things like improperly positioned tiles, Screws in Tin roofs not installed correctly, missing sealant on HVAC and plumbing hoses from heating/cooling units allthough water can enter for many other reasons, I reckon it's ridiculous for a house to leak water in. In my opinion It's the Builders responsibility as he has a duty of care to ensure all the tradesman do the job properly and any issues are taken care of. While I am no Lawyer and you should get legal advice on this, under Australian consumer law the roof or whatever structure/material is leaking, is not fit for purpose if it lets in rain.... e.g normally you would not expect a roof to leak in rain, and the primary purpose of a Roof and Gutters is to channel rain down to the ground safely without entering the house. Consider the cost of repairing your cielings and the rest of your house when the rain gets to it and all over your electrical installations. See if you can get a written letter expressing their denial of liability from your builder, e.g a document saying he/they are denying any cover or willingness to repair your home and get a reason written on it as to why, then take this document to your lawyer. If your builder ever enters into any sort of deal/agreement with you to fix the roof or help you out in some way, read the paperwork extremely carefully before signing. Antenna Direct Perth www.antennadirect.com.au 0423919037 Get your home NBN Ready Smart Wiring and Structured Cabling in Perth Antenna Installations | TV Wall Mounting | Data Cabling HD Security Camera Systems / CCTV Re: Who is responsible for water getting in our roof space? 12Jul 05, 2013 11:47 pm Thanks everyone, we are still trying to deal with the builder, but I've given up until my husband is home as he's overseas. I need him here to help me fight it as it's stressing me out doing it alone and I'm starting to feel intimidated by them everytime I talk to them. We are happy to claim the repairs under insurance and they have given us the go ahead, but we need the problem sorted first as it's just going to keep happening. It's the second thing in the house we've been told we will be chasing our tails with for ever and that shouldn't happen with new houses. Will keep you updated on progress Re: Who is responsible for water getting in our roof space? 14May 21, 2020 9:51 pm
Re: Who is responsible for water getting in our roof space? 15Aug 04, 2020 10:04 pm
Re: Who is responsible for water getting in our roof space? 16Aug 04, 2020 10:21 pm victoriamorgon08
This is an old thread but I can update you on what happened. There wasn’t enough down pipes put in the area causing the gutters to back up and overflow back into the alfresco ceiling space. It was more than just wear and tear. There was pools of water in the ceiling causing it to fall down.i don’t think you’d expect that from any new roof. Re: Who is responsible for water getting in our roof space? 17Aug 04, 2020 11:01 pm So.....it was the gutters flowing back into the ceiling. I think that gutters still had to be fitted with an emergency overflow provision back in 2010. It also sounds like non compliance with the hf calculated height that I mentioned in my first post. Still see this even today. 3in1 Supadiverta. Rainwater Harvesting Best Practice using syphonic drainage. Cleaner Neater Smarter Cheaper Supa Gutter Pumper. A low cost syphonic eaves gutter overflow solution. This certainly doesn't look good. I would be engaging with an independent inspector to have a look at this. As for the unscheduled site visits, most builders are quite… 1 28320 You can really use anything you want the main consideration would be how it looks once painted/finished - or the look you want. Cabinetmakers use MDF because its cheap… 2 9960 Cupcake.girl This really depends on your local council. Each one has different definitions and ways to calculate contributions. This is called a contribution… 1 3582 |