The NHBRC warranty cover explained

The NHBRC Warranty Scheme provides warranty cover on all new mortgageable housing units, built or facilitated by a registered NHBRC Home Builder.

The Home Building Manual is for structures comprising of four storeys or less, including basements. Structures larger than four storeys should be submitted to the Technical Department of the NHBRC for consideration prior to enril as this would be deemed as non-standardized construction.

Construction Phase

The Home Builder will be required to provide the consumer with a contract stating the he will rectify, at his own expense, all latent as well as patent defects manifested during the construction phase.

First three to twelve months following occupation

The Home Builder will be required to rectify any deficiency related to workmanship and materials during a 90 day period as from the occupation. However, roof leaks would be repaired within the first twelve months of occupation.

Warranty Period

The Home Builder and consumer will be required, to conclude the Standard Builders Warranty, which obliges the Home Builder to rectify any defect of a patent or latent nature, in respect of the substructure, the superstructure and the roof structure for a period of five years following occupation.

At any stage during this five year period the NHBRC, at its sole discretion, may rectify defects in instances where a registered Home Builder is unwilling or unable to rectify a valid defect provided, however, that such instance is not within the first three months following occupation.

Exclusions from the warranty

The following are items specifically excluded from the Standard Home Builders Warranty:

• willful acts of omissions of the consumer or residents
• fire, explosion, lightning or damage caused by a third party
• storm, flood, frost or earthquake or any other convulsion of nature
• structured alterations, repairs, modifications or alterations to the housing unit as originally constructed and which affected the original structure
• condensation, inadequate maintenance of abnormal use of housing unit or imposition of any load greater than that which the housing unit was designed or the use of the housing unit for any purpose other than which it was designed
• subsidence or landslip from any cause related to a defect in the foundations
• change in color, texture, opacity or staining or other aging process
• pressure waves caused by air craft or other aerial devices travelling at sonic or supersonic speeds or the impact of aircraft or other aerial devices or articles dropped
• loss of/or damage to any finishes unless they have to be repaired or replaced due to a structural defect in the residential structure
• wear and tear, deterioration caused by neglect or damage caused by the failure of the consumer to timeously notify the Home Builder of any defect
• anything which is of a petty nature and which any reasonable consumer could be expected to rectify
• electrical and plumbing systems
• misuse or abnormal use of the private drainage system

Which defects are covered by the warranty?

The cause of a defect in housing units affect strength, stability, durability and serviceability, will generally fall into one of these categories:

• Undue ground movement resulting from an unavoidable situation
• Inadequate structural strength due to underdesign/inadequate specifications, poor construction, overloading and indirectly applied loads resulting from the deflection, deformation or shortening of interconnected structural elements
• Normal structural movement, including shrinkage and creep of materials such as concrete, thermal movements, movements due to moisture changes, deflection of structural components and moisture expansion of burnt clay units
• The use of materials which are unsuitable as they are not in accordance with the Home Building Manual and/or specifications
• The effects of chemical agents which when carried in the atmosphere, or water, or being in the presence of moisture, may result in the rusting and the corrosion of steel and other metals or the deterioration and disintegration on non-metallic materials such as concrete, masonry units, mortar, timber etc
• The effects of vegetation whether direct on indirect
• Abnormal events, including meteorological events such as high winds, floods, snow, hail and lightning, seismic events, fire and explosions
• Failure to undertake necessary maintenance and repairs timeously resulting in a defect which could have been prevented

Defects can be minimized, if not eliminated, by ensuring that Home Builder responsible

• Meets the requirement of the National Building Regulations
• Adopts design practices and specifications that ensure satisfactory performance
• Uses materials, products and building systems, which are suitable for the intended purpose
• Carries out all work in a proper and workmanlike manner

What is a French Drain?

Septic tanks only partially treat the sewage and the function of the French drain is to provide the final treatment before disposal of the effluent.

The insitu percolation test should be conducted on all sites which are to receive French drains.

French drains should not be constructed on sites where:
·         the percolation rate is less than 30 minutes
·         effluent may flow out of the ground due to the contours of or the strata forming such sites
·         the level of the water table is or may be such to prevent adequate percolation
·         other sites may be affected by the presence of such a drain
·         there is insufficient space to accommodate the soaking away of the effluent

French drains should be sited and constructed so as to not to cause the pollution of nay public stream, spring, well or water source that is used, or that could be used for drinking, domestic or kitchen purposes.

They should be located downhill of a water source such as a borehole or spring.  Where the location of such a water source is not possible French drains should be located at least 50m from the water source.

French drains should be preferably constructed along the contour of the soil surface

Under floor membranes

Polyolefin membranes should be placed beneath all slab-on-the-ground foundations, irrespective of site and ground conditions.

The membranes should have a thickness of not less than 0.25mm and should be placed beneath the slab and beam thickenings so that the bottom surface in entirely laid.

Where justified by appropriate geotechnical conditions, the membrane as in the case of slab-on-the-ground features, may be terminated at the face or edge of the internal beam.

Lapping of membranes at joints should not be less than 200mm.

Penetrations by pipes, plumbing fittings or punctures should be taped with a pressure sensitive adhesive tape.

In the case of floor tabs, the membranes should be turned up around the perimeter of the floor slab by at least the thickness of the slab.

Compaction

The maximum height of fill beneath floor slabs and slab-on-the ground foundations measured at the lowest point should not exceed 400mm unless certified by the engineer.

Fill should be moistened prior to compaction so that a handful squeezed in the hand is firm but does not show signs of moisture. Fill should be placed in uncompacted layers not exceeding 100mm in respect of hand compaction or 150mm in respect of mechanical compaction.

Each uncompacted layer should be well compacted before additional fill material is added.

Compaction should be such that in excess of 3 blows of a dynamic cone penetometer are required to penetrate 100mm of the fill, provided that fills do not comprise more than 10% gravel size less than 10mm and contain no isolated boulders.

Dynamic (drop weight) cone penetrometer

This is an instrument used to measure the in situ shear resistance of soil comprising a drop weight of approximately 10 kg which falls through a height of 460mm and drives a cone having a maximum diameter of 20 mm (cone angle of 60 degrees) into the material used.

Our customers influence our performance objectives

We seek to satisfy customers through developing a few typical performance objectives.

When customers value our cost-effective pricing the operation will place emphasis on its cost performance.  If a customer insists on error-free services the operation will concentrate on its quality performance.  When a customer emphasizes fast delivery we will make speed important within the operation important while an emphasis on reliability will make dependability important.  When customers expect an innovative service, the operation must provide a high degree of flexibility in order to get its innovations to its customers before its rivals.  If a wide range of services are demanded by customers, the operation will need to be flexible enough to provide the necessary variety without excessive cost.

How well we meet your requirements is determined by how well our operation excels at these performance objectives which will subsequently influence the competitive factors.

Requirements of single storey masonry construction

·         The height of the wall from the floor level to the top of the external gable does not exceed 5.0 m

·         The span of roof trusses/rafters between supporting walls do not exceed 8.0m and for a concrete roof slab the restriction is at 7.0m

·         The dead load of the roof covering in a roof other than a concrete slab does not exceed 80 kg per square metre

·         Concrete roof slabs should not be thicker than 255mm if of solid construction or the equivalent mass if of voided construction

·         The height of the foundation walls should not exceed 1.5m

·         The height of the fill beneath the slabs should not exceed 1.0m