New Zealand's biggest leaky building disaster to date will cost $20 million to fix and some homes may have to be demolished, says a confidential report.
Saturday, April 19th 2003, 12:22PM
by The Landlord
Owners of 153 units at the village-sized Sacramento development in Botany Downs have been warned to make emergency repairs to rotting stairs and balconies before the structures collapse and someone is killed or badly injured.
A report by building surveyors Alexander & Co has found rotting timber throughout the site and "a collective and systemic failure" by the development team to meet Building Code standards.
The residents have now filed a $20 million lawsuit against the developers, Taradale, and nine other defendants, including cladding manufacturers James Hardie, the Government-appointed Building Industry Authority and the industry-run Building Research Association (Branz).
