Standards Extra - NHBC Home

Issue 42
September 2008
Problems
Remedial works in progress
Clauses C6, C9 and C13 of the
Standards go on to confirm that:
“Members of The Property Care
Association (PCA), a division of the British
Wood Preserving and Damp-proofing
Association (BWPDA) backed by the
Guarantee Protection Insurance Ltd (GPI)
meet the requirements of Clause C6”
During the last 3 years we have
received contact from a number of
other contractors and some insurers
asking if NHBC would consider
alternatives. But, disappointingly on
reviewing their schemes we found
that none fully met the level of cover
required in the Standards or that
provided by the PCA/GPI scheme.
Claims spend on converted or
renovated homes continues to be
disproportionately high when compared
with new build. The above images show
just what can go wrong with specialist
works! So making sure that insured
guarantees/warranties are set up
correctly to provide adequate cover for
homebuyers, builders and NHBC when
things do go wrong is imperative.
In April this year we carried out an
exercise to review the various alternative
insured guarantee/warranty schemes
known to us, by inviting some 30 or so
specialist contractors and insurers to
complete a detailed questionnaire. We
askedthemtoconfirmthelevelofcover
their scheme provided and importantly
whether, in their view, this complied
in full with the NHBC Standards for
Conversions and Renovations. Following
a thorough review of the 20 or so
contractors and 3 insurers who
responded, we were not able to identify
any companies who matched (or bettered)
the cover needed to meet our current
requirements, other than PCA/GPI.
However, a recent submission from
Construction Guarantee Services
Ltd (CGS) was found to also meet our
requirements. CGS require their
contractors/members to meet with
the Accredited Wykamol User Scheme
requirements as a benchmark for technical
competence, and also that CGS perform
an ongoing vetting process broadly
in line with our requirements.
We have also established that the CGS
guarantee/warranty is backed by Milburn
Insurance Company Ltd and this meets
our requirements for insurance. We have
therefore agreed that a CGS contractor/
member backed by Milburn Insurance
canbeconsideredasanacceptable
alternative to the PCA/GPI cover.
Naturally, we feel that competition in
this area is extremely important and
therefore should any other insurers or
contractors come forward with schemes
that comply in full with our Standards
for Conversions and Renovations we
would be pleased to include them as
an acceptable alternative.
ACTION
If you intend to engage
specialist contractors
to carry out any of the
remedial work detailed on
page 2, make sure they can
provide a suitable insured
guarantee/warranty that
is acceptable to NHBC.
Showerheads over baths
Where builders provide a showerhead over a bath
dotheyneedtoprovideascreenandtilethewalls?
This long running issue has now been resolved by NHBC’s
Standards Committee who consider it reasonable that water should
be contained (and not go over the bathroom floor) and the walls
around the bath should be tiled where water will fall on them.
Where builders provide a showerhead over a bath, or the
fixing for a showerhead such that people can stand under it,
then builders will be required to provide a screen or other
suitable means to contain the water.
Additionally the surfaces that may be wetted by persons
using the shower facility will need to be tiled or have an
equally water resistant finish.
This is nothing more than most builders already provide but it
will be incorporated into NHBC Standards at the next reprint.
ACTION
Builders are asked to note that this will be
incorporated into the Standards in due course.
Where BI’s come across this scenario in the interim
the builder will be advised of the forthcoming change
and asked to comply with the new requirements. This
will be noted as an observation in the Site Record Book.
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