Hi
I’d like to ask for some advice or suggestions on how I could go about getting some waterproofing repair/redone and water related damages repaired (eg. water damaged drywall/ceiling panels).
I want to know if there’s any recourse I can take up with the original builder, any home insurance claim against today’s Sydney freak weather or anything else I can do without just simply going 100% out of pocket now for everything?
It's tough pill to swallow and it's very emotionally draining.
The background:
- Bought newly built (by someone else) home with balcony that leaked into ceiling space downstairs in 2017.
- Builder had “contractors” come do bandaid fixes (silicone, angles, poorly done partial waterproofing under sliding door etc) under new build warranty through 2018-2020.
- Waterproofing issues significantly reduced but never 100% resolved - Got told an excuse about water ingress due to strong sideways rain, getting through minor gaps etc
- Never really clearly accepted rectification in full and messaged a couple of times about water still getting through but nothing was agreed or done
- Left it a few years, bandaid fixes appeared to hold and didn’t think much about it.
- Now it’s 2025, past the new built statutory warranty period, a couple of significant rain events later and also just yesterday's major rain dump leaks are just as bad as original
Have had a few people come assess already and all similar approach needing to rip out all existing tiling and waterproofing and basically complete redo. Fine, I understand and accept that has to be done for a proper fix. Just tough to swallow given the background...
Appreciate any advice!
ps. Not dwelling on hindsight, had a new born at the time, had to vacate the master bedroom, left the wife at home to be at work, had contractors and builders rock up at random days and times to do “work” when I wasn’t always available, communication/coordination was touch and go obviously.
