Big bills loom for house owners

The regulations affect cement stucco-clad houses, and require cavities to be constructed between the timber framing and the cladding.

The regulations, introduced by the Building Industry Authority (BIA) last month, apply retrospectively, even if property-owners have already obtained a building consent.

Those who own existing unmodified stucco-clad houses face a significant drop in property value, building experts say.

The BIA introduced the new regulations as part of its Acceptable Solutions, in a bid to address weathertightness issues.

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