Typical features of the 1990s house include:

  • hipped or gabled roofs – roof slope typically 15–30o
  • a wide variety of roofing and wall cladding materials and styles – monolithic wall claddings became common from the early 1990s to the early-2000s
  • often no eaves
  • larger aluminium-framed windows
  • waterproof decks
  • typically a concrete floor slab, particleboard to upper floors
  • insulated (walls and roof)
  • stud height was typically 2.4–2.7 metres
  • mechanical ventilation provided in bathrooms and kitchens
  • plasterboard internal linings.

MAINTENANCE FOR HOUSES 1990s TO PRESENT

  • clean and check the external cladding, and recoat if necessary. See the guide for external wall maintenance
  • clean and check the roof cladding, and recoat if necessary. See the guide for roof maintenance
  • ensure gutters and downpipes are kept clear of leaves and other debris. If necessary, prune back any tree branches that grow over the house

Depending on construction methods and materials, maintenance may also include: 

  • ensuring that wall cavity ventilation holes remain clear
  • checking visible sealant joints and face seal coatings, cleaning and repairing/recoating as necessary
  • checking flashings, such as the head flashings above windows, to ensure that water is not getting behind the cladding
  • inspecting roof flashings and membranes.

Some homes built in this period (and in particular from the mid-1990s to the mid-2000s) had materials, construction methodssand design elements that did not prove to be weathertight. There are cases where the leaks and subsequent damage did not become visible until years after the construction was complete. You can find out more about ‘leaky buildings’ in our maintenance guide on weathertightness, and also on our dedicated website www.weathertight.org.nz.