Many homes, particularly in areas like Canterbury, still face lingering issues from past seismic events. Understanding these common problems can help homeowners identify what to look for and also what to expect during the repair process. Here are some of the most common building repair issues associated with earthquake damage.
- Uneven Foundations. After an earthquake the ground beneath a house can shift and sink resulting in the foundations ending up uneven. You might notice sloping floors, doors that swing open or closed on their own, jammed windows and doors, and even cracks appearing in your walls. Repairs often involve re-levelling the house. This is the process of lifting the house back to its original (level) positioning. Think of it like using a car jack to lift a vehicle, but on a much larger and more precise scale.
- Cracked Concrete Foundations. Cracks in concrete perimeter foundations or concrete slabs are a common sign of earthquake damage. In this case, it is important to distinguish between minor surface cracks and serious structural ones that might indicate a deeper structural issue. Generally speaking, cracks caused by an earthquake are often wide (more than 2mm), may run the full depth of the slab, and often have one side of the crack sitting higher than the other (called ‘lipping’ or ‘heave’). This indicates the slab has been bent or broken by ground forces.
- Damaged Piles. For houses sitting on timber or concrete piles, ground movement can cause the piles to tilt, break, or become misaligned. This compromises the stability of the entire house and repairs must be undertaken to replace and/or strengthen the piles.
- Ground Instability (Liquefaction). Areas identified as prone to liquefaction following an earthquake means the ground may lose its ‘strength’, which can cause houses to sink or shift either rapidly or even just sometimes slowly over time. This is a serious issue that often requires extensive ground reinforcement or a complete foundation rebuild.
- Cracked Plasterboard. A very common issue following a seismic event, cracks in gib board often appear diagonally from the corners of windows and doors, or along the joints of the plasterboard sheets. Small, cosmetic cracks can be repaired by re-stopping and painting, but larger, more significant cracks may indicate that the plasterboard has lost its bracing capacity and needs to be replaced. The movement of wall frames and plasterboard during an earthquake can also cause nails or screws to “pop” out of the plasterboard. This can leave small bumps or holes that need to be repaired.
- Damaged Skirting And Architraves. Either cracking or pulling away from the walls, skirting board, and architraves are usually an easy fix as long as there is no relevelling required (house is no longer square).
- Damaged Brickwork. Brick cladding is a common casualty during earthquakes. Bricks can move, crack, detach, or even collapse entirely with heavy ground movement. Damage to mortar in between the bricks is also common, where the mortar cracks and crumbles, falling out. All loose mortar needs to be ground out and replaced.
- Chimney Damage. Unreinforced chimneys are particularly vulnerable, something we saw a lot of in the Christchurch earthquakes. Older style brick chimneys are especially prone to cracking and toppling over during an earthquake, causing secondary damage to the surrounding roof.
- Roof Damage. Damage to the roof can range from minor to severe and can also lead to secondary problems like leaks and water damage. Concrete and clay roof tiles can crack or slip off their fixings. While ridging seating joints can fail, and flashing can buckle or lift, creating water vulnerability.
- Weathertightness. General overall weather-tightness can become a significant issue for properties that have survived a significant seismic event. Even small cracks, sealant gaps and shifted cladding can compromise a home’s watertightness, leading to slow leaks and subsequent damage like rot or mould.
- Subfloor Voids And Silt. In liquefaction-affected areas, the ground can settle away from the floor slab, creating unnecessary voids. If not properly addressed, liquefaction, silt and moisture can also accumulate under the house, leading to long-term health and structural issues.
- Damage To Services. When the ground moves, plumbing and drainage pipes can crack or become disconnected, leading to leaks that may go undetected for some time. Electrical wiring in walls and flooring may also be affected by structural movement and remain unseen for some time leading to serious safety hazards.
Earthquake Damage? Here’s What To Do Next
Discovering cracks and shifts in your home after an earthquake is unsettling. But the initial discovery phase quickly turns into a pressing question – “Now what?” Having identified recent or lingering earthquake damage, it’s time to take action. Taking the right steps now will ensure your home is safe and streamline the repair and insurance process. Here’s the plan!
1. Document Everything
Creating a detailed record of all suspected issues is an important step for your insurance claim and for briefing repair professionals. Take clear photos, show scale (place a ruler next to cracks to give a clear idea of their size) and write down the date, location, and a description of each issue. A video walkthrough can also be incredibly helpful. This will all be invaluable when dealing with NHC (EQC) and your private insurer.
2. Get A Professional Home Assessment
The damage you can see is not always the full extent of it. An expert will understand its severity better. It is best to call a Licensed Building Practitioner (LBP) – your local Builder who specialises in EQC repairs. Don’t guess or ask a friend, a professional assessment gives you a clear path forward and is essential for safety.
3. Contact Your Private Insurer
With your documentation and professional assessment in hand, it’s time to engage your insurance. In New Zealand, this used to be a two-part process where you had to lodge a claim with EQC and also your private insurance company. But the introduction of the Natural Hazards Commission (NHC) has simplified this process into just one step – contacting your private insurer. More on this below.
4. Get Your EQC Builder On To The Repairs
Having made the house safe, prevented further damage, and completed all of the above steps, it is time to go about engaging a qualified EQC repairs builder. In this instance, it is always best to hire builders with experience in carrying out earthquake repairs and renovations. They will be able to understand the complexities of seismic events and gain a better picture of the overall damage to your home, enabling them to complete the repairs properly instead of just covering up the immediately visible damage.
Recent EQC Changes And What They Mean For NZ Homeowners
In New Zealand, premiums for property insurance policies include an EQC levy, which is a charge applied by the Government to help cover the cost of specific services. In the occurrence of a natural hazard like an earthquake or similar event, these levies help provide insurance cover for your property.
However, EQC announced changes to this system (effective from 1 July 2024) where they now go by the name the “Natural Hazards Commission Toka Tū Ake” with the goal of simplifying the claim process across a range of natural hazards, including things like earthquakes, tsunamis, landslips, floods, and volcanic activity.
Cover under the scheme remains largely the same under the new Act, with some changes to clarify cover and entitlements. The main changes to the insurance scheme is that it is now called Natural Hazards Insurance levy (NHI levy), with the Natural Hazards Commission detailing that the maximum cover for residential building damage from natural hazards has increased from $150,000 to $300,000 (plus GST). The EQC levy, which is part of your home insurance premium, has increased to a maximum of $480 (+GST).
This new version of the Earthquake Commission, now called the Natural Hazards Commission, is working towards simplifying the whole claim process, allowing claimants to make one claim through their insurance provider and everything being taken care of from there. Homeowners have access to the scheme if they have an insurance policy with fire cover.
Looking for reliable earthquake repairs under the NHC scheme? JAR Builders are your trusted house re-levelling, renovation and repairs experts in Christchurch. Give us a call today to discuss your EQC concerns and repairs.
