Building in The Covid Landscape

The steady rise of house prices in recent years has prompted many people to consider building a house as a much more viable and affordable option than it has been in the past. Covid and its pervasive disruption of everyday life, however, has brought up a range of new issues that prospective home builders should be aware of before considering a build.

Fixed-price contracts have become a thing of the past with builders now being unable to guarantee the price of materials due to their scarcity and long delivery times. Buyers should look out for clauses in building contracts that allow the builder to increase the price where materials, labour or services become more expensive than at the time the contract was signed.

Similarly, due to the difficulty builders have getting materials and labour, completion dates are often much further out than people have come to expect. Like the price escalation-type clauses referred to above, builders will often now include an ability to extend the contract completion date due to delays in obtaining materials or labour to complete the build in the time prescribed in the contract.

With these issues in mind, it is important that you get advice regarding your building contract before you sign it. Make sure you have a good handle on your budget and there is room for a potential increase in the contract price.

DISCLAIMER: All the information published is true and accurate to the best of the authors knowledge. It should not be a substitute for legal advice. No liability is assumed by the authors or publisher for losses suffered by any person or organisation relying directly or indirectly on this article. Views expressed are those of individual authors, and do not necessarily reflect the view of this firm. Articles appearing in this newsletter may be reproduced with prior approval from the editor and credit given to the source. Copyright, NZ LAW Limited, 2019. Editor: Adrienne Olsen. E-mail: adrienne@adroite.co.nz. Ph: 029 286 3650 or 04 496 5513.