Retro-fit inspections

Do you own rental properties?
Or do you want the insulation levels checked in your home?

We inspect and provide written assessments as well as provide Certificates for your insulation levels.

For a competitive quote, get hold of us today.

Quick Tip

If your property has existing foil insulation do not inspect/touch it without turning off the power at the mains first as there is an electrocution risk. If you have any doubts, contact a qualified electrician. If you choose to remove foil insulation, hire a qualified professional.

Insulation Standard

Ceiling and underfloor insulation has been compulsory in all rental homes since 1 July 2019. The healthy homes insulation standard builds on the current regulations and some existing insulation will need to be topped up or replaced.

Insulation stops heat escaping from the house. In general, the better insulated a rental home is, the more it will retain heat. This means it will usually cost less to heat the property, and the property will be drier and be less prone to mould.

From 1 July 2020
Landlords must include a statement of their current level of compliance with the healthy homes standards in any new, varied or renewed tenancy agreement.
From 1 July 2021
Private landlords must ensure their rental properties comply with the healthy homes standards within 90 days of any new, or renewed, tenancy.
All boarding houses (except Housing New Zealand and Community Housing Provider boarding house tenancies) must comply with the healthy homes standards.
From 1 July 2023
All Housing New Zealand houses and registered Community Housing Provider houses must comply with the healthy homes standards.
From 1 July 2024
All rental homes must comply with the healthy homes standards.

The healthy homes standards became law on 1 July 2019.

The healthy homes standards introduce specific and minimum standards for heating, insulation, ventilation, moisture ingress and drainage, and draught stopping in rental properties.

All private rentals must comply within 90 days of any new or renewed tenancy after 1 July 2021, with all private rentals complying by 1 July 2024. All boarding houses must comply by 1 July 2021. All houses rented by Housing New Zealand and registered Community Housing Providers must comply by 1 July 2023.

Landlords are responsible for maintaining and improving the quality of their rental properties. These standards will help ensure landlords have healthier, safer properties and lower maintenance costs for their investments.

The standards will also make it easier for tenants to keep their homes warm and dry.

Landlords that fail to comply with these regulations are committing and unlawful act and may be liable for a penalty of up to $4000.

*Information sourced from the Tenancy Website

What is the minimum level of insulation required?

If the insulation sits below the timber framing, this means that it is less than 90mm thick and will need to be topped up to meet the Healthy Homes Standard of R3.3 from the 01/07/2021 for private landlords or 01/07/2024 for rental properties

Insulation requirements under the healthy homes standards (which align to the 2008 Building Code) are measured by R-value. R-value is a measure of resistance to heat flow. The higher the R-value, the better the insulation.

For existing insulation depending on location needs to meet minimum R-values (‘R’ stands for resistance – an R-value is a measure of how well insulation resists heat flow). Existing ceiling insulation that was installed before 1 July 2016 needs to be at least 120mm thick. Underfloor insulation needs a minimum R-value of 1.3.

Minimum R-values vary across New Zealand.

If there is any question as to whether the existing insulation complies with the requirements, the Landlord may choose to ask a reputable installer to make an assessment, this is where we can help!

We can provide an assessment of the current insulation, a no obligation quote if it requires topping up and a certificate if it is up to code or we have installed new insulation.