Shadowclad: Homeowner shocked by extent of problem

  • 29/05/2017

One of the complainants in a class action lawsuit against Carter Holt Harvey regarding a faulty cladding product says he was shocked to find out many other homeowners were affected.

Timber weatherboard cladding Shadowclad is already the subject of court proceedings in relation to hundreds of leaky school buildings.

Aucklander Corrin Ellingford is one of dozens of homeowners taking action themselves.

"I've even got a friend at work, I said 'I've got this house, blah blah blah,' we got chatting away and he said, 'I've got a house like that - it's affected by the same thing.' They built their house in 2007, so I'm sure there's a lot of people around the country having the same issues we're having.'

Legal firm Adina Thorn Lawyers has secured funding to launch the class action on behalf of the owners.

"We want it to be our 20, 30-year house. I don't want to have to replace the cladding after 10, 15 years, you know?" says Ellingford. "It seems crazy."

Homeowner Steve Kirby says the damage to his place caused by Shadowclad could end up costing him hundreds of thousands of dollars to repair.

"As it's warping, it's pushing the nails out... You keep doing your repair work - putting the nails back in, but essentially it's going to need to have a whole reclad to sort the problem out," Mr Kirby said.

Carter Holt Harvey makes the product, which is popular in baches and holiday homes.

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