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What is a "Healthy Home"?

With new regulations here to ensure everyone has a safe place to live, and the Winter weather ramping up, we're sure you'll be seeing the term 'Healthy Home' a lot more. But what does it actually mean? The Government have spent a lot of time reviewing legislation to ensure all residential rental properties comply with the Health Home Standards. So what does this mean for you?From July 2020 all new, updated and varied tenancy agreements require a statement for every property that details Insula...

A pre-purchase report for peace of mind!

A pre-purchase/condition report involves the inspection of residential properties to identify and report on the condition of components, finishes, structure, systems and services of a property, as well as identifying defects and problems that might be present in the following areas: Grounds: fences, drives, paths, retaining walls, clothes line.Out buildings: garages, sheds, glasshouses and sleep outs.Exterior: cladding systems, weathertightness, foundations, windows, doors and timber finishings....

This winter, be toasty, but not toast!

Winter brings a unique set of fire dangers that you need to be aware of. Follow these fire safety tips from Fire and Emergency NZ to help keep yourself and your family safe, no matter the season.Heaters and clothes dryers Remember the 'heater metre' rule: keep flammable materials at least one metre away from any heat sources. And it’s one heater or larger appliance per plug – no more.Never cover heating appliances or store objects on top of them.Don't overload clothes dryers and clean t...

How to prevent mould in your home this winter season

Winter is coming, which means the increase in condensation and mould can quickly escalate. We found this great article from HGTV, explaining some simple steps to decrease mould in your home this winter. Anyone involved in the construction, maintenance, selling, insuring or purchasing of a new home (in other words, just about everyone) has probably heard more about the dangers and costs of mould than they care to. But the fundamental risks associated with the potential of a mould problem rem...

An introduction to cladding

Weatherboard, cement, timber, brick... We're sure you've heard these terms in relation to cladding before, but just what do they mean, and how do you choose the best cladding for your home? Or how do you know what these mean for you when you're purchasing a house? In case you aren't familiar with any of this, we'll start at the beginning. Cladding is the material that covers your external walls and roof. It sets the scene for the rest of your building, enhances your street appeal and makes a sta...

Seven essential jobs to get your house ready for winter

It’s hard to believe that autumn’s already here again, and although the days are still mild and sunny, cooler weather lies ahead. So now is the perfect time to attend to odd jobs around the exterior of your home, and the garden, before winter arrives. Kiwi winters can be hard on exterior paintwork so identifying rotten timber, fixing it, then repainting it now will help deflect further deterioration. Checking roofs for missing tiles or potentially destructive leaks is also wise because nobod...

Now that you've had your home inspection...

Now that you've brought your new home and had your inspection, you may still have some questions about your new house and the items revealed in your report....

Introducing the QSPlus Helping Hands | Deserving Causes Initiative

QSPlus are proud to introduce our Helping Hands | Deserving Causes initiative.  As a small, local business we believe it’s important to give back to our community and those in need. So, we commit 2% of the company’s gross income to deserving causes. This means a portion of the cost of your report goes directly to a deserving cause. We love to give locally where we can too, so if you know of a local branch or group that deserves a helping hand, let us know! Here’s how it...