Built for thousands of happy families.

Home Owner’s Guide

2016 e d i t i o n

The purpose of this booklet is twofold:

• As an explanation of the Choice Homes

(QLD) Pty Ltd Home Owners Warranty and

• To provide you with a guide on general

maintenance which should be undertaken

by you the home owner (or your property

manager) to preserve your investment as

well as the warranty.

Property maintenance is very important.

Your property was built to comply with strict

standards set in place by various local, state

and federal government agencies.

As with a new car, regular maintenance will

help to not only maintain the property value

but will also increase it considerably. Proper

care of your property does not take a lot

of time or effort, as long as you familiarise

yourself with this ‘Home Owners Guide’ and

use it to assist you to protect your investment.

Some items mentioned in this booklet will

only be applicable if they are included in your

‘Building Specifications’.

Your New Home By Choice HomesOnce again – thank you for selecting Choice Homes (QLD) Pty Ltd.

Contents

Introduction 1

Home Owner’s Warranty 3

Practical Completion Inspection 3

6 Months Maintenance 3

Service Contract 3

Interior Maintenance 4

Bench Tops 4

White Goods/Stainless Steel Appliances 4

Tiles 4

Interior Plaster Walls 5

Painted Surfaces 5

Doors and Windows 5

Ceiling Joints and Nail Marks 5

Exterior Maintenance 7

Termite Control 7

Land 7

Landscaping 7

External Painted Surfaces 8

Garage Doors 8

Brickwork 8

Concrete 8

Roofing 9

Plumbing 10

Burst Pipes and Joint Leaks 10

Drainage 10

Blockages 10

Toilet Cisterns 10

Shower Compartment 11

Hot Water System 11

Water Hammer 11

Rainwater Tank and Pump 11

Electricity 12

Electricity 12

TV Reception 12

Telephone Line and Outlets 12

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CHOICE HOMES

Practical Completion Inspection

Your house is made up of hundreds

of components sourced from quality

manufacturers, suppliers and trades people.

Choice Homes (QLD) Pty Ltd utilises an

independent building inspection carried out

prior to the Practical Completion Claim.

Minor adjustments and defects will be

attended to after a joint inspection of your

property by a Choice Homes (QLD) Pty Ltd

representative and either yourself or your

agent. This inspection is very important.

Choice Homes will endeavour to rectify

relevant defects within two weeks, however

rectification of defects is not a precondition

to your obligation to pay the Practical

Completion invoice.

6 Months Maintenance

120 days after signing off your inspection,

you are entitled to a Maintenance

Inspection. You will find a Maintenance

Request Form in the Choice Homes

Handover Pack. Please complete and send

to Choice Homes (QLD) Pty Ltd towards the

end of this period listing any maintenance

requirements. This service to you is free.

If an owner or their agent reports a

maintenance or warranty problem, which

turns out to be their responsibility, Choice

Homes (QLD) Pty Ltd reserves the right to

charge a service fee and cost of replacement

parts. Example: a domestic blockage in the

sewer line, an occupant not switching on the

stove isolator, faulty electrical appliances or

general occupant damage.

Service Contract

If you are a tenant renting this property,

please be aware that all maintenance

needs are to be directed to your Property

Manager listed below.

Home Owner’s Warranty

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Bench Tops

Choice Homes (QLD) Pty Ltd uses high

quality laminate and stone bench tops.

Care should be taken not to use appliances

such as kettles and toasters directly over

joins in the beach tops, and pots, pans

and baking dishes should never be placed

directly onto the surface.

Ensure you clean any spills on or near the

joins immediately. Bench top surfaces

are not designed to be used as chopping

boards or ironing surfaces.

White Goods/Stainless Steel Appliances

The working surface of your stove and oven

are usually finished in glass and/or stainless

steel. To maintain the appearance of these

appliances, stains may be removed with hot

soapy water and a clean cloth prior to the

stains drying. For stubborn stains, place a hot

damp cloth on the surface for a few minutes.

There are a number products on the

market designed specifically for stainless

steel goods. Do not use gritty soaps or

abrasives, as these will leave dull patches

on the surface. Refer to the manufacturers

handbook for service or repair work. Contact

the manufacturer directly for warranty claims.

Note: If the stove does not work, check that the

isolator switch located near the stove is turned on and

the trip switch is in the ‘on’ position in the meter box.

Tiles

Tiles, particularly in damp areas such as

bathrooms, should be washed regularly

and the room ventilated to reduce the

likelihood of mold growth.

Tile chipping is not covered under warranty.

It must be noted that the grouting between

tiles will take approximately 12 months to

completely set. Powder residue from the

grout is easily removed by regular cleaning

and polishing with a dry soft cloth.

Interior Maintenance Interior Plaster Walls

Weather extremes, timber shrinkage, brickwork

expansion and contraction of the plaster itself

can contribute to hairline and minor cracks

in plaster joints and cornice joins. For these

reasons, it is not advisable to fill minor cracks if

any appear in the first 12 months.

However, if you wish to repair them, Gap

Filler (available at all hardware stores) can

be used by carefully filling the cracks and

then touching them up with paint to match

the wall colour. Excess paint used in your

property is usually left by the painters in the

garage or laundry cupboard.

Painted Surfaces

The highest quality paints available for

each surface have been used in your

property, however they are not designed

to be washed daily, as some may believe.

Paints labeled as washable simply means

that accidental surface marks can be

carefully cleaned off.

Paint manufacturers suggest this may be

achieved using warm soapy water and a

soft cotton cloth dabbed on the marks until

they are removed as wiping or scrubbing will

leave shiny patches on the surface. Chips

or grazes should be touched up with a small

fine brush with a small amount of paint.

Doors and Windows

Graphite lubricant or dry lube spray should

only be used to fix a squeaky door hinge –

never use oil-based lubricants as they will

attract dirt and dust.

Aluminum sliding doors and windows

should only be lubricated with dry lube

spray occasionally - more regularly on high

use doors.

Tracks should be regularly cleaned

removing dust and dirt to allow the rollers

to move freely. Never use harsh chemicals,

abrasive cleaners or scourers.

Note: the weep holes, located at the base of the

window tracks, must be kept clear to ensure no

water builds up in the tracks.

Ceiling Joints and Nail Marks

Modern designs use the beauty of the

appearance of flat surfaces to give space to

rooms, hence the use of seamless plaster

walls and ceilings. It must be remembered

that a completely flat surface is impossible

to achieve and the combination of materials

used for walls can add to this. Lighting

can also greatly contributed to this by the

placement of lighting close to surfaces and

also windows without blinds or curtains

throwing glancing or side light.

Do not store items in the roof cavity above

ceilings. This area is not designed for

storage. When installing heavy items, such

as gym equipment, ensure you locate a

suitable beam to ensure sound fixing.

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Termite Control

Your home has been treated in accordance

with Australian standards and local by-laws

to guard against “white ant” infestation.

This treatment is very effective, however

inspections every 12 months are a must

and necessary for warranties. Please read

the information supplied to you with your

construction contract in relation to this.

Note: if you are thinking of building extensions,

fences or retaining walls which will adjoin external

walls, or of moving earth against the building

(including garden beds, paving or concrete works),

consult a Certified Pest Controller first. Any

disturbance may void your Termite Warranty.

Land

The placement of the house slab has been

planned by an engineer to allow for the ground

to slope away from the slab. This is done

to prevent moisture building up under the

slab itself. The homeowner should not plant

gardens, shrubs or trees against the house

that may cause a change in the slab moisture.

Choice Homes (QLD) Pty Ltd will not

cover structural slab damage as a result of

alterations made by the owner to the fall

of the land, including layers of pavers or

concrete. The natural ground underneath

must slope away from the building at all times.

Landscaping

Landscaping is usually undertaken by

Choice Homes (QLD) Pty Ltd professional

contract landscapers in accordance with

local government requirements. Regular

mowing, watering, fertilizing and garden

mulching should keep your lawns and

gardens looking great for years to come.

Note: it is important that you never plant gardens,

shrubs, trees or place water features against the

house above the weep holes as this may cause

a change in the under slab moisture and could

encourage termite infestation. The natural ground

around the slab should slope away from the

building at all times where possible.

Exterior Maintenance

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CHOICE HOMES

External Painted Surfaces

External surfaces should be washed down

twice a year with water and a soft broom,

otherwise the build-up of dust and dirt on

the surfaces can cause pitting and peeling

of the paintwork.

When repainting, do not use dark colours on

external doors as the heat absorption could

cause the door to warp.

Garage Doors

Roller and panel lift doors are generally

maintenance free. If squeaking occurs,

wipe the rollers and track clean then apply

a silicon spray. If the problem persists,

contact the manufacturer. A service by

the supplier is required every two years to

maintain the warranty.

Brickwork

Bricks are used on exterior walls for a

number reasons, one of which is the

minimum maintenance required. The most

common problem with brickwork is the

appearance of salts and minerals on the

brick surface in periods of high humidity.

This is not a long-term or structural problem,

it is merely cosmetic. Simply use a wire

brush to remove the powder from the bricks.

Do not use water.

Concrete

Due to the nature of the material it is virtually

impossible for any builder to prevent minor

cracking in concrete. The slab in your home

has been designed by engineers to meet the

‘Building Code’ and Australian standards so

as to withstand anticipated pressures.

Cracking may result however from

uncontrollable conditions such as unequal

ground settlement, shrinkage and prolonged

periods of unseasonable weather. Hairline

cracking has no detrimental effect on the

structure of your home and Choice Homes

(QLD) Pty Ltd utilise the expertise of

qualified tilers who lay tiles on flexible glue to

safeguard any cracking of the tiles. However,

should you become concerned or the cracks

in the concrete are clearly wider than 3mm,

contact our maintenance department.

Roofing

The roofing material used on your home is

designed and installed to be maintenance

free, but it is extremely important to keep

gutters, valley boards and down pipes clear

of obstructions such as leaves, twigs and

balls as they may cause internal flooding.

Note: do not walk on the roof unless it is absolutely

necessary. People retrieving balls from roofs

and TV antenna installers are common causes of

leaking roofs. Any damage cause by walking on the

roof will void the warranty.

Cracked roof tiles are not covered by our

six-month warranty. Any internal damage

resulting from cracked roof tiles is not

covered by our six-month warranty. Hairline

cracking to the bedding of your ridge capping

and hips tiles is very common in new homes

due to the settling of the timber supports.

Regular maintenance to the ridge and hip

capping and pointing is your responsibility

after 180 days from Practical Completion.

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CHOICE HOMES

Burst Pipes and Joint Leaks

The main stop cock is located on the road side

of the water meter situated in the front corner

of your boundary. If you have a pipe leak, turn

the main water off immediately. If possible,

wrap bags or sacking around the pipe at

the leak and place containers underneath to

catch any drips. This will minimized any water

damage to walls and ceilings.

If the problem arises within the warranty

period, call Choice Homes (QLD) Pty Ltd to

determine cause and liability. Note: ensure

the area around your water meter/stock

cock is kept clear of plants and soil build up

and do not mow directly over them.

Drainage

Keep lawn and garden storm water grates

clean and clear of leaves, soil and grass at

all times. Do not place any items over storm

water grates as it will restrict the drainage of

surface water, which could create flooding in

the yard and in extreme cases the house.

Blockages

All baths, basins, sinks and floor wastes

are fitted with a grill over them to stop

solids from entering and blocking the drains

however small solids such as vegetable

matter, hair and tea leaves can pass through

and also block the drain.

Note: do not empty teapots or fat down the sink

and always run hot water down the sink after

washing fatty utensils. If a blockage does occur, it

may be necessary to dismantle the drain below the

sink. This is not a warranty issue and thus would

incur costs to rectify.

Nappies, sanitary pads and toilet rim blocks

are some of the main causes of blockages

in the toilet systems. Again this is not a

warranty item and a call out will incur a

charge by the plumber.

Toilet Cisterns

If the cistern overflows, turn off the water at

the tap located behind the toilet and drain the

cistern. There is an adjustment screw in the

cistern that will lower the water level when

refilled. Ensure the float valve arm is free.

Plumbing

Shower Compartment

Glass shower screens are made to be

maintenance free, however they are not

designed to withstand direct contact with

hot water as the rapid expansion of the

glass can cause cracking.

Hot Water System

The hot water system installed in your

house will give many years of reliable

service. Any adjustments are best left to

the manufacturer. The overflow pipe over

the drain next to the system is designed

to relieve the pressure build up in the tank

and so will drip from time to time. However

it is advisable to check the pressure every

six months or so by opening the relief valve

on the side of the system until a constant

stream of water flows from it – if this flow

occurs in a manner of seconds the system

is working correctly. Caution: overflow

water is very hot.

Water Hammer

Water hammer is the thumping of pipes

when the water is flowing, not when the taps

are turned off. If the latter occurs, check that

the taps to the washing machines are turned

off and that all taps are turned off. Taps

turned off quickly may cause a pressure

thump, which can also loosen pipe clips and

damage the tap washer. If water hammer

does occur within the first six months,

contact the Choice Homes (QLD) Pty Ltd

Maintenance department.

Rainwater Tank and Pump

Please refer to your warranty pack.

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CHOICE HOMES

Electricity

Circuit breakers and safety switches are

fitted in your meter box. If a breaker or

safety switch trips, do the following: turn off

all appliances. Reset the breaker or switch.

Turn on each appliance in turn to ascertain

which one is causing the problem. Do not

plug the suspected appliance in again but

have it serviced immediately by a qualified

electrician or service person.

If the breaker or safety switch continues

to trip during the six months maintenance

period contact the Choice Homes (QLD) Pty

Ltd maintenance department. Note: storm

damage of any kind is not covered under

maintenance or warranty.

TV Reception

TV reception may vary from site to site.

As per your Building Specification, Choice

Homes (QLD) Pty Ltd provides a TV antenna

and two outlets. If you experience poor

reception, please arrange to have a booster

installed by a reputable supplier.

Telephone Line and Outlets

As per your Building Specification, Choice

Homes (QLD) Pty Ltd provide a telephone

lead-in from the front boundary to your home

and two outlets. Please contact your preferred

retailed to arrange telephone connection.

Electricity Notes

Important Note

If you have an electrical, plumbing or structural problem, you must contact the Choice Homes (QLD) Pty Ltd maintenance department so we can establish responsibility and cause. Choice Homes cannot reimburse monies spend on other contractors you have engaged at your property. We must be given an opportunity to resolve an issue providing the house is still under warranty.

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CHOICE HOMES

44 The Esplanade, PO Box 396,

Paradise Point, Qld 4216

Phone: (07) 5501 3300

Fax: (07) 5501 3399

info@choicehomes.com.au

www.choicehomes.com.au

Master Builders Gold Coast

2014 Finalist

Master Builders Gold Coast2013 Winner

Housing Industry AssociationGold Coast2015 Winner

Housing Industry AssociationGold Coast

2015 Finalist

Gold Coast Business

Excellence 2015 Awards

Built for thousands of happy families.