IN AND AROUND YOUR HOME
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
From what you need to know, to routine maintenance tips – it’s all covered here.
YOUR HOME
CHANGE OF OWNERSHIP
Your warranty is not affected if you sell or let your home. It would help if you could pass on the details about the warranty and what it covers to tenants or subsequent buyers. If you sell your home whilst it is still within warranty, the cover automatically transfers to the new owners.
YOUR RIGHTS
Your warranty does not affect your statutory rights. Some manufacturers also offer warranties to Cube Homes customers over and above the initial Cube Homes two-year warranty. You will need to contact the manufacturer to activate the warranties on your appliances.
Please note that we do not protect you against every problem that may occur and you are obliged to carry out maintenance on your home. Several limitations and conditions apply.
QUALITY CHECK
Our homes are quality checked before you move in, but in the unlikely event you should find a cosmetic defect e.g. chips, scratches, cracks and damage, this must be reported during your preinspection snagging appointment.
ONE-YEAR BUILD COMPLETE INSPECTION
One year after the build complete date Cube Homes will contact you to arrange an inspection with the contractor, this will be your opportunity to raise any outstanding defects and shrinkage cracks/nail “pops” in accordance with the relevant warranty providers technical standards.
REFUSE/RECYCLING COLLECTION
Please refer to your local council’s website for full details.
HOME WARRANTY
OUR WARRANTY DOES NOT COVER:
- Problems associated with any work you have carried out at the property or any appliances you have bought and installed.
- Damage caused accidentally, by storms, negligence, abuse or poor maintenance of the property or appliances. This includes blockages caused by inappropriate disposal of waste.
- Any cosmetic defects such as scratches, chips or marks that have not been reported within seven days of legal completion. This includes decoration, flooring, tiling, textured ceilings, kitchen units, fitted bedroom and bathroom furniture, worktops, sinks, sanitary ware, appliances, glass and other similar items. Outside of this time frame, it maybe difficult to establish how the damage was caused.
- Any inconvenience, distress, consequential loss of enjoyment or income loss caused by remedial works, assuming all reasonable steps have been taken to minimise disruption.
ALTERATIONS
Any alteration or extension made to your home following legal completion may adversely affect all or part of your warranty.
Please provide detailed drawings and specifications and liaise with your Cube Homes team member if you plan to alter or extend your home.
APPLIANCES
All of your appliances come with a manufacturer’s warranty – it is your responsibility to register the appliances to ensure the validity of the warranties. They are not covered under the 2-year defect warranty with Cube Homes.
HOLIDAYS/EXTENDED PERIODS OF NON-OCCUPANCY
We would recommend that you take all necessary precautions before going away on holiday or leaving your home unoccupied for long periods of time.
Cube Homes cannot be held responsible for any damage caused if the correct precautions are not taken during these periods.
Don’t forget to check that your insurance will cover you if you are going to be away from your home for an extended period.
HOME SAFETY
It’s important to maintain your home, but safety should be your first consideration before doing anything.
Below is a list of jobs we suggest should be carried out by a qualified professional. However, if there are any other jobs you do not feel comfortable doing yourself, always seek professional help.
- When installing child safety measures such as safety gates or cupboard safety catches, always follow manufacturers installation guidelines. Cube Homes cannot be held responsible for any damage caused when installing such items.
- Testing and repair of all gas and heating appliances.
- Testing and repair of all electrical appliances.
- Testing of security alarms (where fitted).
- Replacing smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors.
- Replacing and testing of RCDs as instructed by the manufacturer.
- Any structural alterations to your home.
WHAT TO DO WHEN IT IS NOT AN EMERGENCY?
For all non-emergencies, please use the clixifix portal. We will endeavour to resolve all issues within 30 calendar days.
We would like to advise you that all non-emergency issues will be attended to at a mutually convenient time, during normal working hours.
Cube Homes has arranged for you to have access to some manufacturer’s own Customer Service departments.
These numbers are with your appliance instructions.
STRUCTURAL
GENERAL
Homes should be run-in gently over the first few months. This is because concrete, bricks, timber, plaster and other materials will have absorbed water during construction.
You may not be aware of it, and it certainly will not do you any harm, but it does need to evaporate slowly and be ventilated away.
SHRINKAGE
Shrinkage will affect all new homes to some degree. As your home is lived in and heated, timber and other materials will shrink and this can cause small cracks on wall and ceiling finishes.
The length of time your house takes to dry out depends on how it was built and what sort of weather conditions there were when you first move in.
Small cracks or gaps may also appear at joints and corners of skirting boards and other interior joinery. These natural cracks are an unavoidable part of the build process.
It’s extremely unlikely that these cracks are anything structurally significant, and they can normally be put right very easily with ordinary filler and a simple lick of paint during routine redecoration.
DRYING OUT
To keep shrinkage to a minimum, you need to allow all the materials used in constructing your home time to dry out gradually. Try to maintain a reasonably even temperature throughout your home for at least the first 12 to 18 months, even in rooms which are not occupied.
If you move in during winter months try to use the central heating sparingly at first, so that the structure of your home warms up and dries out gradually.
Your home needs to be kept well ventilated to allow moisture to evaporate as the structure dries out. Leave windows or, at least, the trickle vents (slotted vents in the window frame) open for as long as you can safely do each day.
If your home has a mechanical ventilation system this should be left running at all times. It must be used and serviced as per the manufacturer’s instructions.
EFFLORESCENCE
A consequence of drying out may be the appearance of a white deposit on walls, called ‘efflorescence’.
This is caused by natural salts coming out of the wall materials and is quite normal. It is not harmful and usually disappears over time. If efflorescence occurs on internal walls it can be wiped or brushed away.
KITCHENS AND BATHROOMS
REDUCING CONDENSATION
Condensation is caused by steam or water vapour when it comes into contact with cold surfaces (in the same way that steam in the bathroom condenses on the window). Condensation is common in new and newly-converted homes, while construction materials dry out. If allowed to persist it can sometimes cause mould on walls and ceilings. In exceptional circumstances, condensation and mould can damage clothes, bedding, floor coverings, decorations and the home itself.
There are several things you should do to prevent condensation – please see the diagram opposite for some ideas.
Once materials have dried out, you should no longer experience significant condensation. However, normal daily activities produce a great deal of water vapour, which may cause condensation if allowed to spread around the home.
In cold weather you may notice some moisture on the felt under the roof tiles of your home. This is due to warm moist air from inside your home passing through the ceiling and condensing on the cold timber or felt and should gradually disperse.
VENTILATE MOISTURE AWAY
Ventilation is needed to get rid of the moisture that is naturally produced every day in your home. The trickle vents (slotted vents in the window frames) are intended to provide constant ‘background’ ventilation and should be left open when rooms are occupied.
INDUCTION HOBS
Always ensure you are using pans that are suitable for an induction hob. If you have a pacemaker fitted, ensure the induction hob will not interfere with its functionality before using the induction hob.
PROVIDE EVEN HEATING
Homes where the heating is off all day because the occupants are out, are more likely to suffer condensation problems than those heated more continuously.
This is because, when normal activities such as washing and cooking are carried out in the evening, the home has been unheated for long periods and so surfaces are cold.
Make sure the central heating timer is set so that your home is warm by the time you return home. During very cold weather, it may be better to leave the heating on during the day to maintain an even temperature.
The temperature can be set a few degrees lower and turned up when you return.
ELECTRICAL
Where recessed down lighters have been installed within your property, any replacement lamps should match the existing specification. Alternative lamps such as halogen can give off more heat and can cause overheating which could potentially result in a fire.
PLUMBING
WINTER PRECAUTIONS
To ensure your house is kept safe from frozen/burst pipes, keep your heating on a constant setting during extreme weather conditions.
For radiators fitted with a manual radiator valve, and to protect your pipework, please ensure the valves are kept open to keep the system running smoothly when your heating system is on.
If you have had an external tap fitted to your home it is important that, as winter approaches, you turn off the shut off valve on the pipe and the tap/pipe is drained. The valve is located where the external tap is connected to your water supply, this is usually beneath your kitchen sink.
In cold weather you may notice some moisture on the felt under the roof tiles of your home. This is due to warm moist air from inside your home passing through the ceiling and condensing on the cold timber or felt and should gradually disperse.
HEATING SYSTEMS
Central heating boilers must be checked and serviced at least once a year by a registered Gas Safe engineer so that they remain safe and to comply with warranty requirements.
TOILETS AND DRAINS
You are responsible for the upkeep of the pipes in and to your home. Sewers are only designed to take water from your toilets, sinks, baths and showers along with human waste and toilet tissue.
Blockages are normally caused by:
- Fat, oil and food leftovers that solidifies in pipes.
- Wet wipes – even the ones labelled ‘flushable’ can block your pipes.
- Sanitary items, including towels and tampons.
Leftover fat, oil and grease once cool, should be placed in a suitable container and disposed of in the bin. Everything else should be put in the bin.
PRESSURE
The most common issue found with boilers is a loss of pressure. This is not a defect with the boiler and can occur from time to time. A loss of pressure can usually be spotted on the boiler’s control panel. The control panel should display an error code that matches the symbol for loss of pressure in your boiler operating manual.
UNBLOCKING DRAINS AND TOILETS
If your sink or toilet is blocked and overflowing, it is recommended that you call a plumber.
If the water in your toilet or sink is slow moving, before contacting a plumber, there are a few things you can do to try and release the blockage yourself.
A plunger is one of the most effective methods of moving small blockages.
You can also try pouring boiling water and household detergent down the plughole or toilet, then leaving it for 10 minutes before flushing or rinsing through with hot tap water. This will help melt and break up grease and soap residues.
UNVENTED HOT WATER STORAGE SYSTEMS
These systems must be serviced at least once a year by a registered installer in accordance with the manufacturer’s recommendations and to comply with the requirements of any warranty. The manufacturer should be able to provide details of a registered installer.
Never attempt to service or alter an unvented system yourself.
WALLS AND CEILINGS
The walls in your home are either timber frame, metal frame or block construction, lined with plasterboard.
It is important to know what type of walls you have prior to attempting to attach anything to them. You will need to ensure that the correct fixings are used depending on the wall type.
Ceilings and wall linings of plasterboard may perform essential fire, noise and vapour insulation functions, so please bear this in mind when considering any alterations or work to these.
Internal walls generally have a hollow cavity, so such items may need to be attached with a steel cavity fixing, mounted through holes in the wall, gripping the plasterboard from behind.
Should you wish to paint, we recommend a water-based paint as this will allow the home to continue to dry out. We do however recommend you wait at least 12 months to decorate your home.
FIXING TO WALLS
Most light pictures can be hung on a steel pin or hook (the type obtained at any DIY store) and hammered into the plasterboard.
However, for heavier items such as wall mirrors, floor cupboards or wall cupboards, we recommend a sturdier fixing. Before applying any type of fixing to a wall or surface, always check for wires or pipes beforehand.
FIXING TO CEILINGS
Ceilings are made of the same construction as walls and you should afix to them in the same way – locate the joists and fix to them, where possible. If you do not do this, use a toggle or patent anchors.
Make sure you don’t suspend heavy weights from the ceiling, it is not designed for this purpose. Make sure you locate wires and pipes prior to installation of fixings.
FIXING TO CEILINGS OR WALLS
Always check for cables and pipes prior to attempting to fix anything.
For heavier items, always follow the manufacturer’s guidance when affixing to walls or surfaces.
PARTY WALLS
Don’t make holes in a party wall that separates you from your neighbour, as this will cause sound to travel easily and will reduce fire resistance.
FIXING TO A PARTITION WALL
Locate the position of the framework by using a stud finder, available at most DIY stores. The studs are usually about 600mm or 450mm apart and produce a dull solid sound.
If you can’t find the studs, make a small hole where you think the stud may be – if you hit the cavity you’ve missed the spot.
If your fixing is to go on a stud, drill through the plasterboard into the timber until you get to the metal and use recommended fixings. If you are not sure, do not proceed without professional advice.
OTHER SPACES
ROOFS
Tiles on sloping roofs are brittle and are easily cracked or broken. They are not designed to take the weight of anyone working on the roof, for example, window cleaners or people looking to install TV aerials or satellite receivers. For such work your installers or cleaners must use suitable access equipment.
Do not allow window cleaners or decorators to use the roof for access without protecting the surface. Stone chippings on flat roofs are to protect the felt from strong sunlight. Do not remove them.
WINDOWS AND DOORS
EXTERNAL CONDENSATION
Condensation, and at times when the weather is cold, ice, can form on the external surface of some modern glass units. This is an indication that the windows are working as designed, retaining more heat inside your home and helping you to save money on your heating bills.
External condensation will disappear as the day warms up.
INTERNAL CONDENSATION
The use of highly efficient sealed units has vastly reduced the incidence of internal condensation. Modern window units prevent the heat from escaping, or put another way, stop the cold from getting in.
For this reason the internal face of the glass is much warmer than it otherwise would be, and condensation is far less likely to form.
As with any internal condensation good ventilation is the key. Regardless of how good the window system is, excessive volumes of moisture in the air from drying clothes, bathrooms, cooking etc may ultimately end up forming as condensation on your glass.
During the colder months, regularly open windows and vents, particularly in small spaces, to clear condensation; let the air flow and ventilate your home.
Garages are not designed to be used for general storage, as they are not designed to be weather tight and items stored there could get damaged. Cube Homes is not responsible for any damage caused to items stored in the garage.