Defective building products could be rife throughout the building industry

NBR

The recent discovery that substandard seismic grade steel reinforcing bar has been supplied to the New Zealand market comes as no surprise, says lawyer Adina Thorn who is leading a class action against defective house cladding and building another in relation to non-compliant steel mesh.

Ms Thorn says anecdotal evidence suggests low-quality steel products imported from Asia appear to be rife in the local construction industry.

In one case that was clubbed as “isolated” by the importer, steel bar sold was of a lower strength than the standard stamped on it. It was returned to the importer.