Homeowners grappling with the effects of a faulty cladding product are preparing to launch a class action lawsuit against Carter Holt Harvey, the company that makes it.
Shadowclad is already in the courts after issues were discovered in hundreds of school buildings and now the net is being cast wider.
He wanted it to be the house he'd spend the rest of his life in, instead Steve Kirby faces years of costly repairs.
"We thought we had a solid, wooden-built house that would last for our retirement. Now we need to rebuild the damn thing," he told Newshub.
Mr Kirby bought the property in 2010 - five years after it was built - but soon started to notice problems.
It's hard to see with the naked eye but the Shadowclad product used on the home's exterior has deteriorated and warped, opening it up to leaks.
"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.
He estimates the total cost of repairs could be several hundred thousand dollars.
Shadowclad is already subject to court action. The Ministry of Education says it's affected hundreds of school buildings.
Carter Holt Harvey makes the product, which is popular in baches and holiday homes.
Now if owners have problems, there may be a course for compensation.
"If there's enough viable claims and enough value in that, then it's likely there'll be a funded class action against Carter Holt Harvey," lawyer Adina Thorn told Newshub.
Carter Holt Harvey told Newshub in a statement it stands behind its products and will act responsibly to repair or replace them.
It also said they'd rather hear directly from people who have concerns and urges people who do to get in touch.
"This process at the moment is funded by an international leading litigation funder. Obviously they don't get involved unless they think there's a case to answer," Ms Thorn said.
And for Mr Kirby, as time goes on and the damage worsens, the property's value is going down.
"The bank won't look at it as a valuable property anymore, so borrowing money becomes a lot more difficult. It's just overall, hugely stressful," he said.
Homeowners like Mr Kirby are now hoping straighten the issue out once and for all.
Newshub.
