What is covered by Buildmark Choice?
For homes registered with NHBC from 1 April 2007, Buildmark Choice cover is divided into four main parts and is summarised below:
- The first 2 years after the property is completed
- Cover in years 3 to 10
- Additional cover in years 3 to 10 where NHBC's subsidiary carried out the building control
- Choice of optional cover including contractor insolvency before the property is completed
The first 2 years after the property is completed
The Contractor's Repair Cover lasts for two years from the date of the insurance certificate. During this period the contractor is obliged to put right Defects and Damage which result from a failure to comply with NHBC Standards. If the contractor fails to comply with his obligations, NHBC will itself arrange to put right those Defects and Damage.
During this two-year period NHBC also offers the Resolution Service to help settle disputes about Defects or Damage between the Contractor and the Registered Social Landlord. This is a free of charge service and following its investigation NHBC will issue a report informing both parties of any work that the Contractor must carry out to fulfil his obligations under this part of the cover.
Years 3 to 10
The Home Damage Cover normally lasts for 8 years after the Contractor's Repair Cover (but can be extended to 10 years depending on the options taken). Home damage cover includes a standard excess of £650 Indexed, but also gives Registered Social Landlords the option to have large excesses. It provides indemnity against Damage resulting from a breach of NHBC Standards in the following parts of a Home:
- Foundations
- Load-bearing walls
- Non load-bearing partition walls
- Wet-applied wall plaster
- External render and vertical tile hanging
- Load-bearing parts of the roof
- Tile and slate coverings to pitched roofs
- Ceilings
- Load-bearing parts of the floors
- Screeds, staircases, and internal floor decking where these fail to support normal loads
- Retaining walls necessary for the structural stability of the Home or other building on the Development
- Double- or triple-glazing panes to external windows and doors
- Below ground drainage
- Defective chimneys and flues causing a danger to the health and safety of occupants
- Plus increased protection with the addition of alternative accommodation and loss of rent cover
Additional cover in years 3 to 10 where NHBC's subsidiary carried out the building control
If you choose NHBC Building Control Services Limited to undertake building control, your customers will have additional insurance cover for breaches of specified Building Regulations which cause a danger to the physical health and safety of the occupants of the home.
In addition, they will also have cover against the cost of cleaning up contamination of the land on which the home is built, if a local authority or the environment agency take action under environmental law.
Optional Cover before the property is completed
You can choose to combine the cover described above with a combination of the following options:
1. Contractor's insolvency before the development is completed (limited to 10% of the Contract Price).
2. Professional Fees
3. Additional 2 years' cover
