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Closing curtains, buying blinds, and wearing sunglasses indoors is the only way a Wellington woman can hide from her neighbor’s “bright” ceiling.
Luanne Cockburn has lived at her home in Ngaio for eight years; About a year ago, she received a letter from those neighbors across the street, announcing that they would build her house.
While she had no problems with the construction, when Cockburn found out that her roof would not be painted in Zincalume, zinc-coated steel and aluminum alloy, she was concerned that she and her children suffer from migraines.
“There is a very strong glare that comes from the roof of our house during several hours of the day during the summer months; it’s really affecting our health and well-being, ”Cockburn said.
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“This is the kind of thing that I definitely try to avoid because it can trigger a migraine, which means I’m in the house wearing my sunglasses and lowering the blinds and curtains to prevent this from happening.
“That is not ideal in your own home.”
Cockburn had installed blinds in his home and was also talking to a landscaper about other ways to reduce glare.
“I’ve lost a lot of sleep over this and trying to find a solution has really taken a toll on me.”
Ross Giblin / Stuff
Luanne Cockburn wears her sunglasses indoors and draws curtains and blinds due to her neighbor’s shiny ceiling.
The home’s owners, Lucy and Matt Baker-Davies, said they first heard from Cockburn about its siding color in October / November of last year. They hadn’t spoken to her since Christmas.
“We were invited to come to their home to see and discuss this, however due to the aggressive tone adopted by our neighbors, we declined,” Baker-Davies said.
A series of phone calls and letters followed, including threats of legal action. We find this very distressing and feel intimidated. Our architects also made a commitment to them, which they didn’t have to do. “
They had offered to contribute money for Cockburn to buy window film, but she said Cockburn declined her offer.
Ross Giblin / Stuff
Luanne Cockburn says the glare from her neighbor’s roof in Wellington’s Ngaio can trigger migraines. You have installed additional blinds to prevent glare from entering your home.
Baker-Davies said they had added additional plants to the street side of their home, which would eventually obscure the view from its roof.
Painting or re-coating your home was not an option as the product was not designed to be painted.
“Doing so would likely be ineffective in reducing perceived glare … re-coating could cost more than $ 100,000.
“As a young family building on an extremely tight budget, this is simply not an option.”
His home complied with building and resource permits and all relevant local regulations, he said.
“We really want to be good neighbors and we have good relationships with everyone else in the area that we have met. We have put everything we have in this house for the last three years and now we have a newborn baby; It’s just not a reasonable option for us to re-coat and re-design our home at this time. “
Ross Giblin / Stuff
Neighbor Luanne Cockburn says she has lost sleep over what to do with the dazzling ceiling.
A Wellington City Council spokesperson said the home was given resource consent and construction consent, and complied with these consents.
The roofing material was not itself very reflective, he said.
There was glare, however, only on sunny days during certain times of the year and it was expected to “fade” as the roof eroded.
The council had received advice from a lighting expert and its initial report did not provide “adequate evidence” that a section of the Resource Management Act had been activated, it said.
“The council has used its enforcement discretion and has decided not to take enforcement action.”
You are currently obtaining a second opinion to determine if further research would be beneficial.
