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Repairing construction defects properly

18/2/2021

9 Comments

 
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Have you had to go back to a project long after completion to fix something?

Was it easy?

Did it cost money?
​
Did you enjoy it?

Covering up defective construction

Often Contractors turn a blind eye to potential quality problems.

Mistakes get covered up by dirt, concrete, sheeting and paving. Hopefully never to be found by the Client, or anyone else in the future.

Some Construction Project Managers are adept at walking Architects, the Client and Quality Inspectors past poor quality. It’s sometimes easy to distract the person and get them to look elsewhere, or temporarily block the offending work from view.

Some Contractors even carry out clandestine operations after hours to quickly ‘patch’, or hide, defective construction work.

Unfortunately often these defects manifest themselves later – sometimes with devastating consequences with loss of life such as collapsed buildings.  
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The cost of ignoring building defects

Contractors are usually responsible for repairing visible construction defects for a period of 3 to 12 months after the construction project has been completed. But defects that have been hidden, will have to be repaired by the Contractor when these problems eventually become visible. Usually Contractors are liable for these defects up to 5 to 10 years after the construction project is completed, and in some jurisdictions they’re even liable for ever. Would you like to be called back to repair a defect 5 years after the construction project has been completed? Of course not!

But Contractors regularly hide defective construction work. Damaged pipes are covered over with ground. When the leak is eventually noticed the area could be covered by paving, or if it’s under the house then by concrete floor slabs, carpets and more. Repairing a simple cracked pipe could cost thousands when finished floors have to be ripped up inside someone’s house – compared to a few dollars if it’s fixed during construction. But sometimes the problem causes even more damage, think of a roof leak. Water from the roof could enter the house and damage ceilings, cupboards and even furniture. A simple construction defect can cost thousands to fix later. It also reflects poorly on the Contractor’s reputation.
​
It’s therefore imperative that construction defects are repaired properly when they are first noticed so that they don’t cause a bigger problem later. Don't wait for the Architect or Engineer to notice the problem. Defects should be repaired as soon as possible while they’re still easily accessible. Waiting until the end of the project may result in other completed work being damaged when the defect is repaired, and access may be more difficult. In addition, the skills and the materials required to fix the problem may no longer be available on the construction project and they’ll have to be brought back to the project at additional cost.
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Quality problems must be fixed properly 

​It’s sometimes tempting just to patch over poor quality construction work and quickly cover it up. But will the problem actually be fixed, or will it manifest itself later, maybe even after the project is completed.

Next time you try and cover-up, patch, or hide poor-quality construction work and defects, consider the consequences of your action. The problem may very well come to bite you later, costing your company additional money and impacting your reputation.

Rather take the time to do the task properly. Be proud of your completed work.
​
Mistakes will happen, but make sure they are fixed properly so there aren’t problems in the future
Other Useful articles:
Does anyone give a …. anymore?
The true costs of poor quality construction
How we can improve quality in construction
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​This article is an extract from the book 'The Successful Construction Supervisor and Foreman'.
​
© 2021 This article is not to be reproduced for commercial purposes without written permission from the author.

Do you want to learn how to manage construction projects successfully

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9 Comments
FRC link
11/3/2021 05:03:59 am

Seems quite dangerous to hide or not mention these mistakes. Thanks for sharing.

Reply
GDS link
4/4/2021 01:00:02 am

Very helpful and informative! Thank you for sharing.

Reply
Roof Repair Miami link
13/8/2021 07:45:39 pm

A fully professional roofer tends to not only provide you short-term solutions to your leak issue but offer you several options that can help you in preventing damage in the long term.

Reply
Roofing Contractor link
1/9/2021 08:53:35 pm

A roofing contractor provides services like repairing rooftops, covering patches of rooftops, total or complete replacement of the whole roof in case of both residential and commercial buildings.

Reply
Sherwin Alvarez link
23/8/2022 07:06:27 pm

Great article! Really important that people know this so that they'll know what to do when something happens to their property.

Reply
Iris Alban link
25/8/2022 05:34:42 pm

Great! This is going to be a great addition to my knowledge and will surely share this porch ideas to others.

Reply
Jessy link
20/10/2022 12:51:26 am

Some Contractors even carry out clandestine operations after hours to quickly ‘patch’, or hide, defective construction work.

Reply
Shaco link
20/10/2022 11:53:05 pm

Contractors regularly hide defective construction work. Damaged pipes are covered over with ground. When the leak is eventually noticed the area could be covered by paving, or if it’s under the house then by concrete floor slabs, carpets and more.

Reply
Victoria Addington link
25/5/2023 07:34:26 pm

It was fascinating to know that construction defects may lead to collapsed buildings. My friend wants to get their construction defect repaired. I should advise him to hire a construction defect expert with years of experience in the field.

Reply

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  • Construction Home
  • About Paul Netscher
  • +Construction Books
    • Successful Construction Project Management
    • Building a Successful Construction Company
    • Construction Claims
    • Construction Project Management: Tips and Insights
    • Construction Management: From Project Concept to Completion
    • An Introduction to Building and Renovating Houses
    • The Successful Construction Supervisor and Foreman
    • Designing your ideal home
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