The effect of faulty construction on building maintenance!

This post is provided by Jesse Hughes.

Faulty construction is unfortunately a fact of life, and it impacts the overall life and maintenance of any building. If you are concerned about the construction quality of your home, you could get a professional strata report and get more details on the property history. 

Poor construction practices do not just result in a shortened lifespan for the building. It also has a huge impact on the ongoing maintenance as well. Here are a few examples of how construction issues can manifest themselves. 

Leaks

One of the biggest maintenance problems that comes from poor construction is leaks. Roofing is the biggest area for this. Flimsy materials for sheet roofing or shingles as well as imprecise laying of the material that leaves gaps will leave the roof vulnerable to water penetration. It would not take long for a rainstorm to bring water dripping indoors.  

And leaks can come from other parts of the house than just the roof. Siding or cladding that has not been fastened properly will leave opening for water, and even brick can lead to leaks if the mortar was not done correctly. Small cracks start to form and in comes the water. 

Cracks Inside And Out

If the building site was not properly prepared, or the foundation itself was poorly constructed, it will weaken the entire building. An unstable foundation will soon lead to cracks in the interior walls as the floors settle unevenly, and doors can stop swinging properly in their frames. When parts of the house shift, there can be even more damage to pipes or wiring within the walls. 

All of these potential gaps and cracks can also ruin the insulation value of the home, creating heat loss and drafts that impact comfort and utility use all year long. 

Drainage Problems

Another possible result of a bad foundation is poor drainage, especially in the basement. As floors shift position, water would not flow the same was as it once did, leaving drain holes high and dry. It could even mean that the bathtub does not completely empty if one end of the tub becomes slightly too high. 

Utility Costs

On the subject of insulation, that is another area that can be done in a sub-standard way that leads to many problems later on. Insufficient insulation or the use of improper materials will mean that heat can be lost, making a building difficult to heat in cold weather. It also effects sound quality in the home, and that you can hear noises from one room to the other more than you should. 

Though the origins of these problems come from the construction itself, that does not mean there is nothing you can do. Fixing a poorly done roof is a big project, though certainly not impossible. Adding new insulation can also be done without too much reconstruction. Problems with a foundation may not be truly fixable without razing the building but a good contractor should be able to help get things stabilized and straightened out to some degree.