The saying “nobody is above mistakes” pretty much applies to every aspect of life and sectors of the economy. Notwithstanding, it could cause a lot more damage than what can be overlooked – especially in the construction industry. When errors are made on buildings, it’s important to correct them before they become life threatening. Errors like wrong piping, not following manufacturer’s instructions during installations, poor floor designs, use of substandard products and not obeying building codes can be corrected to improve the quality of the building and save you the excessive energy costs you might incur. That being said, here are some of the most common construction mistakes you may come across, and how to correct them.
1. Poor or Not-Enough Insulation
Every country has a body that regulates and oversees how insulation is installed in a building – homes especially. It’s important to always follow their guidelines to prevent issues. That being said, some construction supervisors use insulators that are below standard or don’t use enough. Experts say that poor compression can cause the R-value of a wall to reduce by 50% when the insulation settles. Therefore, if your insulation has been badly done, check the area and get a professional to repair it. Different insulators are used for different areas of the house. Cellulose for instance is more effective in areas with odd shapes, while batt insulation fits better in stud cavities and electric boxes. Spray foam works as an insulator and a seal, making it really effective when used for insulation repairs. It also fits into tiny and small holes that the construction engineers might have missed at first.
2. Wrongly done Piping or Plumbing Works
The plumbing of a building is one of the most important aspects. From the kitchen to the bathroom and the drainage, pipes are laid underground and in between walls to boost the aesthetics of the building and properly channel water, waste or wires to where they are needed. However, if these pipes aren’t well laid, they could break when walls expand or if heavy objects are dropped on the floor. When this happens, you will need to call on experts who are good at field joint coating. They can weld broken pipes together and also check for potential threats. Another negative effects of piping defects are that water leaking through walls can also weaken the concrete, causing cracks and possible crumbling down of the wall if not fixed soon enough.
3. Not Considering the Topography of the Site when Designing
This move has proven fatal for buildings and construction engineers. Many amateur architects and surveyors focus on designing buildings without putting the site orientation into consideration. Houses are normally designed to take advantage of the hot summer weather so that owners can save cost of energy bills. But mistakes are still made especially when the house design doesn’t align with the ground, the rising or setting of the sun amongst other factors. Since the sun rises from the west and sets at the east, the house should be designed for the sun to pass over/through it. The windows also should be placed towards the south tp allow radiation in winter. The size of the roof is also important as they should be at a lower angle but not to totally bar the sun. Your store room and living areas (bedroom) should be in the south or north where the walls aren’t always hot. But if mistakes have been made, you can either relocate rooms or renovate. The floor should also be designed to prevent moisture form rising on the walls or cracks due to poor ground leveling.
4. Installing And using Products without Obeying the Manufacturer’s Instructions
A lot of builders just want to quickly finish construction and head off to their new site. This makes them wrap up work without following guidelines and building codes. Poor installation of windows lead to wall cracks, rotting jambs and spaces for rodents to live. Moulds and mildew also grow on walls whose bricks aren’t well laid or those with bad plumbing passing through. Therefore, as a home owner one needs to know the guidelines to determine when they aren’t been followed. Also get a friend or family member who has an eye for construction defects to check out a building when any stage has been completed before the final wrap up.
