The Urban Ghost Town - Stalled Construction Eyesores....Buyer Beware

THE URBAN GHOST TOWN

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In today’s society it is commonplace to see stalled partially completed construction development projects. This is a prevalent situation in most urban neighborhoods and it is also very common in the suburban areas. There is a block in every town where a partially started construction project stands quiet, without any sounds of running power tools or heavy equipment tracking through the neighborhood. In some areas it is as commonplace as the boarded up foreclosures. Some causes stem from more housing being available on the market than buyers and buyers’ financing drying up as the banks tighten their belts.

As we have seen in the past, society recovers when the buyers and the banks eventually return. These jobsites will then continue working as ownership changes, bringing along with them new visions and new financing. When the buyer returns to the market, they should proceed with caution when purchasing new homes or condos from previously stalled projects.

Eventually when the paint and interior finishes are complete, you may never know the project stood vacant without any windows installed for 8 months. There are several problems with stalled construction projects, which the future buyers will inherit. The biggest source of future problems depends on at what point the construction process stalled out. If the exterior is not fully completed prior to the work stoppage, there will be future issues for potential homeowners.

For example, if the project stops before the windows or all exterior walls are completed, moisture in the form of rain, snow or excessive humidity will deteriorate interior framing and plywood subfloors. Repeated rains will imbed mold and mildew into wall framing, which could lead to obvious future problems. Unprotected plywood subflooring will delaminate and pose potential problems for hardwood flooring systems planned to be installed in the future. This will manifest in the form of ‘cupped’ floor boards and squeaking. Another problem with partially completed building envelopes is the windows. Moisture saturating unpainted interior window sills and jambs causes windows to improperly operate in the future. Big window manufacturers such as Pella and Marvin will document the construction conditions after delivery, which creates a case for these companies to potentially void the manufacturer’s warranty in the future.

There are several ways to avoid being a victim of a stalled construction project. You could check with the window manufacturer to inquire if they documented the project conditions after delivery. It is also important to be familiar with the neighborhood and its surroundings when purchasing a home. Talk to nearby homeowners and businesses, ask people’s opinions of local neighborhood builders.

You cannot always judge a book by its cover.

http://www.chicagoconstructionworks.com/