There are common building defects, but most defects are minor and fairly inconsequential. The most dangerous defects may, however, threaten harm to either individuals or the property itself. A problem remains, regardless of whether a defect is major or minor in nature: defects are normally not found until long after the work is finished, and it is a huge (and expensive) challenge to defend against defect complaints.
What is building defect?
Building defects usually refer to a deficiency in the construction process, whether in design , materials, or workmanship, which leads to a failure in some aspect of the structure being constructed, causing damage (financial or otherwise) to an individual or property. A construction defect must contain all 3 of the following, to put it another way:
- A failure (resulting from poor design , materials or workmanship) in the construction process itself;
- The deficiency could result in a structural failure (that is being constructed during the project);
- The failure must cause loss (financial loss or otherwise) to an individual or property.
Sometimes, a flaw could be as simple as falling short of the standards of an individual. Other times, the property could be as severe as a structural defect. Obviously, depending on the cause and nature of the problem at hand , construction defects and the subsequent fallout can differ greatly.
Let’s break down the three major types of building defects a little bit more:
Design Defects
Such deficiencies arise from the inability of a architecture or design professional to produce correct and well-organized building reports. Defects in the design arise by mistake or by omission. Errors usually require some kind of redesign and replacement of a component, while omissions may be remedied by applying change orders to the scope of work of a contractor.
Material Defects
“Material defects” are called defects that occur due to defective or insufficient building material. When these defects come from the manufacturer, until after they have already been integrated into the project, the parties using these products will typically not become aware of the defect. This makes material defects particularly costly because they may need extra labour and new materials.
Defects of Workmanship
Usually, when individuals think of building defects, what comes to mind is workmanship defects. These defects arise when, in compliance with the design records, a contractor fails to create a structure or component portion. Defects in workmanship can vary from basic dimensional analysis to problems of structural integrity. It can be highly difficult to delegate responsibility and decide how (and even who) failed to comply with the property standard of care.
