There are many different reasons that a construction job may never be completed. Understanding some of the causes may allow you to learn from other people’s mistakes. Here are five reasons that construction jobs may come to an abrupt halt.
Financial
One of the most common problems that bring construction projects to a complete halt is money. Even when developers think that they have all the financing lined up, there can be unexpected changes meaning construction must stop. Like the Chicago Spire and the Nakheel Tower sometimes these cases end up in the court system for decades without the project being completed.
Government
There are many projects that have been quickly stopped for governmental reasons. For example, in 2012, the discovery of an endangered spider put an abrupt end to a $15 million highway building project. Other times, political tension between governments or states and the federal government can put the brakes on a building project very fast. For example, just before World War II broke out, Joseph Stalin wanted to build the tallest building in the world at that time and put a statue of himself on top. The Nazi invasion of Russia put a stop, however, to this building plan.
Construction Flaws
Numerous construction flaws have brought construction projects to a standstill. One of the most common ones is that soil shifting. Some building projects can be saved when this is an issue by using soil grouting. Other times, buildings collapse after they have been completed because of miscalculations by engineers like the Hotel New World in Singapore that collapse because the engineer forgot to factor in the weight of the construction materials when doing his calculations on this high-rise hotel.
Nature
Some building projects are abandoned after nature proves too much for their designs to withstand. Hurricanes, floods, tornadoes and many other natural disasters have brought building projects to a standstill. The weight of the snow on a roof can even cause a whole building to collapse. Unfortunately, many of these buildings are never rebuilt as they are abandoned by their current owners. A decade after Katrina devastated New Orleans, many building projects have never been completed because nature’s furry showed builders what would be the result of building in that location.
There are many reasons that building construction projects may end suddenly. Therefore, it is important to consider many different factors before starting a building project. Working with professionals can often help you determine your best course of action before anyone turns the first shovel of dirt.