Side effect of delays in construction?
Tried asking this in r/construction, but they deleted it because it was a homeowner related question. I feel like they were better suited to answer it, but I guess I have to hope I find someone knowledgeable here instead.
Perhaps I am doing a poor job of googling, but I am having a difficult time trying to determine concerns over a break in construction of a home. Say framing started but was not completed in a timely manner or if money got held up somewhere and materials could not be acquired, or after drywall but before the exterior is completed. Do you just tarp over everything? What risks are run from extended delays?
I have bought a couple of houses, but never anything remotely close to new and never really knew if these were issues.
Posted Jul 5, 2016, 8:39 PM UTC
Most of the work that goes on after the framing is weatherproofing in one form or another. Siding, roofing, even paint, are all there to protect the inside of the house from the outside. If you're going to have an extended period of time where you don't have the final weatherproofing in place, you need to do something temporary.
Tarp or plastic over everything is a good place to start, but it all depends on the weather conditions. If the framing is already wet and you throw plastic over it, you might just seal in the moisture and get mold or rot. Use your judgement on that one. The subfloor might not stand up to water depending on what was used, so covering the floor might be necessary at minimum.
If you have drywall on but the siding and roof aren't on, you definitely want to make sure you cover everything very well or you'll end up with ruined drywall. Moisture damage obviously, but also the expansion and contraction of the wood from wet/dry will wreak havok.
It's not the end of the world, and construction projects do get delayed and resumed without major problems, but do what is possible to limit your risks.
r/Construction is a weird sub. Moderation there has improved in the last year, but it's not perfect. Seems like a reasonable place to ask your question, but...