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Why Property Developers Still Get Away With Cutting Corners

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Wednesday, 29 January 2025

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Why Property Developers Still Get Away with Cutting Corners—And What You Can Do About It

For years, property developers have been able to prioritize profit over quality, leaving buyers to deal with the consequences. From substandard materials to poorly executed construction, these issues continue to plague the industry.

🔍 Why does this keep happening?
Weak enforcement of building regulations allows developers to sidestep accountability.
Buyers often lack the knowledge or resources to hold developers responsible.
A "race to the bottom" culture in construction values cost-cutting over safety and durability.

💡 What can you do?
Demand transparency: Insist on detailed building inspections and guarantees.
Work with trusted advisors: Surveyors and conveyancers can help you spot red flags.
Advocate for change: Push for stricter regulations and harsher penalties for non-compliance.

💬 Have you experienced the fallout of corner-cutting in property development? Let’s discuss how we can drive accountability in the industry.

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Aitch Mac

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Comments 1

Ocean3D on Thursday, 27 February 2025 15:09

Hi Aitch Mac

Interesting post regarding the state of affairs today - but one that could have been written five... fifteen... or even fifty years ago and be every bit as relevant to that 'today'.

Probably was, in fact - or at very least the same points raised.

I speak from a position of having been involved in the building and property industry since the late 1970s, so my 'experience' covers the vast majority of the period I refer to. And enough knowledge of the times before it to say that timeline could easily be stretched further back.

Have building standards gone down? Yes - and no. The end product is only as good as the materials used and the people who put it together. Give a monkey a hammer, and eventually it will knock a nail in straight - but bend a thousand and cause untold damage in the process. In the same vein, a doglegged length of 4x2 is never going to make a good wall stud - and would knock every other length out of true in the process. But does that stop "tradesmen" using wonky wood? True craftsmen, yes - those that take a pride in their work. But on a building site when checking every length costs time and money - well...

Back in the day, every site would have a Site Clerk - part of who's job was to check materials and workmanship. There was often a Clerk of Works involved also, who was anything but the most popular face on site as they were the ones who dictated which work was pulled down to be re-done. Then you had the Building Inspectors and NHBC - the only pieces of the old puzzle left - but stretched like drumskins over large areas with multiple sites and unable to see what goes on... and gets covered up... between their visits.

Plus, there have been more "innovations" in building design and products in the last decade than probably the three before it - innovations that have yet to prove (or otherwise) they can stand the test of time. But they tick certain boxes, and satisfy certain agendae... so they are adopted and become the norm. There's always a new piece of Legislation - and the resulting buzz-phrases - driving change... often, many would say, simply for change' sake.

Were Victorian/Edwardian/Pick-an-era houses "better built" than those of today? is the age-old question. The answer: They were differently built. Will they last longer? Who knows - and we won't be here to find out.

One thing is guaranteed - someone will be making the same points in five... fifteen... and even fifty years as you have today.

0 Reply

Hi Aitch Mac

Interesting post regarding the state of affairs today - but one that could have been written five... fifteen... or even fifty years ago and be every bit as relevant to that 'today'.

Probably was, in fact - or at very least the same points raised.

I speak from a position of having been involved in the building and property industry since the late 1970s, so my 'experience' covers the vast majority of the period I refer to.  And enough knowledge of the times before it to say that timeline could easily be stretched further back.

Have building standards gone down?  Yes - and no.  The end product is only as good as the materials used and the people who put it together.  Give a monkey a hammer, and eventually it will knock a nail in straight - but bend a thousand and cause untold damage in the process.  In the same vein, a doglegged length of  4x2 is never going to make a good wall stud - and would knock every other length out of true in the process.  But does that stop "tradesmen" using wonky wood?  True craftsmen, yes - those that take a pride in their work.  But on a building site when checking every length costs time and money - well...

Back in the day, every site would have a Site Clerk - part of who's job was to check materials and workmanship.  There was often a Clerk of Works involved also, who was anything but the most popular face on site as they were the ones who dictated which work was pulled down to be re-done.  Then you had the Building Inspectors and NHBC - the only pieces of the old puzzle left - but stretched like drumskins over large areas with multiple sites and unable to see what goes on... and gets covered up... between their visits.

Plus, there have been more "innovations" in building design and products in the last decade than probably the three before it - innovations that have yet to prove (or otherwise) they can stand the test of time.  But they tick certain boxes, and satisfy certain agendae... so they are adopted and become the norm.  There's always a new piece of Legislation - and the resulting buzz-phrases - driving change... often, many would say, simply for change' sake.

Were Victorian/Edwardian/Pick-an-era houses "better built" than those of today? is the age-old question.  The answer: They were [b]differently[/b] built.  Will they last longer?  Who knows - and we won't be here to find out.

One thing is guaranteed - someone will be making the same points in five... fifteen... and even fifty years as you have today.

Hi Aitch Mac Interesting post regarding the state of affairs today - but one that could have been written five... fifteen... or even fifty years ago and be every bit as relevant to that 'today'. Probably was, in fact - or at very least the same points raised. I speak from a position of having been involved in the building and property industry since the late 1970s, so my 'experience' covers the vast majority of the period I refer to. And enough knowledge of the times before it to say that timeline could easily be stretched further back. Have building standards gone down? Yes - and no. The end product is only as good as the materials used and the people who put it together. Give a monkey a hammer, and eventually it will knock a nail in straight - but bend a thousand and cause untold damage in the process. In the same vein, a doglegged length of 4x2 is never going to make a good wall stud - and would knock every other length out of true in the process. But does that stop "tradesmen" using wonky wood? True craftsmen, yes - those that take a pride in their work. But on a building site when checking every length costs time and money - well... Back in the day, every site would have a Site Clerk - part of who's job was to check materials and workmanship. There was often a Clerk of Works involved also, who was anything but the most popular face on site as they were the ones who dictated which work was pulled down to be re-done. Then you had the Building Inspectors and NHBC - the only pieces of the old puzzle left - but stretched like drumskins over large areas with multiple sites and unable to see what goes on... and gets covered up... between their visits. Plus, there have been more "innovations" in building design and products in the last decade than probably the three before it - innovations that have yet to prove (or otherwise) they can stand the test of time. But they tick certain boxes, and satisfy certain agendae... so they are adopted and become the norm. There's always a new piece of Legislation - and the resulting buzz-phrases - driving change... often, many would say, simply for change' sake. Were Victorian/Edwardian/Pick-an-era houses "better built" than those of today? is the age-old question. The answer: They were [b]differently[/b] built. Will they last longer? Who knows - and we won't be here to find out. One thing is guaranteed - someone will be making the same points in five... fifteen... and even fifty years as you have today.

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