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Why New Apartment Flats Are Collapsing: Causes, Concerns & What Needs Fixing
In recent years, incidents have surfaced where newly built flats—sometimes just a few years old—are showing alarming problems: structural movement, ceiling collapse, mould, water infiltration, and, in worst cases, actual collapse or risk thereof. While outright collapse remains rare, the trend of serious defects in new (or relatively new) apartment blocks raises critical questions about construction quality, oversight, and safety. Below are some of the key reasons behind these issues, illustrated with examples, and followed by what needs to be done.
Examples of Failures
• In Croydon, South London, a block of new flats called The Fold (built around 2022) was found to be in a shocking state just two years later. Residents reported ceiling collapses, leaks, mould and damp, sewage leaks, and water ingress in the basement.
• More broadly, many new-build homes are found to have defects that—even if not leading to collapse—seriously reduce safety, comfort, and value. Common reports include cracks, leaks, poor insulation, mould, and foundations settling improperly.
These are not always cases of immediate collapse, but the defects point to deeper systemic issues that could lead to collapse or major hazards if not addressed.
Key Technical Causes & Contributing Factors
Here are some of the main technical reasons why new flats fail, or show dangerous structural issues:
1. Poor Ground and Foundation Work
• Soil that’s not properly surveyed or compacted. If the ground beneath a building shifts (for example in clay soil which expands/ contracts with moisture), the foundation may settle unevenly.
• Inadequate foundation design relative to the load. Sometimes extra flats are added later, increasing load, or the original load-bearing capacity is underestimated.
2. Substandard Materials and Construction Quality
• Use of inferior or inappropriate materials (low-quality concrete, poor waterproofing, bad plaster, weak steel or connections).
• Cutting corners in workmanship—builders under time pressure or cost constraints sometimes rush, omit required steps, or use shortcuts.
3. Defects in Design and Oversight
• Poor design detailing (for example, window or roof flashing or cladding not designed to properly channel water, or load paths insufficiently robust).
• Lack of proper supervision of multiple contractors or subcontractors. With complexity of building systems and multiple trades (electric, plumbing, roofing, structure), coordination failures can lead to weak points.
4. Water Ingress, Poor Waterproofing, and Moisture Damage
• When water leaks in due to poor waterproofing, failing seals or poor drainage, it can degrade structural materials, corrode support elements, cause rot or mould, damage ceilings and finishes, and in extreme cases weaken load-bearing components.
• Damp and mould not just cosmetic — over time, they can hide or exacerbate structural damage.
5. Regulatory / Quality Assurance Weaknesses
• Insufficient inspection in critical stages. If regulators, building control officers, or independent third-party inspectors do not properly test or review, flaws can go unchecked.
• Regulatory standards sometimes lag behind materials or building techniques in use, or are not enforced strictly.
• Pressure to deliver housing quickly and at scale can lead developers to focus on cost, speed, and profit rather than durability.
6. Natural / Environmental Factors
• Soil movement (subsidence, shrink-swell soil behaviour).
• Exposure to weather: wind, rain, freeze-thaw cycles that stress materials.
• Thermal movement: materials expand and contract; without the right tolerances or joints, this can lead to cracks or structural stress.
When Does the Problem Become Collapse? Progressive Failure
A crucial concept is progressive collapse: where a local failure (e.g. one structural component) leads to load redistribution, overload of adjacent elements, and then a chain reaction of structural failures far beyond the initial problem. Ronan Point (London, 1968) is a classic example: a gas explosion caused one outer wall to fail; because of how the building was designed (large precast concrete panels bolted together, load paths dependent on certain walls), the collapse spread.
While modern buildings are generally safer, if defects affect key load-bearing or bracing elements, or if modifications are made (extra floors, poor additions), the risk of progressive collapse grows.
Systemic / Regulatory & Financial Pressures
Beyond purely technical causes, there are higher-level pressures:
• Profit vs Quality: Developers under competitive pressure may cut corners to reduce cost or speed up delivery. Quality may be seen as secondary if inspections are lax.
• Skills Shortage: A lack of experienced tradespeople, site supervisors, engineers could mean some work isn’t done properly.
• Regulation Enforcement: Even where building codes are good, enforcement may be uneven. Some defects slip through because of insufficient oversight.
• Cost Shunting: Sometimes the cost of fixing defects gets passed to leaseholders or owners rather than developers or original builders. This can lead to inadequate remediation.
• Complexity of Modern Builds: New techniques, materials, designs (e.g. more insulation, new cladding systems, airtightness) bring with them new failure modes; if not well understood by all parties involved, new risks emerge.
Risks & Consequences
• Safety risks: collapse of ceilings, walls, or in worst cases structural failure endangering lives.
• Health and wellbeing: damp, mould, leaks lead to respiratory illnesses, stress.
• Financial: repair costs, remediation, devaluation of flats; possible legal liability.
• Habitability issues: flats becoming uncomfortable or unsafe to live in.
• Reputational damage: for builders, developers, local authorities.
What Must Be Done to Prevent Future Collapses
Based on the causes, here are measures that can help:
1. Stricter Design Accountability
• Ensure designs are robust, with safe load paths, allowance for thermal and moisture movement, correct detailing (flashing, joints etc.).
• Require independent structural review, particularly for new or novel building systems.
2. Better Material Standards & Testing
• Use only certified and tested materials; greater accountability for suppliers.
• Site testing (e.g. concrete cure, waterproofing, cladding fixings etc.) should be routine.
3. Improved Site Supervision & Quality Control
• More rigorous inspections during construction phases (foundations, structural frame, external envelope).
• Independent quality assurance rather than just internal sign-off.
4. Robust Regulatory Oversight and Enforcement
• Empower building control bodies (or equivalent) with sufficient resources.
• Ensure enforcement of penalties for poor building, so cutting corners has real cost.
• Regular audits or inspections of buildings after completion, especially medium-/ high-rise or using newer building systems.
5. Transparent Liability Chains
• Developers, contractors, subcontractors, architects all share liability; clarity helps ensure someone is held responsible when things go wrong.
6. Post-Occupancy Monitoring
• Early identification of defects: e.g. cracks, leaks, settlement.
• Residents given clear routes to report defects; owners/management responsible for addressing them.
7. Policy and Legislation Adjustments
• Update building regulations to require better robustness in design against progressive collapse.
• Possibly mandate third-party inspections and sign-offs.
• Better consumer protection (homeowners / leaseholders) so remediation costs are borne fairly.
Conclusion
While it is rare for brand new apartments to collapse outright, the number of serious defects is high enough to warrant concern. Many of these issues stem from a combination of cost pressures, poor materials/workmanship, weak oversight, and complex building systems. For safety, credibility, and livability, there must be systemic improvements: in regulation, in building practice, in design responsibility, and in accountability. Otherwise, risk remains of repeat failures—some minor, others potentially catastrophic.
Attached is a news article regarding New York high rise flat partially collapses
https://www.bbc.com/news/live/c74dzy1zl94t
Article written and configured by Christopher Stanley
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