Did builders skimp on materials during the boom?

We know all about how homes were built during the boom using shaky financing and half-trained sub-contractors. But now they're telling us all is not right with the actual guts of the homes. From a story in southwest Florida:

Chinese drywall installed in houses in Lee County and elsewhere may be causing a wave of air conditioning failures and health problems.

The story seems lightly sourced, as if the reporter got a hot tip that didn't really pan out. I received the same tip a couple months ago - that Chinese drywall was crumbling prematurely in some newer Tampa area houses - but couldn't get anyone to confirm it.

The complaint is at least plausible. I had my roof re-tiled after the hurricanes of 2004 and within weeks noticed rusty red streaks running across a small section of the roof.

The apologetic roofer confirmed that we'd gotten a bad batch of tile adulterated with Chinese grit containing too much iron. He replaced the bad tiles free of charge under warranty from Owens-Corning.

Anyone who's bought assemble-at-home furniture or toys imported from China has probably had the same quality control complaints I've had: Missing hardware, ineptly drilled guide holes, damaged finishes, non-working parts.

Is it too big a leap to imagine those deficiencies extending to imported building materials? Let's hope the Far Eastern concrete was up to snuff...for the sake of our highway overpasses and skyscrapers.

Comments

[k]

I don't think building materials would be shipped halfway across the world like that - at least not the big, bulky heavy stuff like concrete and gypsum board (drywall).

I can't imagine the cost for a 4x8 sheet of drywall being THAT much cheaper from China to offset the transport costs for getting it to S. Fl - there are local companies that produce the same materials, with significantly less transport overhead.

I can see the sense in using imported bulk ingredients - but not the finished product.

My 2 cents.

[SoldierRenter]

k,
Welcome back!!!(if it's the same k from a few months ago).

I always wondered about the economies of scale involved in shipping that material from China also. I understand it's possible and the labor differential is huge but it still seems we should be able to make drywall cheaper.

[Toxified]

K,

During the building boom in 2004-2005 certain areas couldn't keep local supply up with demand. That's why suppliers started bringing drywall in from China. One major builder has already admitted to owners with effected homes that the problem is from drywall they used that was made in China. That is not to be disputed. What is an unknown is just how many problems the owners have been having since they moved in, are being caused by the off gasing from this product. It's MUCH MORE they AC coils failing. This is just the tip of the iceberg on this one. Most homeowners dealing with this product are keeping mum until they see how well the builders will fix it, while they are working with their attorneys doing their own private research, documention and testing to gather evidence to support all of the damages. If the builders don't make things right prior to when the litgations start, ..........the homeowners will blow the lid on this en masse.

[Fuzzy Bear]

I don't think building materials would be shipped halfway across the world like that - at least not the big, bulky heavy stuff like concrete and gypsum board (drywall).

The cost of manufacturing in China for these materials was far more cost effective than in the USA. Visit your local California port and you too can see first hand that indeed these finished goods of materials were manufactured abroad and shipped to the USA.

Cheap material costs equated to huge profits to the builders.

[steelermom]

We are investigating Florida's drywall problems. For more information, please visit: http://www.defective-chinese-drywall-lawsuit.com/. We can help.

[k-not]

That's not the old k. He/She wouldn't use incorrect grammar for "two" or opine without empirical evidence.