Experts Warn of Safety Risks in Completing Abandoned Buildings

Completing abandoned buildings for habitation carries major safety and financial implications, including structural degradation and high renovation costs, according to construction experts.

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A building left under construction and exposed to rainfall and other weather conditions for several years is susceptible to significant deterioration.

Kunle Awobodu, former president of the Nigerian Institute of Building (NIOB) and pioneer president of the Building Collapse Prevention Guild (BCPG), explained that buildings left unfinished and exposed to weather for years are susceptible to significant deterioration. Prolonged exposure to moisture and atmospheric carbon dioxide accelerates the "carbonation" process in concrete. This can lead to reinforcement corrosion, concrete cracking, spalling, and a gradual reduction in the building's structural durability and service life.

Awobodu also noted that extended weather exposure increases the water absorption of sandcrete blocks, potentially reducing their strength and durability, especially if low-quality blocks were used. He emphasized that a building's safety cannot be determined by visual inspection alone. A comprehensive building condition survey is required to assess deterioration. This survey should include detailed visual inspections, non-destructive testing, assessment of carbonation depth and reinforcement corrosion, evaluation of construction quality against approved drawings, and examination of structural components.

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The safety of the building cannot be determined by visual inspection alone. A comprehensive building condition survey will be conducted to assess the extent of deterioration caused by prolonged exposure to weather.

Arc. (Dr) Augustine Otuoke, an official of the Building Collapse Prevention Guild, echoed these concerns, stating that abandoned buildings are drastically affected by weather elements. He added that finishes deployed upon completion significantly reduce the impact of external weather, promoting the building's lifespan. Otuoke stressed that the findings of the survey, along with recommendations from a Builder and Structural Engineer, will form the basis for deciding if the building is safe for habitation, needs repairs, strengthening, or demolition.

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Every abandoned building project is bound to be drastically affected by the elements of weather when abandoned in an unfinished state.