Are Exposed Concrete Apartments the Trend? ... Shock Over Sink Plumbing Treatment

Numerous Defects Found in Some Newly Built Apartments Recently
Construction Company Says "No Problem If Dishwasher Is Not Installed"

A resident who moved into a newly built apartment discovered that the lower sink plumbing was only half embedded when attempting to install a dishwasher. When raising the issue, the construction company claimed, "If you do not install a dishwasher, it is not a problem, so it is not a defect." On the 22nd, a post titled "Common Plumbing Treatment in a Famous Brand New Apartment" was uploaded on the online community BobaeDream.

Residents of a newly built apartment discovered partially embedded lower sink plumbing while attempting to install a dishwasher.
[Photo source=Online community 'BobaeDream']

A, who recently moved into a newly built apartment, began by saying, "An absurd incident happened, so I am leaving this post to ask for your objective advice." A said, "A technician came to make the built-in dishwasher cabinet. The technician looked at the floor and said that the plumbing was protruding, making installation impossible." Along with this, A also shared a photo of the problematic plumbing. In the photo shared by A, part of the lower sink plumbing that should have been embedded is visible and bulging outward.

A speculated, "I guess they forgot to put in the plumbing, poured concrete, then realized the mistake, broke the concrete, and inserted the plumbing afterward." A expressed disbelief, asking, "Is this even allowed?" What angered A the most was the response from the apartment construction company. When A raised the issue with the defect repair team, they replied, "If you do not install a dishwasher, this is not a problem, so it cannot be considered a defect," and "Therefore, we cannot take any action."

A lamented, "The plumbing that should have been embedded protruded due to workers' mistakes, but is this kind of response appropriate?" A also said, "I requested to meet a responsible team leader twice over several days, but was ignored." Netizens responded to the story with comments such as, "As a construction company equipment manager, this is definitely a construction error," "Exposed PVC plumbing like that will cause problems in any form," and "How can they allow move-in with plumbing like that?" One netizen advised, "Request the plumbing design drawings, check if the construction matches the drawings, and if there are discrepancies, file a complaint with the city hall's architecture department."

Defect Issues Mainly Occur in Newly Built Apartments Constructed After COVID-19

Recently, numerous defects have appeared in some newly built apartments, leading some real estate communities to say, "You should avoid newly built apartments constructed after COVID-19." This is because defect issues have mainly occurred in newly built apartments constructed after COVID-19. The construction industry cites "time" and "money" as reasons for these defects. Most apartments nearing completion recently were sold and started construction before 2021, when the real estate market was booming. At that time, real estate prices were skyrocketing. Fierce bidding competition continued, and developments were underway everywhere, greatly increasing the number of sites construction companies had to manage.

Recently, numerous defects have appeared in some newly built apartments, leading some real estate communities to say, "Newly built apartments constructed after COVID-19 should be avoided." This is because defect issues have mainly occurred in newly built apartments constructed after COVID-19.
[Photo source=Online Community]

In this situation, when COVID-19 broke out, construction was halted at many sites where confirmed cases occurred. There was a significant loss of experienced workers over a long period, and with fewer skilled workers, rushing to meet existing construction schedules led to more work errors. Additionally, during this period, the Cargo Solidarity Union strike and the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine war caused material supply instability, soaring raw material prices, and rapid inflation, which also lowered construction quality. To cope with soaring raw material prices within limited construction budgets, various tricks emerged, such as lowering the grade of finishing materials and selecting subcontractors through lowest bids.

The government's push for rapid housing supply to the private sector to revive the construction market further shortened construction periods, worsening the situation. Moreover, last year, the ready-mix concrete transport union strike reduced weekend working hours. With the enforcement of the Serious Accident Punishment Act, site safety was strengthened, and the use of the 'work stoppage right' increased when dangerous situations occurred, causing construction sites to halt. Although total construction time decreased, trying to meet previously set completion dates created an environment where 'shoddy construction' was inevitable, according to a construction industry insider.

Furthermore, the 'supervision system,' which should identify such problems on-site in advance and manage overall construction, failed to perform its role, which is also pointed out as a problem. In response, the government recently conducted surprise inspections at 23 newly built apartments nearing move-in after poor construction issues surfaced in many places, and has strengthened the pre-inspection system to check for defects before move-in. However, among residents about to move into newly built apartments, complaints continue to emerge, saying, "There are so many defects that we don't know where or how to start fixing them."