Common Defects in the Construction Stage of Real Estate Development Projects in Nigeria: A Critical Review

Development defects are the major bane confronting real estate development projects. They can occur at any stage of the life cycle of an estate. Real estate development industry always views development defects as the most difficult issue. However, accurately identifying the type of development defects can be tasking, which makes it difficult to determine their causes and potential mitigation strategies. Several studies have been conducted to identify the various types of development defects but with little information on the defects at the construction stage of real estate building. This paper examines the categories of defects that occur mostly at the construction stage of real estate projects with a view to improving the accuracy of detecting their causes and ensuring effective mitigating techniques against them. Based on the examination and descriptive analysis of previous studies, this study classified defects based on nature, occurrence time, functionality, based on the building process. The study recommends that stake holders be given more awareness on the classification of development defects so as to help the identify potential causes of the defects at the construction stage and offer preventive strategies during the design stages, which may eventually sustainability in the occupancy stage.