Bleak New Year for construction

Construction of houses has ground to a halt as temperatures have plummeted to a level which has prevented any sort of work with cement for the past month.

Employers and workers had already been facing bleak times with the economic downturn affecting sales of property. Fewer houses were being built and renovation work was also in short supply.

However, a number of firms had been experiencing a mini revival in sales and according to Ivan McCook, of Armoy Homes, the weather has prevented them from completing 13 houses which have already been sold.

"To build in the present conditions would be a disaster and as far as I can remember, we haven't laid a brick since before the holidays. The frost would just kill the cement and there's just no point. All we are doing at the moment is ticking over," Mr. McCook said.

Armoy Homes are working on sites at Bann Road in Ballymoney and in Coleraine and only when the weather becomes warmer will construction work resume.

If there is no building, there's no joinery work, plastering, plumbing or electricians and painting. It has a knock-on effect.

"Everyone is affected and it's causing some hardship," said Tom Christie who has a squad of workmen employed at a large site in Lisburn.

Some tradesmen are fortunate enough to get some inside jobs, but these are few and far between and for others, the prospect of 'signing on' isn't an option because of the hassle involved, Mr. Christie said.

They're just hoping the weather will turn a bit better so that they can get back to work.