Bitter cold slowing down construction

If you’re in the construction business, the extremely cold winter we’re experiencing has not only put a chill on construction, it’s frozen some people’s ability to make a living.

“A lot of companies said if they knew it was gonna be like this they would’ve just closed down because they’re losing money every day to try and keep working.”

But builder James Dussin made promises to his buyers. Their homes will be ready on time. But the frigidly cold temperatures have affected the construction of a home right from the moment the excavator tears in to the ground.

“You need a day almost just to break through all the frost. There’s 3 feet of frost in Hamilton alone. Then when we pour the concrete the concrete needs 2 per cent calcium, needs special engineer reports on the concrete so it doesn’t freeze.”

Dussin says a single home is costing him about $10,000 more than usual to build. And the cost of using propane to heat the homes has nearly doubled, but it’s necessary to complete the build. “It’s pretty stressful because every day gets colder.”

Chophouse Grill owner Christopher DesRosches has his own problems with the cold.

“The weather has been really tough for us.”

The Chophouse Grill in Hamilton’s Lister Block has tried to open twice. City permit delays set back construction in to the winter months. Now it’s so cold the restaurant isn’t able to finish the exhaust ducts needed to ventilate its kitchen before they can open.

“The cold affects us in our ability , it’s difficult to work when it’s -20, when we do the roofing the tar has to be melted and the tar has to be able to stick together.”

The city of Hamilton says they have few construction projects on the go because they normally require above zero degree temperatures to do their work. However there are three sewer projects underway and the city says the extremely cold temperatures have slowed work down more than they anticipated.