Insulation Layer Falls Off in Large Patches at a Tangshan, Hebei Property, True Colors Revealed After Rain (Photo)

Recently, the first phase of the China Resources Oak Bay project in Tangshan, Hebei, was successively handed over. After a heavy rain, a large area of the insulation layer on Building 2 of Oak Bay fell off. As of now, the property management is repairing the fallen insulation layer. Tangshan residents said that a single autumn rain exposed China Resources' true colors, and they did not expect China Resources' construction quality to be so poor.

A reporter from China Economic Net called China Resources Property (Tangshan) Co., Ltd., and the other party said they would arrange for the relevant department to contact the reporter. As of press time, the reporter had not received any reply. The reporter tried many times to contact the property management of Tangshan China Resources Oak Bay, but the phone was busy each time.

Insulation Layer Falls Off in Large Area After an Autumn Rain

It is reported that the Oak Bay residential compound in Tangshan, Hebei, is developed by China Resources Property Co., Ltd. and is located 200 meters south of the intersection of Changning Road and Guangming Road in Lubei District, Tangshan City. It opened for sale in May 2011, the first phase was occupied in August 2013, and the second phase is expected to be ready for occupancy by the end of May 2014.

On the evening of August 27, an autumn rain fell in Tangshan. The first phase of Tangshan China Resources Oak Bay had just been handed over, and the owners who had received their new homes were busy with renovations. No one expected that this rain would give them a different view of Oak Bay.

Because she had previously contacted the property management to have cable TV installed, early on the morning of August 28, the owner Ms. Wang (pseudonym) came to her new home to tidy up. Not long after, the cable TV installer arrived. At that moment, Ms. Wang went to the balcony.

“At first I didn't pay much attention, but when I looked carefully, the scene in front of me really startled me.” Ms. Wang told the reporter, “A large piece of the insulation layer on the exterior wall of Building 2 in the compound had fallen off, spanning seven floors from top to bottom. It may have been caused by the wind and rain last night. Since it was morning, the insulation layer that had fallen to the ground had not yet been cleaned up. Also, because it is newly developed and the first phase has just been handed over, there are not many people in the compound, so no owners were injured by the falling insulation layer.”

Pictures provided by the owner show that the exterior insulation layer of seven floors of Building 2 had fallen off, with an area estimated at nearly 100 square meters. The cement exterior facade was completely exposed to the air, and the floor partitions were also clearly visible. In addition, the adjacent protective surface layer also showed small areas of falling off.

Property Management Conducts Pull-Off Tests, Drilling Holes All Over the Walls

According to Ms. Wang, after discovering the fallen insulation layer, the owners went to the property management to demand an explanation.

Regarding the quality issue, the property management did not give a clear explanation. However, the property management stated that they would conduct pull-off tests on all exterior facades in the compound, identify the relevant problems, and organize personnel to carry out repairs.

It is reported that the pull-off test for exterior wall insulation is a method of testing, by means of pulling, whether the bonding strength between the insulation layer and the exterior wall meets the requirement for firm adhesion of the insulation layer. In this process, it is necessary to cut or drill holes in the wall surface and use corresponding equipment to extract data.

Ms. Wang said, “In the following days, the property management drilled holes in many exterior walls of the compound, and during the testing process, other local areas of insulation layer also fell off. With the property management drilling holes everywhere, sometimes I feel very unsafe staying in the room.” Ms. Wang also told the China Economic Net reporter, “More than half a month has passed, and the fallen insulation layer on Building 2 has not yet been completely repaired.”

Construction Quality of China Resources Oak Bay Questioned

It is reported that in addition to four high-rise residential buildings, the first phase of the Tangshan Oak Bay project also includes some high-end residential areas.

Ms. Wang said, “Just two days after the handover, a large area of wall tiles fell off! I originally thought China Resources Real Estate was a big brand and should be trustworthy, but quality problems keep emerging! How can we owners feel at ease?”

As a result, the construction quality of China Resources Oak Bay was questioned by other consumers. On the day of the incident, an owner at Oak Garden shot a video titled “Before Occupancy of Tangshan Oak Bay Phase I, Cutting Corners Caused Insulation Layer to Fall Off After a Rain” and uploaded it to the Internet, attracting the attention of Tangshan residents.

Tangshan resident Mr. Liu said, “No matter how solid the brand is, it cannot withstand a light rain in Tangshan.” Similarly, Tangshan resident Mr. Gao said, “Good houses are not made by boasting. A single autumn rain exposed China Resources' true colors. What has China Resources brought to the people of Tangshan? We do not want such shoddy projects. Give us an explanation and give us justice!”