The construction sector has lost a total of 1,023,860 working days due to heavy rainfall, and that in just the first half of this year alone.
Builder's association Embuild says the construction sector has lost 5% of all working days since the beginning of 2024 – twice as many as in the first half of 2022 and one-third more than the same period last year.
The bad weather has brought building projects to a standstill. Seven in ten companies are experiencing severe backlogs and are unable to deliver to customers on time. Over half of companies are delayed by over one month, with 2.4% exceeding the six-month mark.
"Almost four in ten companies in our sector have no other option than to extend the delivery period," Embuild CEO Niko Demeester stated in a press release. "Given the record rainfall that our country has had to deal with since October 2023, we ask our customers for their understanding."
Will it stop?
Belgium has seen record-breaking levels of precipitation for 11 months in a row. In August, monthly rainfall broke the record just two weeks in when the weather station in Uccle measured over 100mm of rain compared to the typical August average of 86mm.
"This is beyond anything ever seen since measurements began in 1833," commented David Dehenauw, Head of Forecasting at the Royal Meteorological Institute (RMI).
"This is a very exceptional situation," said Demeester from Embuild. "The RMI figures speak volumes."
Wet conditions are challenging for builders because bricks stick and dry less easily. Construction pits – which form the foundations – are also unworkable when damp, and security on building sites is compromised "partly due to muddy paths as a result of excessive rain."
The construction site of the 'Oxy' project in the centre of Brussels, February 2024. Credit: Belga
Brighter times ahead?
When it is not possible to continue working, construction employees are forced to take temporary unemployment. This has also led to a record number of people having to stop work due to weather-related delays. In turn, 13% of employees work overtime to compensate for backlogs.
The weather is not the only problem builders have to contend with. An ING report published in February also highlighted several outstanding issues such as severe materials shortages and a stretched workforce.
Despite these challenges, the sector grew by 1.9% last year – outstripping the entire economy's annual growth of 1.5%. ING believes 2024 will be a difficult year but points to more promising developments in the future.
The bank predicts a "major renovation wave" as 85% of homes do not currently meet 2050 energy standards. "The number of home improvements needs to be quadrupled to meet climate targets by 2050." In light of this, the report notes that it will be more necessary than ever to address the issue of staff shortages.
