Novotel Christchurch Airport hotel under construction. Workers have been warned by Fletcher Construction against speaking to media about problems at the site, including a ''massive water leak'' that affected half the building.

A major water leak at the $82 million Novotel Christchurch Airport has those involved labelling it a "disaster".

The water leak caused significant damage, insiders say, and comes after extensive delays because of mistakes with steel and multiple problems with pre-fabricated bathroom pods.

One contractor, speaking to Stuff anonymously, said at least half the building was affected by water damage from drain pipes, including plaster board, insulation, and the lift, which needed repairing because water went down the shaft.

SUPPLIED Construction problems with the hotel first emerged last August when Christchurch Airport chief executive Malcolm Johns, pictured, confirmed some of the New Zealand-supplied steel did not meet requirements.

"There are numerous walls that need to have the [plaster board] removed to dry out properly or else there will be black mould form in the wall cavities. It does not appear they are going to do this," the contractor said. They said the project was turning into a "disaster".

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​The Warren & Mahoney-designed 200-room Novotel Christchurch Airport is a franchise partnership agreement between AccorHotels and developer, Christchurch Airport International Limited (CIAL), which is 75 per cent owned by the Christchurch City Council and 25 per cent owned by the Crown.

JOSEPH JOHNSON/STUFF The Christchurch hotel design is based on Novotel Auckland Airport.

Because of an historical agreement with the airport, Sudima has the lease on the building. However, it will be run by AccorHotels as a Novotel, with the airport company retaining ownership.

Originally scheduled to open in December 2017, a mistake with steel last August delayed the hotel opening until February. Now sources on-site claim the completion date is likely to be April 2019.

A CIAL spokeswoman said it was unsure when the hotel would open and directed queries to Fletcher Construction.

JOSEPH JOHNSON/STUFF One insider says the hotel 300mm too tall, and the third set of pre-fabricated bathroom pods is awaiting installation.

"We are disappointed to have become caught up in Fletcher issues," she said. "We do not yet have a confirmed completion date and look forward to receiving that from Fletcher."

A Fletcher spokesperson said: "We are not going to discuss the specific details of the day-to-day progress or timeline of each project, or commercially sensitive information."

Stuff previously reported that pre-fabricated bathroom pods for the hotel were left in the rain. They were installed but later found to have developed extensive mould so had to be removed and completely replaced.

"Issues with bathroom pods were discovered as part of regular quality control measures at the site, and pods are being replaced to ensure a high quality build," the Fletcher spokesperson said.

Construction problems with the hotel first emerged last August when, as Christchurch Airport chief executive Malcolm Johns told Stuff, some of the New Zealand-supplied steel did not meet requirements.

Fletcher said it was supplied incorrect steel for some of the bracing elements, but this was identified on site before installation and was corrected.

The Christchurch hotel design is based on Novotel Auckland Airport, which was also designed by Warren & Mahoney. One contractor said "someone stuffed up", removing the boiler/plant room from the plan to add more rooms to the Christchurch hotel.

The design firm said it had not made any errors. "A separate plant building was part of the approved concept for the project", a spokesperson said, and directed further queries to Fletcher.

Fletcher was asked to respond to allegations that:

- The bathroom pods have cost Fletcher $6m to date. One bathroom alone cost $1m as Fletcher paid a 20 per cent deposit of $1m to a Chinese manufacturer for a prototype bathroom. The manufacturer delivered one bathroom but then "disappeared without trace" with the money, a source says. The third set of bathroom pods is now awaiting installation.

- Because it is late delivering the hotel, Fletcher is paying for full occupancy every night. One source puts this figure at "$40,000 a day" since December.

- The top floor of the hotel has been designed to use panels that are only manufactured in a square configuration, but need to be installed in an isosceles triangle shape.

- On the top floor, the air conditioning units are installed lower than the ceiling height.

- The dimensions of the building are wrong and it is 300mm too tall.

The spokesperson replied: "We are standing by our commitment to complete all our remaining Building + Interiors (B+I) projects to the highest quality, including the Novotel in Christchurch. There is no change to the provisions we announced on February 14, 2018."

On February 14, Fletcher Building announced further provisions for expected losses in its Buildings + Interiors business of $486m, leading to a total projected B+I loss of $660m in the 2018 financial year.