Part of the reason for the long construction times is the availability of financing. It is very tight and that is why you see one floor built and evidence that another one will be built. It may be a few years before they can come up with the money for the second story. This was told to me by a French woman who lives and builds and sells on the Dutch side. She builds on that side because it is easier to deal with the government and the tax structure, but she says that you have to be on site all the time or the builder will cut corners that wont be caught until too late.