Had a funny conversation with a contractor yesterday.
Gruen: Why did you build the thing wrong?
Contractor: I thought it looked funny the way you drew it so I built it the way I thought was right.
Gruen: But that was the design, pretty much the only architectural feature in the entire project.
Contractor: The building inspector made me do it.
Gruen: Your going to have to take it out and rebuild it.
Contractor: But then it'll look funny.
Gruen: Sorry you think so, but it's really not your choice.
Contractor: But the building inspector made me do it.
Gruen: You mean the building inspector unilaterally changed the structure of the building? Did you look at the drawings? Is it my stamp or the building inspectors stamp on them?
I once drew an entry patio plan for a very MidCenMod house. The layout was lots of overlapping concrete squares, with control joints cut to delineate the various-sized square borders.
Contractor poured the perimeter shape perfectly, then disregarded the control joints I drew and cut control joints *on the diagonals* across the entire pad, wherever he felt they were needed.
Did a wood frame condo building and when I stopped by during framing the roof pitch was wrong. This mattered because each condo had its own roof each stepping down from each other in a stepped pattern. It was only off a couple of degrees but was very obvious. Felt bad because it was all done with sheathing….I was nice but I said wrong-is-wrong and told him to rebuild it. He cried around and I left. He waited till the owner showed up and the owner gave him permission to leave it. Who cares? I did because one of the condos was mine and I had to drive by that F’ing thing for 10 years. Formula is - Good Architect + Good Builder + Good Owner = Good Building.
I've heard that one a lot. A few times, I've whipped out the phone to start to call. Funny how it changes to "he would have...". The real ballsy ones also present a CO to make these supposed building department changes...
This can go the other way as well. I've had my fair share of mistakes/bad decisions that you look at and think WTF that looks terrible. You tell the contractor "we can't keep it like this we have to change it", often their response "Yea looked weird to us too but that's how you drew it"
Yea but if it looked weird on the first one why did you do 20 more before calling? I now tell all my contractors if something looks odd just ask I'll take a quick look and let you know right then. A good contractor can save your ass on a job. Of course a bad contractor can F-up a job too and they seem to be in about equal supply.
contractors.pshhhawwww
Had a funny conversation with a contractor yesterday.
Gruen: Why did you build the thing wrong?
Contractor: I thought it looked funny the way you drew it so I built it the way I thought was right.
Gruen: But that was the design, pretty much the only architectural feature in the entire project.
Contractor: The building inspector made me do it.
Gruen: Your going to have to take it out and rebuild it.
Contractor: But then it'll look funny.
Gruen: Sorry you think so, but it's really not your choice.
Contractor: But the building inspector made me do it.
Gruen: You mean the building inspector unilaterally changed the structure of the building? Did you look at the drawings? Is it my stamp or the building inspectors stamp on them?
Contractor: I guess it's yours.
Gruen: D*mn straight.
(Gruen: building funny looking sh*t...)
The building inspector made me do it.
Ranks right up there with the dog ate my homework.
And you need to posts pics somwe can decide if it's funny or not.
(Gruen: building funny looking sh*t...)
Maybe reading an inspiring poem about the design would help the contractor understand?
I once drew an entry patio plan for a very MidCenMod house. The layout was lots of overlapping concrete squares, with control joints cut to delineate the various-sized square borders.
Contractor poured the perimeter shape perfectly, then disregarded the control joints I drew and cut control joints *on the diagonals* across the entire pad, wherever he felt they were needed.
<sigh>
Did a wood frame condo building and when I stopped by during framing the roof pitch was wrong. This mattered because each condo had its own roof each stepping down from each other in a stepped pattern. It was only off a couple of degrees but was very obvious. Felt bad because it was all done with sheathing….I was nice but I said wrong-is-wrong and told him to rebuild it. He cried around and I left. He waited till the owner showed up and the owner gave him permission to leave it. Who cares? I did because one of the condos was mine and I had to drive by that F’ing thing for 10 years. Formula is - Good Architect + Good Builder + Good Owner = Good Building.
Just this morning had a contractor and his compatriot install a new sink. Didn't do it myself... because I wanted it done right.
"What's this? An 'extra' pack of bolts that you didn't use for the project?" sez I.
"You can keep those. It's OK, we didn't use them. "
"Well obviously."
So now guess who's got two thumbs and a sink that's not bolted to the wall properly?
A guy recommended from a friend. Bad news for them: He did their whole bathroom. It reminds me of that old Joke:
"How many guys does it take to install a sink incorrectly?"
Two. Two guys to install a sink incorrectly.
Good Architect + Good Builder + Good Owner = Good Building.
Good Luck.
;-)
At least he was looking out for your interest by not building funny looking shit.
"The building inspector made me do it"
I've heard that one a lot. A few times, I've whipped out the phone to start to call. Funny how it changes to "he would have...". The real ballsy ones also present a CO to make these supposed building department changes...
This can go the other way as well. I've had my fair share of mistakes/bad decisions that you look at and think WTF that looks terrible. You tell the contractor "we can't keep it like this we have to change it", often their response "Yea looked weird to us too but that's how you drew it"
Yea but if it looked weird on the first one why did you do 20 more before calling? I now tell all my contractors if something looks odd just ask I'll take a quick look and let you know right then. A good contractor can save your ass on a job. Of course a bad contractor can F-up a job too and they seem to be in about equal supply.
Good Architect + Good Builder + Good Owner = Good Building
Exactly, and not possible any other way. As Design / build combines the first two all I need are good clients.
Me: "why did you install the elevator buttons there?" (ie different on each floor)
GC: "The elevator guys decided where to put them."
Me: "So you're letting your subtrades make design decisions now? Did you call me to ask about this?"
GC: "No, I guess not."
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