Have you got a construction horror story to match these three ‘Tales from the Crypt’?

The media loves to report building projects gone wrong when it’s the builder’s fault. However, an audience attending the recent Construction Management Association of America’s National Conference & Trade Show learned that the tables can turn the other way too.

As reported recently in the U.S. publication Construction Dive, ‘Tales from the Crypt’ was a unique presentation from veterans of the construction and architectural industries sharing their horror stories both for the sake of after-the-fact humour, but also for the benefit of those newer to the business. “We’re old guys with a lot of experience,” said the moderator of the panel.

Here are some of the stories picked up by Construction Dive:

Those darned kids! 
An architect who wanted to bring more natural light into a new museum using skylights and a “grand glass staircase.”

Trust kids to find the flaw in a design like this!

After the approval and admiration died down and the museum opened, a frantic call was made to the architect and builder. Apparently, school boys visiting the museum on class visits were positioning themselves under the staircase in order to enjoy the view up and under the skirts of women climbing the stairs. Tarps were hastily installed to temporarily cover the staircase, which was later permanently modified for the sake of privacy. Lesson learned: it’s important to put yourself in the shoes of the building or home occupant in order to anticipate all the possibilities of your design or work.

Third time lucky?
A contractor was hired to build a 100,000 square foot medical office building shortly after the original architect had been fired partway through construction. A new architect, in fact a ‘friend’ of the building investors, was named the replacement.  However, the size of the planned facility soon expanded to 144,000 square feet, even more.

When the contractor told the architect that the cost of the project had to increase likewise, the architect reportedly ‘refused to accept it and wouldn’t cooperate.’ Ultimately the investors took the inevitable step of firing the second architect and starting again with a third, despite putting the project almost two years behind schedule.

“When things just aren’t working early in a project, don’t be afraid to cut the cord and start over,” the presenter said. “The customer isn’t always right, and they often have unrealistic expectations. If reason fails, sometimes conflict is necessary.”

Pennies from heaven
A new church was being designed on a pro bono basis, however, the church board could not accept that their dreams were not financially achievable. “They had a limited budget and couldn’t do the things they wanted to do.”

So frustrated during a critical and heated board meeting, the head of the architectural firm apparently “told everyone to stop their arguing, hold hands, and pray for a miracle — because divine intervention was the only possible way the project would be completed.”

Despite being risk of a sharp reaction to this brazen behavior, the board in fact calmed down, came to grips with the reality and began discussions about compromises. Lesson learned; when in doubt pray for a miracle!

Do you have a story you’re willing to share?
Send us an email in confidence so we can tell others.
(Names will be protected)

jbleasby@canadiancontractor.ca