Sometimes it isn’t just about a GC. Governments can rain on a proper parade all day long. Cities such as Provo, Utah are utterly ridiculous with $250/day lane closures, ridiculous standards not found anywhere else. Holding a contractor to do work that has already been done but they forgot to document, thus leaving a contractor…

So they used my number. We value engineered a couple of things and pointed out deficiencies on the plan that they hadn’t noticed before. “Hey we just need to get some like shoring sorted out but we’ll be in touch”. “Hey I need to talk to you about your bid”. After numerous follow-up e-mails and…

How much do you think General Contractors really know what is in their contracts? Based on in-person reviews with some over contracts I think really not much. Sadly the sub-contractors don’t read it as well. Just got a look at a final waiver form yesterday that honestly looks to be purposely confusing. It doesn’t call…

If a city tells you the grades must be re-worked to reduce the maximum slope from the center line in the street it means what was previously drawn as asphalt removal will change. It can’t stay the same otherwise it will be the same and not even begin to address city comments. So if true…

3″ ductile iron pipe isn’t a thing. Technically it is but NO ONE carries it and it ALWAYS gets upgraded to 4″ because ordering 3″ will actually cost more and take longer to get. Are there similar problems in other industries where spec’d material isn’t available, cost prohibitive, wrong size etc?

The amount of waste is stupifying. The amount of customer service is non-existent. I’ve been sitting in the lobby for 20 mins of a city public works department. No fewer than 4 people have walked by without saying a word. Happy to take the fees but the return service expected is rarely returned.

You abuse your subs. You threaten, bully, intimidate, harass, strangle and lie but NOW you need a favor outside our scope and contract. Do you really think that always presenting yourself in the position of power and perfect in decision making that it won’t be remembered? It was your push to get the parking garage…

Why do people think that this is no longer important? Why is it a superintendent can tell a sub to proceed despite being warned of potential problems? It’s understandable if a schedule takes priority over something that will need to be re-engineered but when it comes time to fix the problem the super pretends he…

Yes subcontractors should give the GC an accurate timeline as much as possible and try to accomplish it. HOWEVER GCs need to stop expecting the laws of physics to be suspended just for their job. A mere day to backfill a huge building area by hand or to lay 2x-3x courses of block than normal.…

Is it me or is it not funny when a GC threatens back charges for damage to curb, sidewalk and gutter that is supposed to be removed and replaced? This isn’t new curb or sidewalk damaged after being freshly poured. It is old, majorly cracked, decrepit and part of the demo plan. The stupidity hurts.

Dubai allows GCs to lie to immigrant workers. Holds them hostage by taking their passports. Arrest workers who attempt to strike for better conditions.

Supposedly the note referenced a more “aggressive” atmosphere at Zurich as a reason for the drastic move. It makes one think if some of this is related to Zurich denying many bond claims. One case in point is Goran in Montana who has defaulted and the bond company has so far made no one whole.

How many times do you lose a bid because your competition is using inferior materials? How many times because they made the wrong assumption or wrong measurements? This is very prevalent in excavation especially when it comes to interpretation of a soils report.

Contract says no extra work unless there is a signed change order but GC says to stay moving or you’ll get a 3-day notice.

Introducing “genDEX”. Through consistent multiple ratings of a general contractor they will be assigned a genDEX score. The genDEX will then have guidance as to whether to charge a surcharge or give a discount.

Four sets of plans. Each one successively inserts clouded areas with a triangled number indicating the change in the revisions table…EXCEPT for the last one. Nope instead on that one the engineer either missed it or purposely did it but added only about 200’of RCP. Not on our bid. Not on any of the previous…

By far and away the easiest to gain leverage in being paid for work performed is to use the Utah SCR database. It cost $2.00 and is fairly easy to fill out in about 5 minutes. Sometimes it is a little tricky getting the actual parcel number but the general contractor should be providing that.…

How much do you help and mentor? What are you risking? Rarely are you returned the effort you expend helping others get out on their own. So do you stop? Do you realize that too many people are cut from the same cloth and one should just lower their expectations and quit wasting time? I…

OWNER. Seems like such a big word. Thrown about by GCs talking about their clients and their clients in turn throw it around when talking about their “investors” (usually banks). When a GC stiffs you on a deserved payment you can try to work it out. Protect your lien rights and lien. If you still…

The local John Deere dealership just lost not only a good skid loader rental but mist likely many other rentals going forward. Making so many additional insurance requirements literally last second with no one really willing to even talk to isn’t sound practice. Either she was unknowledgeable or lazy but simply sending out an example…