The construction industry is perpetuated by a truly symbiotic process, in that all parties involved – project initiators, architects, engineers, contractors and more – rely on one another in order to achieve the best results possible. This coordinated effort is absolutely essential; the sum of all these parts equals a successful end product. That said, each one of these parties has the capability of completely ruining a construction project! In this 4-part series, we’re talking about how construction projects get screwed up. This article will be focused on 11 ways Engineers screw up construction projects.
Check Out The Other Parts In Our “Screwed Up Construction” Series:
Part 1: Contractors | Part 2: Architects | Part 4: Clients
Engineers: What’s Good About Them
Let’s start with the positives! Here are a few good things to say about Engineers:
- They Make Projects A Reality: Engineers could very well be the ultimate authority on constructibility…in MOST cases (we’ll discuss below). If a project can be built, an Engineer figures out exactly how to do so on paper while maintaining codes and standards.
- Engineers Make It Safe: Engineers analyze and study every possible negative outcome that a building could be subjected i.e. earthquakes, wind, usage capacities, etc., quantify what it will take to withstand them and then make sure the structure can withstand several times that.
- Critical Thinking Is Incredibly Valuable: One of my professors told us that the #1 skill we’ll graduate with as an engineer is the ability to think critically. This is a skill that’s valuable in all aspects of life, but the construction industry is one of the places that benefits the most from an engineer’s ability to think through problems.
Now with that said, let’s get into it…
Disclaimer: I have a B.S. in Civil Engineering but have worked my entire career as a contractor. The content within this article is based on my anecdotal experiences with engineers and the feedback I get from others only.
Here Are 11 Ways Engineers Screw Up Construction Projects:
- Improper Calculations
- Not Considering Constructibility In Design
- Creating Delays During Review/Return Of Documents
- Changing Design When Projects Are Underway
- Asking For Materials Or Components That Don’t Exist
- Providing Incomplete Design Documents
- Not Enough Field Experience (Expecting Laboratory Conditions)
- Fixated On Use Of One Particular Building Material/Manufacturer
- Not Considering Or Misunderstanding Building Codes
- Playing It Too Safe In Design
- Butting Heads With The Contractor’s Engineer
Note: There is a bit of overlap between on this list between our engineer & architect articles in our four-part series. We will provide specific examples of each point listed to illustrate how each item applies in context.
1. Improper Calculations
As an engineer by discipline, this one gives me nightmares. Every engineer fears making a mistake in their design calculations that causes an accident, failure or loss of life on a project.
Not only is a miscalculation or oversight that causes harm to others a nightmare on a moral level, but it can also ruin an engineer’s life, too.
One example I can think of is an engineer who improperly designed shoring for a trench. When a collapse took place, multiple people died. This was several years ago and to my knowledge the lead engineer is still in prison.
There are many high-profile examples of tragedies that took place due to miscalculations in the design phase of a project. Here are a few notable accidents that’ve occurred after a project is done, although accidents can happen during construction too:
I don’t think any of us envy the responsibility that engineers carry on a construction project. That said, there are many ways in which errors in the design phases of a project can turn a project on its’ head quickly.
After injuries and deaths come investigations, shut-downs, lawsuits and criminal charges, loss of reputation, revoking of licenses/permits and more. To say the least, a construction project is royally screwed up in these scenarios.
Related: Does Construction Management Require Math? The 5 Ways You’ll Need It
2. Not Considering Constructibility In Design
The greatest design ever created on paper isn’t so great if it can’t be built.
Constructibility is as important of a variable as any when it comes to the success or failure of a project, not to mention the cost of construction required to make it a reality.
Although many design engineers have knowledge of construction means and methods, it’s not the case for all. Many engineers simply haven’t had the exposure to real-life construction to know what is possible vs. what is not vs. what’s possible-but-a-pain (aka expensive and slow).
Many construction projects get derailed after an engineer creates a design without input from those who have built similar structures before. Two similar designs might look near-identical on paper, but one could cost double of the other in terms of labor and/or time. When contractor’s bids come in way over the expected budget or with lots of questions attached, this can lead to redesign, budgetary issues and more.
Here are a few ways this issue can be mitigated (taken from Part 2 of this series):
- Use Basis-Of-Designs For Building Systems & Materials: A B.O.D. can remove a lot of the guesswork that designers have in terms of how components look and get put together.
- Reference Other Projects: When something has been done before, it becomes a lot easier to determine if/how a particular building component comes together. Engineers can even consult the manufacturer, designer and/or installer from that other project.
- Bring On Contractors Early: When considering constructibility of a project, why not ask the people who know how to put things together already? Bringing a contractor on board – particularly one with broad experience – to assist in the design phase of a project can eliminate a lot of these issues. The term used to describe this type of arrangement is known as Design-Build.
In terms of dollar-for-dollar value to the client, engineers screw up construction projects when they don’t consider constructibility.
Related: What Is It Like Being A Construction Project Manager? A Day In The Life
3. Creating Delays During Review/Return Of Documents
There’s a reason why construction projects have a submittal, review and approval procedure between contractors and designers – it ensures that performance, quality and requirements are upheld.
This process mainly creates issues for the project when it takes way too long! Most construction projects have stipulations in the contract for how much time a designer/approval party has to respond to submittals.
If a contractor submits a set of shop drawings and the designer has two weeks to respond, one can easily see how a project experiences a delay when they take five weeks to respond instead.
Engineers screw up construction projects when they don’t reply to documents in a timely fashion. This gives contractors more legitimacy and an easy thing to point to in claiming delays and time extensions. Of course, the same could be said against slow contractors in reverse.
Related: How Do You Organize Project Documentation? A Few Must-Know Methods
4. Changing Design When Projects Are Underway
In part 2 of this series, we compared changing the design of an in-progress construction project to changing a restaurant order after placing it. Here’s a link to that example, but I’ll also give a few of my own below.
Below are some examples of design changes I’ve experienced or have known of on a project and the repercussions the project faced.
Our scope of work called for supporting an existing brick building with some steel bracing. We hired an engineer to design the system, which we could get fabricated and installed within our budget. The town’s engineer decided to make several changes to this design in order to issue a permit, including using much larger steel braces.
Keep in mind, we already had stamped, engineered drawings for this system. This completely changed our means and methods, which in turn affected our labor costs and cost of fabrication. The client had to pay us a substantial change order in turn.
On another project, the exterior finishes of a project were to be supported by steel brackets, most of which would be visible from the interior. The plans called for one bracket every foot or so to be bolted back to the structure. Our fabricator bought the steel required for this and the subcontractor ended up pre-drilling a large portion of the holes in the structure.
After installing a mockup, the designers felt that the brackets were too cumbersome on the eyes, so they changed the design. Now these brackets were only required every two feet. Unfortunately the fabricator bought a bunch of extra steel, which the client paid for. The subcontractor also drilled the holes which in turn needed to be repaired at an additional cost. Not a huge issue but time and money were lost.
Related: Change Order Best Practices: What Contractors & Clients Need To Know
5. Asking For Materials Or Components That Don’t Exist (Or Are Hard To Get)
A design that calls for specialty or hard-to-find materials is not a problem in itself. The real issues arise when the budget, lead time and availability aren’t accounted for when they’re specified.
When there’s a Basis-of-Design specified, the engineer has at least identified and make, model or supplier of the component in question. Other times, there are assumptions made or concepts developed during design that don’t actually exist. When it comes time to hire a contractor or start the work, issues of availability, lead time and price will surface. Engineers screw up construction projects when they don’t consider these factors, because they ultimately affect the client later on.
One example I have is the request for marine-grade (316L) stainless steel rebar to be used for some foundation work I oversaw relatively close to a large body of salt water. In fairness, it seems like a simple enough thing to get at first glance.
In reality, no local or even somewhat-local suppliers had it – we had to get a lesser grade (304) approved and order it from halfway across the country, which exceeded our budget by a fair margin – not to mention the amount of time it took to get was far longer than other similar materials. Other types of rebar would be acceptable in these conditions by a different designer, given that it was still over a mile from the water. The same project had a similar issue with the grade of structural stainless anchors.
It was shame on us as the contractor, too – this was a large project with a diverse scope of work. On this item, we didn’t do our due diligence in getting a quote or lead time – we ended up putting in a plug number (aka guesstimate) for this item instead and discovered these issues when the work got closer. Our bad!
Related: Procurement Strategy For Long Lead Items In Construction: A Few Tips
6. Providing Incomplete Design Documents
This one is relatable for anyone who’s worked in construction – when design documents are incomplete, they invite in the opportunity to:
- Run into misunderstandings later on.
- Not comply with expected rules, codes or guidelines.
- Confusion over scope of work.
- Open up grounds for change orders.
- Lead to many more questions, such as RFIs.
You get the idea!
Related: The Difference Between Shop Drawings And Construction Drawings
7. Not Enough Field Experience -Expecting Laboratory Conditions
There’s an overlap between engineers and field workers on a construction project, and that typically comes down to compliance of the actual work with the intended design.
Obviously, this is quite important. A properly designed building on paper isn’t any good if the contractor doesn’t follow it!
Expecting a job site to match laboratory conditions is where the expectation of engineers starts to get out of hand. Often, this is related to the amount of experience an engineer has on actual job sites when work is underway.
PROMOTION
Yes, concrete needs to meet certain criteria (water content, slump, etc.) before getting poured. That’s fine. Expecting every single piece of rebar to be perfectly lined up with one another is a different story (provided it’s within tolerance).
Sure, the correct type of structural bolt needs to be installed to make the building structurally sound. Standards must be upheld. If a hole in a beam is reamed at 91-degrees instead of 90-degrees though, the building will almost certainly be fine so long as a bolt can pass through adequately.
There is definitely an art to this balance, though. A good engineer will know what every rule is – a great engineer will know exactly how to balance compliance of rules and construction efficiency. Ironically, engineers screw up construction projects in some cases by being too compliant with the rules! Weird.
Related: Can An Engineer Become A Project Manager? 5 Realities To Consider
8. Fixated On Use Of One Particular Building Material/Manufacturer
In many cases, manufacturers of construction materials will give presentations and do demos of their products for design professionals like architects and engineers. Why? They’re hoping to get specified as the Basis-of-Design on future projects.
This isn’t a bad thing in and of itself – in fact, it’s a pretty normal business practice. The real issues arise when an engineer gets overly interested in a particular product or the support staff.
Don’t get me wrong. If an engineer understands the benefits of a project and there’s an appropriate application for it in a design, that’s great.
When considering the issue of constructibility that we discussed in section 2, many engineers simply don’t have the diverse field experience that contractors do. In turn, they begin specifying one manufacturer over and over for every project. The product could even be a great fit for the application, but inconsiderate of other factors like:
- Labor costs: One product may require a lot more labor than another to install, meaning contractor prices will be higher.
- Schedule: Similar to labor costs, one product might take longer to obtain (long lead time) than another. It could also take longer to install i.e. down time between installation steps, no. of workers who can do the work at one time, etc.
- Material Costs: A Cadillac is (usually) expensive for a reason. Here’s the thing though – not everyone needs or wants a Cadillac! Likewise, not every client has the money or time that some specific building systems require.
- Contractor Scarcity: Some manufacturers only work with select, pre-qualified, certified contractors, which limits the availability of who can do the work.
Engineers screw up construction projects in some instances by the insistence that a specific material be used. This will vary on a case-by-case basis though, with a hundred shades of grey in between.
Related: Don’t Miss These Construction Management Rules Of Thumb & Hacks!
9. Not Considering Or Misunderstanding Building Codes
Building codes exist for many reasons and often vary from town to town, state to state and country to country.
Codes and regulation that exist in one region and don’t in another are based on many factors local to the environment, including weather, natural occurrences and even prior accidents – when a construction accident takes place, it makes perfect sense to introduce a new ordinance to ensure it doesn’t happen again.
For example, California is much more prone to earthquakes than Maine. Therefore, building codes and standards in California exist to mitigate the effects of an earthquake that an engineer in Maine doesn’t need to think about as much.
This really becomes problematic when an engineer on the project is not familiar with the local building codes. What’s perfectly acceptable in one city or state may not be in another.
In theory, the engineer on the job should be familiar with the codes of whatever state they’re in, at least in the U.S., given that they must be licensed as a Professional Engineer (P.E.) in that state before designing anything there.
The potential is ever-present for engineers to screw up construction projects when they don’t familiarize themselves with the codes and standards that the project is subjected to!
Related: Why Are Lessons Learned Important In Project Management? Here’s Why
10. Playing It Too Safe In Design
In the world of construction, the expression of “safety is #1” is constantly shouted from the rooftops by every smart contractor. So why on Earth would an engineer ‘playing it too safe’ in their design be a bad thing?
The good news is that being too safe while designing a building is never a problem in terms of finished quality and end product. Too much caution becomes problematic when it comes to budget and schedule.
Take the example from earlier (section 4): the town’s engineer requesting significantly heavier steel braces for supporting a neighboring wall than what our own engineer specified.
At first instinct, I feel like I’m contradicting section 9 above – the town’s engineer should have more working knowledge of the local building codes than anyone else, right? Perhaps there’s a local code that required the change?
In reality, our own engineer knew of no code or standard of which his design violated. The town’s engineer just wanted to cover themselves and avoid any chance at a lawsuit, etc. This isn’t a bad thing for the town, but it was for our client – they ended up having to pay a lot more money than what our original, fully-vetted design would’ve required.
Related: Understanding Building Permits, Plus A Building Permit Process Flowchart
11. Butting Heads With The Contractor’s Engineer
Ah the human ego – it makes us do funny things, like abandon all logic in defense of our own emotions. I suppose that’s why the expression of “pride cometh before the fall” exists (official variation here, no religious connotation intended) – we often do whatever it takes to ‘protect ourselves’ and our ego, even if that’s to our own detriment.
People don’t like to be wrong. We also don’t like feeling inferior to others, or thinking that someone else is smarter or ‘superior’. We especially don’t want others to see us in this fashion – that’s just as bad as it being true.
A major way engineers screw up construction projects is by defending their own ideas so closely that they refuse to make any concessions on it when another idea is presented, even if that new idea brings with it a better outcome for the project and client that they work for!
I’ve worked for a General Contractor on a complicated project that had many flaws. There were so many issues that it’s not fair to blame the collective mess on any one party – my company was certainly not exempt. One of the biggest issues was that the Engineer-of-Record working for the client was extremely sensitive to ‘criticism’, or at least what he perceived as such.
This manifested itself in the form of anger, blatant rejection of good ideas and not acknowledging points made by anyone else, ESPECIALLY the engineering consultant we hired to complete portions of the design.
I put ‘criticism’ in quotes because no one ever meant it personally. As the contractor, we were held ultimately responsible for the performance of work – this includes buying out subcontractors, coordinating fabricators and of course, asking lots of questions about the design intent, holes in the scope and coordination of various finished products.
If I’m being honest, the engineered set of drawings that were done by the E.O.R. were lacking in many ways – how could we not point out issues and still do the job right? There was never any ill-will or bad intentions, but he responded by doing anything other than admitting when someone else had a point. Angry outbursts were common and arguments over drawings, change orders and concepts got more regular with time. As a result, the project suffered in many ways.
Based on my experiences, engineers screw up construction projects royally when they let their ego get in the way of the project’s needs. Of course, the same can be said for contractors, clients or pretty much anyone else.
Related: Managing Jerks As A Project Manager: What To Act On & What To Accept
PROMOTION
11 Ways Engineers Screw Up Construction Projects: In Summary
These articles sound extremely negative, but they truly represent the worst-case scenarios that we run into in construction. As we stated at the beginning of this article, engineers are absolutely essential to our society as a whole and the construction industry is certainly not an exception! We’d be nowhere without them. I hope this article has been helpful, informative and a bit entertaining. Thanks for reading.
