Sometimes you have a project that is trouble. We are not perfect but we do our best. This past year we had 15 years worth of trouble on one Gym project. There have been many excuses offered. We were rushed. We did not coordinate properly. We had people working on the project that did not understand gyms. All are valid, but in truth we took a good design and under performed! None of the problems surfaced during the bid phase, but as soon as construction started the contractor showed us item after item that was either missing or wrong. We even spotted a couple of very embarrassing things ourselves.
It was good that all items were caught before they were built, but we had several intense meetings, wringing of hands and uncomfortable moments. I lost much sleep over this, before I decided to just face the problems head on. (Something that I should have done from the start.)
We took ownership for the mistakes and told the owner (who didn't know of the problems) that all items would be fixed. In final analysis there was $30,000 in changes. We paid $12,000, Our Liability insurance paid $11,000, and the owner paid about $7,000.00 (for things that were left off the plans that they would have normally paid in the bid).
Our liability insurance did not want us to pay the $11,000.00 and said we were NOT liable. My response was that it may not be the legal thing to do but it was the right thing to do. I want us to be known for doing right. I don't like to be technically right.
I also believe that you are as good as your last project. Future work depends on that. If you do a good job and client may tell someone. If you do a BAD job, they will tell 10 people.
More than that I sleep good.
My staff does not even want to here the name of the project. They have never visited it.
Yesterday, the Basketball coach at the school approached me with a smile and said: "There is not a better gym in Oklahoma!" Later the Superintendent called me aside and said, "Later this year I have another project that I want you to start."
That is the way to end a project!
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