Spot on about documenting stuff—it’s saved my butt a couple times when a GC tried to push back on an extra charge. I’d add, don’t be afraid to ask for clarification on specs if something feels off. One time, I noticed the plans had two different insulation thicknesses listed…could’ve been a big mess if no one caught it. Being “that person” is better than eating the cost later.
Being “that person” is better than eating the cost later.
I get what you mean, but sometimes I wonder if there’s a line between being thorough and just annoying everyone on the job. I’ve asked about conflicting specs before and got a lot of eye rolls, but then again, I’d rather deal with that than pay for someone else’s mistake. Has anyone actually had a GC admit they messed up, or does it always turn into finger-pointing? I’m still learning how much to push back without making enemies...
I’ve definitely felt that tension between double-checking things and just being “that guy” who slows everything down. On my last reno, I caught a weird spec in the electrical plan—turns out the lighting layout didn’t match the switch locations. The GC kind of brushed it off at first, but when I pressed, he admitted it was a copy-paste error from another project. No drama, but it took a few awkward conversations.
I haven’t seen many GCs outright say “my bad” unless it’s super obvious and can’t be blamed on anyone else. Usually, it’s more like, “Well, the architect’s plans weren’t clear,” or “That’s what the sub said.” It gets old fast. I try to keep everything in writing—emails, texts, even photos—so if something goes sideways, there’s a paper trail. That way, it’s less about finger-pointing and more about fixing the issue.
Honestly, I’d rather get a few eye rolls than end up paying for a mistake that could’ve been avoided. It’s a fine line, but I think being thorough pays off in the long run... even if you’re not winning any popularity contests on site.
- 100% agree on the “paper trail” thing. I’ve had to scroll back through months of texts to prove who said what more times than I’d like to admit.
- GCs rarely own up unless it’s totally undeniable. I’ve heard every excuse in the book—my favorite was “the plans must’ve shifted in the printer.” Sure, buddy.
- I get the eye rolls too, but honestly, I’d rather be “that guy” than the one signing off on a $10k change order because nobody double-checked the specs.
- My trick is to keep a running punch list and update it after every walkthrough. Not glamorous, but it’s saved my bacon more than once.
- I do think sometimes we can get a little too bogged down in the details, though. There’s a balance—if you nitpick every single thing, the project never moves. But if you don’t, you’re stuck fixing stuff later.
- At the end of the day, I’d rather have a GC annoyed with me than an owner asking why the lights don’t turn on.
I do think sometimes we can get a little too bogged down in the details, though. There’s a balance—if you nitpick every single thing, the project never moves. But if you don’t, you’re stuck fixing stuff later.
This is the part I struggle with the most. When we did our kitchen remodel, I tried to keep track of every little thing, but my contractor kept telling me to “trust the process.” Ended up missing a couple things that cost extra later. Is there a way to figure out which details are truly worth fighting for, especially when you’re trying to stick to a tight budget? Or do you just have to accept some stuff will slip through no matter what?
