The “screwdriver test” is old-school but honestly, I’ve seen it catch more issues than any fancy infrared camera. But here’s something I keep running into—how do you actually convince a board or a client to trust what you find with a screwdriver over what’s in a consultant’s glossy report? I’ve had situations where I’m showing them punky wood or soft spots right there in person, and they still want to wait for someone in a suit to write it up. Is that just covering their own bases, or do they really not trust field checks?
On the green roof thing, maintenance logs are a beast. I’ve seen projects where nobody updates them for months, then when something fails, everyone’s scrambling to reconstruct what happened. Do you ever require digital logs or photos as part of ongoing maintenance? Or does it all just get shoved in a binder until there’s a problem?
Your checklist for underbids lines up with what I do, especially the fudge factor. But I’m curious—how do you handle it when the “unknown unknowns” turn out way bigger than expected? Ever had a project where that 10-15% wasn’t enough? I had one last year where water damage was hiding behind perfectly fine-looking stucco, and we blew through contingency in two weeks.
And about outside experts—do you think there’s any real way to make sure they actually inspect the site thoroughly? Or is it just luck of the draw which consultant you get? I’ve started asking for photos of them on site as proof, but sometimes that just feels like extra paperwork for everyone.
Curious if anyone else has found a system that keeps both the paperwork folks and the muddy boots crowd happy... or is it always a tug-of-war?
I’ve had situations where I’m showing them punky wood or soft spots right there in person, and they still want to wait for someone in a suit to write it up.
Drives me nuts—there’s something about a printed report that just makes people feel safer, even when you can literally poke your finger through the rot. I’ve started keeping a running photo log on my phone, with timestamps, and sometimes that helps bridge the gap. On green roofs, digital logs are a must for me now. The old paper binder system is a black hole... stuff disappears until it’s too late. As for “unknown unknowns,” I’ve blown past 15% before—especially when water is involved. It’s brutal, but being upfront about the risk (and documenting every step) is the only way I’ve found to keep both sides semi-happy. Still feels like a tug-of-war most days.
That’s the thing—no matter how obvious the damage is, some folks just won’t budge until they see it in a formal report. I get it, liability and all that, but it’s wild how a suit and a clipboard suddenly make rot “real.” I’ve had owners literally watch me pull up a section of roof and see daylight through the decking, and they’ll still say, “Let’s wait for the inspector.” Makes you wonder if they’re just hoping it’ll magically fix itself.
I’m with you on the photo logs. I started doing that after a job where the GC “lost” half my paper notes and then tried to argue about change orders. Now I snap pics of everything—soft spots, water trails, even the stuff that looks fine at first. It’s saved my butt more than once, especially when the finger-pointing starts. But even then, I’ve had people question if the photos are “current.” Like, what, you think I’m running around with a library of old rot pics just to pad my extras?
The digital binder thing is a double-edged sword, though. It’s great for tracking, but I’ve had tech issues where files just vanish or get corrupted. Paper’s a pain, but at least you can’t accidentally delete it with a fat finger. Still, I’d rather risk a lost file than try to explain a missing page to a lawyer.
On the “unknown unknowns,” I’ve blown past 20% on a couple of older buildings, especially anything with a flat roof and a history of leaks. Once water gets in, it’s like a lottery—sometimes you get lucky, sometimes you’re pulling up half the structure. I try to build in a contingency, but clients always want the lowest number up front. How do you even set expectations when you know there’s a 50/50 shot you’ll find something ugly?
I guess my question is, do you ever get pushback on documenting *too* much? I had one project manager complain that my photo logs made it look like I was “looking for problems.” Like, isn’t that the point? Just feels like you can’t win—if you don’t document, you’re unprepared; if you do, you’re “overly cautious.” Maybe that’s just the nature of the beast.
- Totally get the “over-documenting” pushback. Had a GC once tell me, “You’re making us look bad with all these photos.” Like, what’s the alternative—pretend the rot isn’t there?
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That’s pretty much the tightrope. I’d rather be called cautious than have to eat costs later.“if you don’t document, you’re unprepared; if you do, you’re ‘overly cautious.’”
- For digital vs. paper: I keep a cloud backup and a cheap portable drive. Lost files once and that was enough for me. Paper’s good for quick notes, but I trust digital more for long-term.
- Setting expectations is always a circus. I usually show clients a few “worst case” photos from past jobs (with permission) and explain why the contingency is there. Some still want the lowest number, but at least they can’t say they weren’t warned.
- Honestly, documenting everything protects everyone. If someone thinks you’re “looking for problems,” maybe they’re worried about what you’ll find. I’d rather have too much proof than not enough when things get messy.
- And yeah, old flat roofs are like opening a mystery box. Sometimes you win, sometimes you wish you hadn’t looked...
I get why folks want to document every little thing, but sometimes it feels like it can go too far. I mean, I’m all for covering your bases—especially after getting burned by a contractor who “forgot” to mention some water damage behind my siding. Still, there’s a point where it just slows everything down. I’ve seen projects grind to a halt because someone wanted to snap a photo of every nail and screw. Maybe that’s fine on big commercial jobs, but for smaller stuff, it can get in the way.
“if you don’t document, you’re unprepared; if you do, you’re ‘overly cautious.’”
I get the tightrope, but sometimes trusting your gut and experience matters too. Not every issue needs a paper trail, especially if you’re working with people you know and trust. I’ve had better luck focusing on the big red flags and not sweating the tiny stuff. Maybe I’m just old school, but sometimes you gotta pick your battles or you’ll never get anything done.
