It's Time for Some Changes

Abstract

In times such as these, when “win‐win” projects can be found primarily in “completed job files,” not “current jobs,” conditions are almost universally cursed by owners, designers, and contractors. The only smiles are on the faces of the lawyers and the insurance company workers, who have open contract amounts. The sources of most of the problems in the construction industry, however, are the actions of the parties themselves, not the lawyers or the insurance company workers. “The fault, dear Brutus, lies not in the, stars, but in ourselves….” But should lawyers and insurance company workers be paid $1,000 for every $100 in damages? There are many things that can be done by owners and their engineers now that are almost universally ignored by those who would benefit the most. This paper is an effort to discuss briefly what you can do to reduce the occurrence of, and the cost of, construction problems.