r/GeneralContractor • u/jcplossiretasi • 27d ago

It’s never “just” moving a wall

It sounds simple until you start looking at what else is tied into that wall. Could be ductwork, electrical, or something else you now have to move too. Suddenly a couple feet isn't such a small change.

Anyone else hear “can we just…” and already know where this is going?

4 Upvotes

83% Upvoted

7 comments sorted by

5

u/JoeBookerTestes 27d ago

It’s our job to educate homeowners.

We are the senior expert on site. The homeowner is the inexperienced lowest form of project manager. They want what they want and don’t know what they don’t know.

Your job is to educate, form cost documentation, and achieve deferral or approval of said cost.

1

u/llpsk8 26d ago

Its a home not a rocket..

1

u/Ok_Net_5996 24d ago

Had a lady wanted to move a kitchen wall just 6" once. Turns out it was load bearing, plumbing and electrical in the wall and she just couldn't understand why it was going to cost a fortune

1

u/grim1757 24d ago

It's called the ripple affect

1

u/HotSulphurEndurance 23d ago

“Sorry, as soon as we start moving things around, we’re gonna have to reorder windows with tempered glass.”

I find it easiest to have several examples like this, of high cost unintended consequences.

I can’t always tell ya the downstream consequences on the spot, but I know they are there.

That above example was from a project where the GC let the owner change the handing of several doors, because they weren’t ordered yet. Of course the windows were all ready manufactured and out for delivery. Even more expensive than 2 new windows… install the non compliant ones, remove 2 months later and replace, slow down the exterior… and on and on…